Williams Holdings
Encyclopedia
Williams Holdings was a major British
conglomerate
. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange
and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index
.
and Brian McGowan
in Derby
in 1982 to acquire under-performing businesses. Its first major acquisition was J & HB Jackson, a Coventry
-based metal business, in 1985.
The company went to acquire Crown Berger
, a paints business, in 1987, Pilgrim House in the United States
(owners of Kidde
) for £331m in 1988 and Yale & Valor
, a locks and gas fires business, in 1991.
It started to focus on security in the 1990s selling its paints business to Akzo Nobel
in 1990. In 1997 it bought Chubb Security
for $2.1bn.
It changed its name to Williams plc in 1998 and sold the Yale Lock Company to Assa Abloy
in 2000.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
conglomerate
Conglomerate (company)
A conglomerate is a combination of two or more corporations engaged in entirely different businesses that fall under one corporate structure , usually involving a parent company and several subsidiaries. Often, a conglomerate is a multi-industry company...
. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index
FTSE 100 Index
The FTSE 100 Index, also called FTSE 100, FTSE, or, informally, the footsie , is a share index of the 100 most highly capitalised UK companies listed on the London Stock Exchange....
.
History
The Company was established by Nigel RuddNigel Rudd
Sir Nigel Rudd is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. In 1982, he founded Williams Holdings, a company which went on to become one of the largest industrial holding companies in the United Kingdom until its demerger in November 2000, creating Chubb plc and Kidde plc...
and Brian McGowan
Brian McGowan (businessman)
Brian Dennis McGowan is the co-founder of Williams Holdings, one of the United Kingdom's largest conglomerates.-Career:Educated at Isleworth Grammar School, Brian McGowan initially trained at a firm of accountants in London....
in Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
in 1982 to acquire under-performing businesses. Its first major acquisition was J & HB Jackson, a Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
-based metal business, in 1985.
The company went to acquire Crown Berger
Crown Paints
-History:The origins of the business lie in the history of paint making in Darwen which can be traced back to the late 1850s. It initially traded as WalPaMur after the initials of The Wall Paper Manufacturers' Company...
, a paints business, in 1987, Pilgrim House in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(owners of Kidde
Kidde
Kidde, a brand and division of United Technologies Corporation, is a business, or group of businesses, that manufactures and distributes fire detection and extinguishing equipment.-History:The company was founded by Walter Kidde in 1917 in the United States...
) for £331m in 1988 and Yale & Valor
Yale & Valor
Yale & Valor was a company in Birmingham that manufactured locks and gas fires. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange.-History:In 1890, the Valor Company Ltd. was formed in Birmingham for manufacturing oil-storage cabinets. Later it diversified into paraffin and subsequently gas heaters...
, a locks and gas fires business, in 1991.
It started to focus on security in the 1990s selling its paints business to Akzo Nobel
Akzo Nobel
Akzo Nobel N.V., trading as AkzoNobel, is a Dutch multinational, active in the fields of decorative paints, performance coatings and specialty chemicals. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the company has activities in more than 80 countries, and employs approximately 55,000 people. Sales in 2010 were EUR...
in 1990. In 1997 it bought Chubb Security
Chubb Security
Chubb Security is an electronic security and fire safety business. It is owned by United Technologies Corporation.-History:The Company was founded by Charles and Jeremiah Chubb, who patented their Chubb detector lock in 1818. Apparently the Prince Regent accidentally sat on a Chubb lock complete...
for $2.1bn.
It changed its name to Williams plc in 1998 and sold the Yale Lock Company to Assa Abloy
Assa Abloy
The Assa Abloy Group is a Swedish lock manufacturer, the world's largest by sales. Assa Abloy was formed in 1994 when ASSA AB was detached from Swedish security firm Securitas AB. Shortly thereafter the Finnish high-security lock manufacturer Abloy Oy was acquired. The company was introduced to...
in 2000.