Henkel has made a gain of 20 places in the annual survey of the world’s 500
highest-revenue companies published by the US business magazine Fortune.
In the overall ranking, Henkel holds position number 448 compared to 468 last
year. And for the first time, Henkel has also gained entry this year in the list of
companies making the biggest jump in profits, taking 36th place in that
ranking.
Each year, the renowned US business magazine Fortune publishes its survey of the
world's highest-revenue companies in the form of the Fortune Global 500. And this
time, Henkel has taken position number 448, which means that the internationally
active consumer goods manufacturer has moved up 20 places, achieving its best
ranking since 2001.
Henkel also appears for the first time in the roll of companies achieving the biggest
improvement in profitability, taking 36th position. In the "Household and Personal
Products" category, Henkel was able to trade places with US company Kimberly-
Clark, taking 3rd place behind Procter & Gamble and L’Oréal.

The Fortune Global 500 is an annual ranking of the 500 international companies with
the highest sales, almost all of which are listed on the stock exchanges around the
world. The survey has been published in its present form since 1995 and includes not
only industrial corporations but also banks, insurance companies and financial
service providers.

This year’s ranking based on revenues generated in fiscal 2008 is headed by Royal
Dutch Shell with 458 billion US dollars, followed by ExxonMobil with 443 billion and
Wal-Mart with 406 billion. The USA leads with a total of 140 companies in the roll,
followed by Japan with 68 and then France with 40. Germany holds fourth place with
a total of 39.