Altria Group
Encyclopedia
Altria Group, Inc. (previously named Philip Morris Companies Inc.) is based in Henrico County, Virginia
, and is the parent company of Philip Morris USA
, John Middleton, Inc.
, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company
, Inc., Philip Morris Capital Corporation, and Chateau Ste. Michelle
Wine Estates. It is one of the world's largest tobacco
corporations. Philip Morris International
was spun off in 2008. In addition, Altria Group, Inc. has a 28.7% economic and voting interest in one of the world's largest brewing companies, UK based SABMiller plc
, where it has 3 seats on the 11-person board of directors. It is a component of the S&P 500
and was a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average
until February 19, 2008. The company has its headquarters in an unincorporated area
within Henrico County, less than five miles west of the city limits of Richmond
and less than ten miles from its downtown Richmond buildings.
On January 27, 2003, Philip Morris Companies Inc. changed its name to Altria Group, Inc. On March 30, 2007, a spin out
of Kraft Foods
subsidiary (publicly traded since 2001) was concluded through distribution of the remaining stake of shares (88.1%) to Altria shareholders. As a result, Altria no longer holds any interest in Kraft Foods. On March 28, 2008, a similar spin out of Philip Morris International was completed with 100% of shares being distributed to Altria shareholders.
On January 6, 2009, Altria Group, Inc. completed the acquisition of UST Inc.
, a moist smokeless tobacco manufacturer; UST owned Ste Michelle Wine Estates, a wine company.
" of Philip Morris Companies to Altria took place in 2003 (Philip Morris would later split, with PM USA remaining Altria's primary and only consistently held asset). Altria was created because Philip Morris wished to emphasize that its business portfolio had come to consist of more than Philip Morris USA and Philip Morris International; at the time, it owned an 84% stake in Kraft, although that business has since been spun off. The name "Altria" comes from the Latin word for "high" and was part of a trend of companies rebranding to names that previously did not exist, Accenture
and Verizon being notable examples. The rebranding took place amidst social, legal and financially troubled circumstances. In 2003 Altria was ranked Fortune
number 11, and has steadily declined since. In 2010 Altria Group (MO
) ranked at Fortune number 137, whereas its former asset, Philip Morris International was ranked 94th.
In 2007, Altria began selling all its shares of Philip Morris International to Altria stockholders. The company also began a move to purchase cigar manufacturer John Middleton Co.
from Bradford Holdings, Inc., which went into effect in 2008. After Philip Morris International spun off, the foreign Philip Morris companies halted the purchase of tobacco from America, which was a major factor associated with the closing of a newly renovated plant in North Carolina
, approximately 50% reduction in manufacturing, large-scale layoffs and induced early retirements.
In 2008, Altria officially moved its headquarters to Richmond
. With a few exceptions, all blue collar, white collar, and executive employees had long been based at one of several Philip Morris buildings in Richmond and the greater Richmond area. The move of white collar operations to Richmond had taken place after Philip Morris sold its downtown offices in New York City a decade earlier. Aside from the Philip Morris/Altria headquarters, some of their other buildings included the Philip Morris Center for Research and Technology in downtown Richmond, the Manufacturing Center in South Richmond, and the adjacent Operations Center which began shutting down in 2007-2008, as a result of the loss of demand from PMI member companies. The layoffs beginning in 2007 affected thousands of Altria, Altria Client Services, Philip Morris USA, and contracted employees in Richmond and North Carolina
.
In 2009, Altria finalized its purchase of UST Inc.
, whose products included smokeless tobacco
(made by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company
) and wine
(made by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates). This ended a short era of competition between the new Marlboro smokeless tobacco products such as snus
, and those produced by UST Inc.
PLC
.
Before the recent restructuring, the net revenue (and operating income) of Altria Group, Inc. came predominantly from its tobacco
business, as is shown in the following table. Altria's share of SABMiller's revenue and profits is not included in the table below because its holding is too small to be consolidated in the group accounts.
of Altria Group are:
, New York City. In 2003 Philip Morris announced that it would move its headquarters to Virginia. The company said that it planned to keep around 750 employees in its former headquarters. Brendan McCormick, a spokesperson for Philip Morris, said that the company estimated that the move would save the company over $60 million each year. The company now has its head offices in an unincorporated area
of Henrico County, Virginia, in Richmond
.
, Altria spent around $101 million on lobbying
the United States government
between 1998 and 2004, making it the second most active organization in the nation.
Henrico County, Virginia
Henrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, and is the parent company of Philip Morris USA
Philip Morris USA
Philip Morris USA is the United States tobacco division of Altria Group, Inc. Philip Morris USA brands include Marlboro, Virginia Slims, Benson and Hedges, Merit, Parliament, Alpine, Basic, Cambridge, Bucks, Dave's, Chesterfield, Collector's Choice, Commander, English Ovals, Lark, L&M, Players and...
, John Middleton, Inc.
John Middleton Co.
John Middleton Co., a subsidiary of Altria Group, is the second largest manufacturer of large machine-made cigars, and a maker of pipe tobacco.-Brands:...
, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company
U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company
U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company manufactures dipping tobacco and is a subsidiary of Altria.Its corporate headquarters are located in Stamford, Connecticut, and it maintains factories in Clarksville and Nashville, Tennessee, Franklin Park, Illinois, and Hopkinsville, Kentucky.Copenhagen and Skoal...
, Inc., Philip Morris Capital Corporation, and Chateau Ste. Michelle
Chateau Ste. Michelle
The Chateau Ste. Michelle is a winery in Woodinville, Washington. The winery is noted for its best-selling Riesling bottlings. Chateau Ste. Michelle is the largest single producer of Riesling wine in the United States. The winery also produces wines of other varietals and some experimental wines...
Wine Estates. It is one of the world's largest tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
corporations. Philip Morris International
Philip Morris International
Philip Morris International is an international tobacco company, with products sold in over 160 countries. In 2007, it held a 15.6% share of the international cigarette market outside of the USA and reported revenues net of excise taxes of $22.8 billion and operating income of $8.9 billion.Until...
was spun off in 2008. In addition, Altria Group, Inc. has a 28.7% economic and voting interest in one of the world's largest brewing companies, UK based SABMiller plc
SABMiller
SABMiller plc is a global brewing and bottling company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's second-largest brewing company measured by revenues and is also a major bottler of Coca-Cola. Its brands include Grolsch, Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell...
, where it has 3 seats on the 11-person board of directors. It is a component of the S&P 500
S&P 500
The S&P 500 is a free-float capitalization-weighted index published since 1957 of the prices of 500 large-cap common stocks actively traded in the United States. The stocks included in the S&P 500 are those of large publicly held companies that trade on either of the two largest American stock...
and was a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average
Dow Jones Industrial Average
The Dow Jones Industrial Average , also called the Industrial Average, the Dow Jones, the Dow 30, or simply the Dow, is a stock market index, and one of several indices created by Wall Street Journal editor and Dow Jones & Company co-founder Charles Dow...
until February 19, 2008. The company has its headquarters in an unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
within Henrico County, less than five miles west of the city limits of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and less than ten miles from its downtown Richmond buildings.
On January 27, 2003, Philip Morris Companies Inc. changed its name to Altria Group, Inc. On March 30, 2007, a spin out
Spin out
A spin-out, also known as a spin-off or a starburst, refers to a type of corporate action where a company "splits off" sections of itself as a separate business....
of Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods Inc. is an American confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate. It markets many brands in more than 170 countries. 12 of its brands annually earn more than $1 billion worldwide: Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Trident, Tang...
subsidiary (publicly traded since 2001) was concluded through distribution of the remaining stake of shares (88.1%) to Altria shareholders. As a result, Altria no longer holds any interest in Kraft Foods. On March 28, 2008, a similar spin out of Philip Morris International was completed with 100% of shares being distributed to Altria shareholders.
On January 6, 2009, Altria Group, Inc. completed the acquisition of UST Inc.
UST Inc.
UST Inc. was a holding company whose subsidiaries included U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company and International Wine & Spirits Ltd., which in turn is a holding company of Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, a vintner of premium wines. On January 6, 2009 UST Inc. was purchased by Altria.UST was founded...
, a moist smokeless tobacco manufacturer; UST owned Ste Michelle Wine Estates, a wine company.
History
Altria emerged out of Philip Morris. The onset of "rebrandingRebranding
Rebranding is the creation of a new name, term, symbol, design, or a combination of them for an established brand with the intention of developing a differentiated position in the mind of stakeholders and competitors....
" of Philip Morris Companies to Altria took place in 2003 (Philip Morris would later split, with PM USA remaining Altria's primary and only consistently held asset). Altria was created because Philip Morris wished to emphasize that its business portfolio had come to consist of more than Philip Morris USA and Philip Morris International; at the time, it owned an 84% stake in Kraft, although that business has since been spun off. The name "Altria" comes from the Latin word for "high" and was part of a trend of companies rebranding to names that previously did not exist, Accenture
Accenture
Accenture plc is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company headquartered in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. It is the largest consulting firm in the world and is a Fortune Global 500 company. As of September 2011, the company had more than 236,000 employees across...
and Verizon being notable examples. The rebranding took place amidst social, legal and financially troubled circumstances. In 2003 Altria was ranked Fortune
Fortune (magazine)
Fortune is a global business magazine published by Time Inc. Founded by Henry Luce in 1930, the publishing business, consisting of Time, Life, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated, grew to become Time Warner. In turn, AOL grew as it acquired Time Warner in 2000 when Time Warner was the world's largest...
number 11, and has steadily declined since. In 2010 Altria Group (MO
Altria Group
Altria Group, Inc. is based in Henrico County, Virginia, and is the parent company of Philip Morris USA, John Middleton, Inc., U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, Inc., Philip Morris Capital Corporation, and Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. It is one of the world's largest tobacco corporations...
) ranked at Fortune number 137, whereas its former asset, Philip Morris International was ranked 94th.
In 2007, Altria began selling all its shares of Philip Morris International to Altria stockholders. The company also began a move to purchase cigar manufacturer John Middleton Co.
John Middleton Co.
John Middleton Co., a subsidiary of Altria Group, is the second largest manufacturer of large machine-made cigars, and a maker of pipe tobacco.-Brands:...
from Bradford Holdings, Inc., which went into effect in 2008. After Philip Morris International spun off, the foreign Philip Morris companies halted the purchase of tobacco from America, which was a major factor associated with the closing of a newly renovated plant in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, approximately 50% reduction in manufacturing, large-scale layoffs and induced early retirements.
In 2008, Altria officially moved its headquarters to Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. With a few exceptions, all blue collar, white collar, and executive employees had long been based at one of several Philip Morris buildings in Richmond and the greater Richmond area. The move of white collar operations to Richmond had taken place after Philip Morris sold its downtown offices in New York City a decade earlier. Aside from the Philip Morris/Altria headquarters, some of their other buildings included the Philip Morris Center for Research and Technology in downtown Richmond, the Manufacturing Center in South Richmond, and the adjacent Operations Center which began shutting down in 2007-2008, as a result of the loss of demand from PMI member companies. The layoffs beginning in 2007 affected thousands of Altria, Altria Client Services, Philip Morris USA, and contracted employees in Richmond and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
In 2009, Altria finalized its purchase of UST Inc.
UST Inc.
UST Inc. was a holding company whose subsidiaries included U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company and International Wine & Spirits Ltd., which in turn is a holding company of Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, a vintner of premium wines. On January 6, 2009 UST Inc. was purchased by Altria.UST was founded...
, whose products included smokeless tobacco
Dipping tobacco
Dipping tobacco, traditionally referred to as moist snuff, is a type of finely ground or shredded, moistened smokeless tobacco product. It is commonly and idiomatically known by various terms – most often as dip and sometimes rub or chew...
(made by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company
U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company
U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company manufactures dipping tobacco and is a subsidiary of Altria.Its corporate headquarters are located in Stamford, Connecticut, and it maintains factories in Clarksville and Nashville, Tennessee, Franklin Park, Illinois, and Hopkinsville, Kentucky.Copenhagen and Skoal...
) and wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
(made by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates). This ended a short era of competition between the new Marlboro smokeless tobacco products such as snus
Snus
Snus , or Swedish snuff, is a moist powder tobacco product originated from a variant of dry snuff in the early 19th century in Sweden, consumed by placing it under the lip for extended periods of time. The precursor of snus, the dry form of snuff inhaled through the nose, was introduced in Europe...
, and those produced by UST Inc.
UST Inc.
UST Inc. was a holding company whose subsidiaries included U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company and International Wine & Spirits Ltd., which in turn is a holding company of Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, a vintner of premium wines. On January 6, 2009 UST Inc. was purchased by Altria.UST was founded...
Holdings
Altria Group, Inc. owns 100 percent of Philip Morris USA, John Middleton, Inc. and Philip Morris Capital Corporation. It also owns 28.7% of SABMillerSABMiller
SABMiller plc is a global brewing and bottling company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's second-largest brewing company measured by revenues and is also a major bottler of Coca-Cola. Its brands include Grolsch, Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell...
PLC
Public limited company
A public limited company is a limited liability company that sells shares to the public in United Kingdom company law, in the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth jurisdictions....
.
Before the recent restructuring, the net revenue (and operating income) of Altria Group, Inc. came predominantly from its tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
business, as is shown in the following table. Altria's share of SABMiller's revenue and profits is not included in the table below because its holding is too small to be consolidated in the group accounts.
| Activity | Net revenue in 2006 (millions USD) |
Net revenue in 2006 (%) |
Operating income in 2006 (millions USD) |
Operating income in 2006 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA tobacco | 18,474 | 18.2% | 4,812 | 26.5% |
| International tobacco | 48,260 | 47.6% | 8,458 | 46.5% |
| North American food | 23,118 | 22.8% | 3,753 | 20.7% |
| International food | 11,238 | 11.1% | 964 | 5.3% |
| Financial services | 317 | 0.3% | 176 | 1.0% |
| Total | 101,407 | 100% | 18,163 | 100% |
Tobacco
Philip Morris International brands:- Alpine
- AssosAssosAssos , also known as Behramkale or for short Behram, is a small historically rich town in the Ayvacık district of the Çanakkale Province, Turkey....
- BasicBasic (cigarette)Basic is a brand of lower-cost cigarettes manufactured by Philip Morris, a division of Altria Group., Basic is the fourth most popular cigarette brand in the United States and the second most popular among white smokers age 26 and older.Basic comes in several different varieties:*Red - Soft:...
- Benson & Hedges (American Version)Benson & HedgesBenson & Hedges is a British brand of cigarettes owned by the Gallaher Group, which became a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco in 2007. They are registered in Old Bond Street in London, and are manufactured in Lisnafillen, Ballymena, Northern Ireland for the UK and Irish markets.-History:Benson & Hedges...
- Best
- Bristol
- Bond StreetBond Street (cigarette)Bond Street is an international brand of cigarettes produced by Philip Morris International.-History:Formerly called "Old Bond Street", the history of this brand goes back to year 1902. Philip Morris, the founder of the company, had a boutique on Bond Street in London...
- BostonBostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
- Bucks
- CambridgeCambridge (cigarette)Cambridge is a brand of cigarettes made by Philip Morris USA.-USA Varieties:*Cambridge 100's - Soft*Cambridge Gold Pack Kings - Soft*Cambridge Gold Pack 100's - Soft*Cambridge Menthol 100's - Soft...
- ChesterfieldChesterfield (cigarette)Chesterfield is a brand of cigarette made by Altria. It was one of the most recognized brands of the early 20th century, but sales have declined steadily over the years. It was named for Chesterfield County, Virginia. Chesterfield is still being made today; it is still popular in Europe, but has...
- Classic
- Collector's Choice
- Commander
- Diana
- Delicados
- English Ovals
- f6F6 (cigarette)"f6" is a brand of cigarette produced in Dresden, Germany, under the authority of the Philip Morris International.f6 enjoyed as of 2007 a 20% market share in the new states of Germany....
- Lark
- Long Beach
- L&ML&MCreated by the company Liggett & Myers in 1953, L&M is a brand of cigarettes produced by Altria Group, Inc. . "L&M" is one of the earliest, perhaps the earliest brand to have a filter that was not a one sided filter...
- Marlboro
- MeritMerit (cigarette)Merit is a brand of cigarettes made by Altria. -Lawsuit:A lawsuit has been filed by the U.S. Department of Justice against Philip Morris USA, the cigarettes' manufacturer, for concealing information about certain fire hazards of the brand...
- MurattiMurattiThe Muratti is the only annual men's football competition, inaugurated in 1905, between the Channel Islands of Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney, the prize for winning being a trophy called the Muratti Vase which is only relevant within the Islands. Both Matthew Le Tissier and Graeme Le Saux played in...
- Multifilter
- Morven Gold
- NextNext (cigarette)Next is a brand of cigarettes made by Altria. The brand was created by Philip Morris International after tax increases of tobacco in Malaysia pushed Marlboro out of the market. Next is known to be a watered-down version of Marlboro with slight defects in the wrapping paper used although its...
- OptimaOptimaOptima is a humanist sans-serif typeface designed by Hermann Zapf between 1952 and 1955 for the D. Stempel AG foundry, Frankfurt, Germany.-Characteristics:...
- ParliamentParliament (cigarette)Parliament is a brand of cigarettes marketed by the company Philip Morris. The brand was introduced in 1931 and is distinctive for its recessed paper filters. In the 1940s and '50s, the brand was marketed for its unique filters, with advertisements reading, "Only the flavor touches your lips", and...
- Peter Jackson
- Philip Morris
- PlayersJohn Player & SonsJohn Player & Sons, known simply as Player's, was a tobacco and cigarette manufacturer based in Nottingham, England. It is today a part of the Imperial Tobacco Group.-History:...
- PetraPetraPetra is a historical and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma'an that is famous for its rock cut architecture and water conduits system. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, it is a symbol of Jordan as well as its most visited...
- Red & White
- SaratogaSaratoga-United States::*Saratoga, California, city in Santa Clara County*Saratoga, former name of Yeomet, California*Saratoga, Indiana, town in Randolph County*Saratoga, Minnesota*Saratoga, Nebraska Territory, boom and bust town now inside of Omaha, Nebraska...
- SGSGSG or sg may stand for:In computing and internet:* Sega Genesis, a game console* .sg, the top-level domain of Singapore* SuicideGirls, a softcore pornographic website* Security Group, a group in Active Directory used for security purposes....
- Sparta
- Start
- Sampoerna (a brand of Indonesian kreteks)
- Virginia SlimsVirginia SlimsVirginia Slims is a brand of cigarette manufactured by Altria Group . The brand was introduced in 1968 and marketed to young professional women using the slogan "You've come a long way, baby." Some media watch groups considered this campaign to be responsible for a rapid increase in smoking among...
Wine
- Chateau Ste Michelle
- Columbia Crest
- Stag's Leap Wine CellarsStag's Leap Wine CellarsStag's Leap Wine Cellars is a winery established by Warren Winiarski in 1970 and based in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, California. The winery was sold to a joint venture by Chateau Ste...
- Conn Creek
- Red Diamond
- Snoqualmie
- Spring Valley
- Villa Mt Eden
- Erath
- Col Solare
- Northstar
- Villa Antinori
- Tormaresca
- Tignanello
- Antica Napa Valley
- Solaia
- Santa Cristina
- Haras di Pirque
- La Bracessca
- Montenisa
- Hawk Crest
- Fourteen Hands
- Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte
- Palmes d'Or
- Domaine Ste Michelle
Board of directors
Current members of the board of directorsBoard of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of Altria Group are:
- Michael E. Szymanczyk - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Altria Group, Inc.
- Martin J. Barrington - Executive Vice President and Chief Compliance and Administrative Officer, Altria Group, Inc.
- Craig A. Johnson - President and Chief Executive Officer, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Ltd.
- David R. Beran - Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Altria Group, Inc.
- Murray R. Garnick - Senior Vice President of Litigation, Altria Client Services Inc.
- William F. Gifford - President and Chief Executive Officer, Philip Morris USA
- Craig A. Johnson - Executive Vice President, Altria Group, Inc.
- Denise F. Keane - Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Altria Group, Inc.
- Nancy B. Lund - Senior Vice President of Marketing, Altria Client Services Inc.
- John J. Mulligan - President, Philip Morris Capital Corporation
- John R. Nelson - Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Altria Group, Inc.
- Peter P. Paoli - President and Chief Executive Officer, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company
- Craig G. Schwartz - President and Chief Executive Officer, John Middleton Co.
- Howard A. Willard III - Executive Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, Altria Group, Inc.
Headquarters
Prior to being based in Virginia, Philip Morris had its headquarters in Midtown ManhattanMidtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
, New York City. In 2003 Philip Morris announced that it would move its headquarters to Virginia. The company said that it planned to keep around 750 employees in its former headquarters. Brendan McCormick, a spokesperson for Philip Morris, said that the company estimated that the move would save the company over $60 million each year. The company now has its head offices in an unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
of Henrico County, Virginia, in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.
Political influence
According to the Center for Public IntegrityCenter for Public Integrity
The Center for Public Integrity is a nonprofit organization dedicated to producing original, responsible investigative journalism on issues of public concern. The Center is non-partisan and non-advocacy and committed to transparent and comprehensive reporting both in the United States and around...
, Altria spent around $101 million on lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
the United States government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
between 1998 and 2004, making it the second most active organization in the nation.
See also
- Tobacco industryTobacco industryThe tobacco industry comprises those persons and companies engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, shipment, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products. It is a global industry; tobacco can grow in any warm, moist environment, which means it can be farmed on all...
- Philip Morris USAPhilip Morris USAPhilip Morris USA is the United States tobacco division of Altria Group, Inc. Philip Morris USA brands include Marlboro, Virginia Slims, Benson and Hedges, Merit, Parliament, Alpine, Basic, Cambridge, Bucks, Dave's, Chesterfield, Collector's Choice, Commander, English Ovals, Lark, L&M, Players and...
- Master Settlement AgreementMaster Settlement AgreementThe Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement was entered in November 1998, originally between the four largest US tobacco companies and the attorneys general of 46 states...