May & Baker
Encyclopedia
May & Baker was a British chemical company.
It was started by Mr. May and Mr. Baker in Wandsworth
, London
in 1851. They initially specialized in the manufacture of chemicals derived from Mercury
and Bismuth
. Over the years they diversified into other chemical fields including Photographic, Pharmaceuticals, Agrochemicals, and chemicals for Research and development
.
The company was bought by établissements Poulenc frères (later to become Société des Usines Chimiques Rhône-Poulenc
) in 1922, and subsequently moved to Dagenham
, Essex
, although they continued to trade under the May & Baker name until the 1980s.
During this time they branched into pharmaceuticals, with one of their major discoveries being Sulphapyridine
(M&B693) in 1939. This compound was used to treat Winston Churchill's bacterial pneumonia in 1942 — his condition was extremely poor prior to the drug's application.
Post-war, May & Baker expanded into many countries round the world, particularly Commonwealth ones, and in the UK had agrochemical manufacturing sites in Sweet Briar Road, Norwich
, Barton Moss in Manchester, and a research station at Ongar, Essex.
In 1999 the company was split — the Dagenham
site (now just Pharmaceuticals), merged with Hoechst
and changed the company name to Aventis
, and also instigated the loss of R&D at the site in July 2000. The Norwich site became part of Bayer
Agrochemicals. The Nigerian subsidiary, bought out in 2002, remains as May & Baker Nigeria Plc.
Later on, a further merger with Sanofi-Synthélabo
in 2004, changed the Dagenham site owner to Sanofi-Aventis
. In 2009 Sanofi-Aventis announced their intention to close the Dagenham
plant by 2013.
It was started by Mr. May and Mr. Baker in Wandsworth
Wandsworth
Wandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1851. They initially specialized in the manufacture of chemicals derived from Mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
and Bismuth
Bismuth
Bismuth is a chemical element with symbol Bi and atomic number 83. Bismuth, a trivalent poor metal, chemically resembles arsenic and antimony. Elemental bismuth may occur naturally uncombined, although its sulfide and oxide form important commercial ores. The free element is 86% as dense as lead...
. Over the years they diversified into other chemical fields including Photographic, Pharmaceuticals, Agrochemicals, and chemicals for Research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
.
The company was bought by établissements Poulenc frères (later to become Société des Usines Chimiques Rhône-Poulenc
Rhône-Poulenc
-History of the company:The Company was founded in 1928 through the merger of Société des Usines Chimiques du Rhône from Lyon and Établissements Poulenc Frères from Paris founded by Étienne Poulenc, a 19th century Parisian apothecary and brought to prominence by his second and third sons Emile...
) in 1922, and subsequently moved to Dagenham
Dagenham
Dagenham is a large suburb in East London, forming the eastern part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and located east of Charing Cross. It was historically an agrarian village in the county of Essex and remained mostly undeveloped until 1921 when the London County Council began...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, although they continued to trade under the May & Baker name until the 1980s.
During this time they branched into pharmaceuticals, with one of their major discoveries being Sulphapyridine
Sulfapyridine
Sulfapyridine, original UK spelling Sulphapyridine, is a sulfonamide antibacterial. At one time it was commonly referred to as M&B....
(M&B693) in 1939. This compound was used to treat Winston Churchill's bacterial pneumonia in 1942 — his condition was extremely poor prior to the drug's application.
Post-war, May & Baker expanded into many countries round the world, particularly Commonwealth ones, and in the UK had agrochemical manufacturing sites in Sweet Briar Road, Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, Barton Moss in Manchester, and a research station at Ongar, Essex.
In 1999 the company was split — the Dagenham
Dagenham
Dagenham is a large suburb in East London, forming the eastern part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and located east of Charing Cross. It was historically an agrarian village in the county of Essex and remained mostly undeveloped until 1921 when the London County Council began...
site (now just Pharmaceuticals), merged with Hoechst
Hoechst
Hoechst or Höchst may refer to:* Hoechst AG, a former German life-sciences company* Hoechst stain, one of a family of fluorescent DNA-binding compounds* Höchst , Germany* Höchst im Odenwald, Germany* Höchst, Austria...
and changed the company name to Aventis
Aventis
Aventis was a pharmaceutical and lab assay testing company. It was formed in 1999 when Rhône-Poulenc S.A. merged with Hoechst AG. The merged company was based in Strasbourg, France. With its headquarters in Strasbourg, Aventis was the product of the first transnational merger to combine large...
, and also instigated the loss of R&D at the site in July 2000. The Norwich site became part of Bayer
Bayer
Bayer AG is a chemical and pharmaceutical company founded in Barmen , Germany in 1863. It is headquartered in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and well known for its original brand of aspirin.-History:...
Agrochemicals. The Nigerian subsidiary, bought out in 2002, remains as May & Baker Nigeria Plc.
Later on, a further merger with Sanofi-Synthélabo
Sanofi-Synthélabo
Sanofi-Synthélabo was a Paris-based pharmaceutical company formed in 1999, when Sanofi merged with Synthélabo. Sanofi-Aventis was formed in 2004 when Sanofi-Synthélabo merged with Aventis.Sanofi was created in 1973....
in 2004, changed the Dagenham site owner to Sanofi-Aventis
Sanofi-Aventis
Sanofi S.A. is a multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Paris, France, the world's fourth-largest by prescription sales. Sanofi engages in the research and development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical products for sale principally in the prescription market, but the...
. In 2009 Sanofi-Aventis announced their intention to close the Dagenham
Dagenham
Dagenham is a large suburb in East London, forming the eastern part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and located east of Charing Cross. It was historically an agrarian village in the county of Essex and remained mostly undeveloped until 1921 when the London County Council began...
plant by 2013.