About

In 1952, a milk truck driver in Watertown, New York, USA, complains to a local chemist about the smell of spilled milk. That chemist is Julius “Jules” Sämann, who spent several years deep in the Canadian forests studying essential oils in evergreen trees and learning how to extract those oils from pine needles. After some research, Jules discovers a special formulation of fragrance which, when put on specialty material, is highly effective in killing unwanted odors (such as spilled milk) and filling the air with fresh fragrance. The technology he creates allows him to produce an ecologically responsible air freshener of small dimensions and significant longevity.


Jules recognizes a great commercial opportunity. At this time, there are many air fresheners for the home, but not for cars and trucks. A small, unobtrusive hanging air freshener is exactly the right solution for vehicles. Inspired by years of roaming the northern forests, Jules proceeds to give his new air freshener the distinct abstract shape of an evergreen tree, and he gives it the name “Car-Freshner”. An American legend is born, as is an answer for spilled milk.

Production starts right away in an otherwise unused rented garage in Watertown. After a highly successful one-time mailing to automotive wholesalers, orders roll in from all over the country – and around the world. Jules and his Car-Freshner Company soon capture a very broad consumer audience with a very simple philosophy: produce a highly effective and appealing product in attractive packaging for a price the man on the street can afford.

The LITTLE TREE air fresheners, as they are known, grow in popularity over the decades. Supermodel Betty Brosmer graces marketing materials in the '60s, the LITTLE TREES "invade" overseas markets in the '70s and Car-Freshner becomes a fragrance powerhouse with the introduction of Vanillaroma in the '80s. In early 1990, Jules hands the reins of the enterprise over to his son Ronald, a medical doctor who is intrigued by the thought of carrying his father’s vision forward. The two generations work hand in hand until 1999 when Jules dies at the age of 88.

The LITTLE TREES strengthen their position as an American icon, becoming a worldwide symbol of freshness and long-lasting quality. They're featured in movies, TV shows, comic strips, greeting cards and advertising for other products.

Today Car-Freshner Corporation is still a family-owned business. Ronald Sämann's son Daniel recently joined the company as General Counsel to help steer the LITTLE TREES into the future. The LITTLE TREES are produced in six factories, three in the USA, the other three in Europe. The US facilities are located in Watertown, New York; Berlin, New Hampshire; and DeWitt, Iowa. In Europe, the factories in Italy, Switzerland and Sweden manufacture LITTLE TREES under the ARBRE MAGIQUE and WUNDER-BAUM brands. Headquarters continue to be in Watertown, New York.

There are now more than fifty LITTLE TREE fragrances. Car-Freshner also offers many other types of innovative air fresheners, with every imaginable technology and aroma. We invite you to explore the world of Car-Freshner products. We hope and trust that our products will delight you and that we will have the privilege of serving you often over many years to come.

http://www.little-trees.com/us/about.php?section=aboutus