Armitage Shanks
Encyclopedia
Armitage Shanks is a British
manufacturer of bathroom
fixtures and plumbing
supplies.
In 2004 Armitage Shanks had eight factories in the UK, the largest in Armitage
, Staffordshire
. Armitage Shanks is one of the sponsors of the Loo of the Year Award
s.
The company that became Armitage Shanks was founded in 1817 by Thomas Bond in Armitage
, Staffordshire
. The Armitage "sanitary pottery manufacture" became a successful UK toilet
manufacturer. In 1907 Armitage Ware Limited was incorporated
.
In 1969 Armitage merged with Shanks Holdings Limited, a competing "sanitary engineering company" established at Barrhead
near Glasgow
, Renfrewshire
in 1878, producing the famous brand name Armitage Shanks.
In 1980 Armitage Shanks was purchased by Blue Circle Industries
, and in February 1999 Blue Circle sold its bathroom division (consisting of Armitage Shanks and the Italian
Ceramica Dolomite) to U.S.
based American Standard Companies
for US$
430 million. Following this purchase, the Armitage Shanks brand disappeared outside the UK, as their former export markets, such as those in east Asia, moved over to the American Standard brand. American Standard were acquired by Bain Capital
in 2007.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
manufacturer of bathroom
Bathroom
A bathroom is a room for bathing in containing a bathtub and/or a shower and optionally a toilet, a sink/hand basin/wash basin and possibly also a bidet....
fixtures and plumbing
Plumbing
Plumbing is the system of pipes and drains installed in a building for the distribution of potable drinking water and the removal of waterborne wastes, and the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures in such systems. A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping...
supplies.
In 2004 Armitage Shanks had eight factories in the UK, the largest in Armitage
Armitage
Armitage is a village in Staffordshire, England on the south side of the Trent and Mersey Canal between Lichfield and Rugeley. Together with the adjacent village of Handsacre, it forms the parish of Armitage with Handsacre.-Village Amenities:...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. Armitage Shanks is one of the sponsors of the Loo of the Year Award
Loo of the Year Award
The Loo of the Year Award is an award given by an independent association to public facilities in the United Kingdom that meet a number of requirements.The Award's objective is to promote the highest possible standards in public toilets....
s.
History
Armitage
Armitage is a village in Staffordshire, England on the south side of the Trent and Mersey Canal between Lichfield and Rugeley. Together with the adjacent village of Handsacre, it forms the parish of Armitage with Handsacre.-Village Amenities:...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. The Armitage "sanitary pottery manufacture" became a successful UK toilet
Toilet
A toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
manufacturer. In 1907 Armitage Ware Limited was incorporated
Incorporation (business)
Incorporation is the forming of a new corporation . The corporation may be a business, a non-profit organisation, sports club, or a government of a new city or town...
.
In 1969 Armitage merged with Shanks Holdings Limited, a competing "sanitary engineering company" established at Barrhead
Barrhead
Barrhead is a town in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, southwest of Glasgow on the edge of the Gleniffer Braes. As of the 2001 census its population was 19,813....
near Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
in 1878, producing the famous brand name Armitage Shanks.
In 1980 Armitage Shanks was purchased by Blue Circle Industries
Blue Circle Industries
Blue Circle Industries was a British public company manufacturing cement. It was founded in 1900, and was bought out by the French company Lafarge in 2001.-History:...
, and in February 1999 Blue Circle sold its bathroom division (consisting of Armitage Shanks and the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Ceramica Dolomite) to U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
based American Standard Companies
American Standard Companies
American Standard Companies, Inc. was a global manufacturer of air conditioning systems and services, bath & kitchen products and vehicle control systems. The company divested all but the air conditioning business in 2007, and renamed itself Trane....
for US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
430 million. Following this purchase, the Armitage Shanks brand disappeared outside the UK, as their former export markets, such as those in east Asia, moved over to the American Standard brand. American Standard were acquired by Bain Capital
Bain Capital
Bain Capital LLC is a Boston-based private equity firm founded in 1984 by partners from the consulting firm Bain & Company. Originally conceived as an early-stage, growth-oriented investment fund, Bain Capital today manages approximately $65 billion in assets, and its strategies include private...
in 2007.
Other uses of the name
The company has inspired other people and groups to use the name, sometimes as an example of toilet humour.- Armitage Shanks is the pseudonymPseudonymA pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of the ringmaster of the Seattle, Washington based Circus ContraptionCircus ContraptionCircus Contraption is the name of a one-ring circus, vaudeville and dark cabaret troupe based in Seattle, Washington. The troupe, which employs about a dozen performers, uses live, original music paired with old-style circus performances, heavily influenced by cabaret and vaudeville acts... - "Armatage Shanks" [sic] is the first song on Green DayGreen DayGreen Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
's 1995 album, Insomniac, which came about after the band had been to England and noticed the brand name on the urinals there. - "Armitage Shanks" is the 24th song on Future Clouds and RadarFuture Clouds and RadarFuture Clouds and Radar is Robert Harrison’s follow-up to his band Cotton Mather. The first album, an eponymous double CD, was released in 2007. Their second release, entitled "Peoria" was released on the 4th of November, 2008 on the Star Apple Kingdom label....
's self-titled 2007 album. - "Armitage Shanks" is a b-side on the 1993 single "U Talk 2 Much" by Cork City band The Sultans of Ping FC. Lyrics include: 'No one says Merry Christmas to those masters of industry, Armitage Shanks' and 'Often people use you, never even flush you'.
- "Armitage Shanks" is a humorous song by Chuck BrodskyChuck BrodskyChuck Brodsky is an American musician and singer-songwriter currently living in Asheville, North Carolina. He is particularly known for his often humorous and political lyrics, as well as his songs about baseball, such as "The Ballad of Eddie Klepp" and "Moe Berg: The Song"...
, recorded on his live album "Two Sets." - Armitage Shanks was an English garage punkGarage punkGarage punk is a fusion of garage rock and punk rock. It is fast-paced lo-fi music characterized by a dirty, choppy guitar sound—usually played by bands who are on independent record labels or who are unsigned...
band in the 1990s and 2000s. - "Armitage Shanks" is a fictional character in the Focus on the Family radio drama, "Adventures in Odyssey".
- "Armitage Shanks" is a fictional character in the novel Taz by Dawood Ali McCallum.
- The Armitage Shanks Championship Bowl is a fictional Mornington CrescentMornington Crescent (game)Mornington Crescent is a spoof game, featured in the BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, which satirises complicated strategy games....
prize in I'm Sorry I Haven't A ClueI'm Sorry I Haven't a ClueI'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, sometimes abbreviated to ISIHAC or Clue, is a BBC radio comedy panel game broadcast since 11 April 1972 at the rate of one or two series each year , transmitted on BBC Radio 4, with occasional repeats on BBC Radio 4 Extra and the BBC's World Service...
. - Also one of the many nicknames of the late Richard MarslandRichard MarslandRichard Kemble Marsland was an Australian comedy writer, actor, comedian and radio personality.-Radio:...
from the program Get ThisGet ThisGet This was an Australian radio comedy show which aired on Triple M and was hosted by Tony Martin and Ed Kavalee, with contributions from panel operator, the late Richard Marsland...
. - Armitage Shanks is also an up and coming Wrestler in the popular Facebook game Wrestler:Unstoppable
- "Hermitage Shanks," a punPunThe pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
on the name, is the title of a song on Mr. B The Gentleman RhymerMr. B The Gentleman RhymerMr. B The Gentleman Rhymer is a parodist who performs "chap hop" — hip-hop delivered in a Received Pronunciation accent. Mr. B raps, or "rhymes", about high society, pipe smoking and cricket while playing the banjolele. The character is described as having grown up in Cheam and attending Sutton...
's 2010 album "I Say!" - "Armitage" is mentioned in the film Johnny English RebornJohnny English RebornJohnny English Reborn is a 2011 British spy comedy film parodying the James Bond secret agent genre and film franchise reboots. The film is the sequel to Johnny English , and stars Rowan Atkinson reprising his role as the title character and directed by Oliver Parker. The film has a slightly...
as being a fictional secret society within MI7MI7MI7, the British Military Intelligence Section 7 , was a department of the British Directorate of Military Intelligence. Part of the War Office, MI7 was set up to work in the fields of propaganda and censorship.-History:...
.