Over 100 Years of Family
Now in the fourth generation of same-family ownership, Central Solutions continues to expand physical plant capabilities along with new product offerings- all while maintaining our abilities to respond quickly and personally to the specific needs of our customers
Frank Nobrega immigrates to the United States from the Portuguese island of Madeira and, after being joined by his brother Ferd, forms Central Chemical Company on January 2nd, 1925.
Frank Jr. joins his father and uncle in business. Central's product lines diversify and they establish a reputation in the midwest as a health care specialist.
The family legacy continues to grow with the arrival of the 3rd generation. The focus shifts to new and innovative product designs – Central Chemical becomes Central Solutions and sales grow to a national level.
The 3rd generation establishes a firm presence in the national health care industry, with Classic and DermaCen becoming flagship product lines.
With the firm establishment of the 4th generation, Central celebrates 100 years by continuing to bring their formulary and manufacturing expertise into new markets.
Central Chemical Company was founded on January 2nd, 1925, by Frank Nobrega, an immigrant from the Portuguese island of Madeira. Soon joined by his brother Ferdinand, their first sale was a 10-gallon container of floor oil to the Washington Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. Their original product line included cleaning liquids, disinfectants, insecticides, and liquid soaps for local businesses in the Kansas City area. However, they quickly grew with the help of a robust sales force throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Ferdinand focused on formulation and manufacturing, while Frank focused on sales.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Frank Nobrega Jr. joined his father and uncle in the business, specializing in sales and customer relations. Frank soon became an Instructor of Instructors for the Dale Carnegie Sales Institute, and used those skill sets to enhance Central Chemical’s reputation as a knowledgeable, honest, and reliable source of healthcare products throughout the Midwest.
In the 1970s, the family legacy continued to grow with the arrival of the third generation, Frank Jr’s sons Mike, Mark, and Greg. With their leadership, the company began to shift focus to custom formulating solutions and taking them to market through medical distribution partnerships. This effort expanded Central’s footprint to a national level and led to the decision to change the company name from Central Chemical to Central Solutions.
In the 1990s, Frank Jr’s fourth son, Paul, joined his siblings Mike, Mark, and Greg at the offices of Central Solutions, and the four became known as “the brothers” to their customers. They solidified the company’s presence in the national healthcare industry and created such skin care flagship product lines as DermaCen and Classic Whirlpool solutions. Much like their father, the brothers attended trade shows and became known for engaging and inventive presentations that entertained customers and simultaneously shared decades of formulary knowledge.
Early in the 2000s, the future of Central Solutions was further ensured by the arrival of Frank Jr’s fifth son, Christopher, and Frank Jr’s grandson, David Nobrega. This was an enormous milestone for the family, as only 3% of family businesses survive to the 4th generation. The collective effort of so many Nobregas resulted in the introduction of the BoaVida line of wound prevention skin protectants – cementing Central’s place as an industry expert in skin care formulations. The 4th generation's presence at Central has since been further solidified by the arrival of Henry Nobrega, Jonathan Nobrega, Sam Nobrega, and Jake Nobrega since 2017, along with other cousins working seasonally throughout the years.
Today, Central Solutions leads the industry with a full century of expertise in skin care and infection control topicals, and strives to embrace its core values of commitment, quality, creativity, fun, and respect. Central is still located in Frank Nobrega’s adopted hometown of Kansas City, where all office, laboratories, and production operations are contained within their 167,000 square foot facility.