S.C. Johnson to Sell 4 Brands to Reckitt

Britain’s Reckitt & Colman, maker of Lysol and Resolve cleaners, said it agreed to buy four household brands from S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. for $160 million. The brands--Spray ‘N Wash stain remover, Glass Plus cleaner, Yes laundry detergent and Vivid bleach--are being acquired by Johnson from the Dow Chemical Co. as part of its purchase of Dow’s consumer products business. Upon completion of that transaction, expected in January, the brands’ ownership will go to the British company’s U.S. unit. Both transactions are subject to government approval. Reckitt said the purchase will give it a strong position in the North American fabric-care market.