Diary

Family business supports gruelling off-road rally

By Attracta Mooney

It’s known as one of the toughest, most gruelling off-road races in the world, but that hasn’t deterred one family business from lending its support to the Dakar Rally.

For eight years in a row, Henkel, controlled by descendants of founder Fritz Henkel, has sponsored the Dakar Rally – which will next take place in January 2012 in Argentina, Chile and Peru.

When an off-road vehicle needs repairs, Henkel’s Loctite and Teroson adhesives and sealants will be used to quickly fix problems. And with 9,000 km to cover, it’s likely that there will be many lorries, SUVs, cars, quads and motorbikes in need of attention.

Henkel, whose brands also include Persil and Schwarzkopf, is sending a highly skilled technical team – so called Loctite Charlies – who will accompany the rally from the start to the finish.

“Since Henkel is supporting the rally for the eighth time, the technicians are not just part of the show – they have now become a dependable and indispensable support for the racers, not just in emergency situations, but also on the road to success,” a statement from the family business said.

Henkel was founded in 1876. The Dakar Rally, which took racers through parts of Europe and Africa until political tensions and security concerns saw organisers move it to South America in 2009, is almost a hundred years younger – the first race first took place in 1979. 

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