- Chubb Security
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Chubb Fire & Security 
Type Subsidiary of UTC Industry Electronic Security and Fire Safety Founded 1818 Founder(s) Charles & Jeremiah Chubb Headquarters Middlesex, United Kingdom Key people Michael Gebert Parent United Technologies Corporation Website www.chubb.co.uk Chubb Security is an electronic security and fire safety business. It is owned by United Technologies Corporation.
Contents
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 with its key.[1] The Company won a government competition for a lock which could not be opened other than by its own key.[2] In 1835, the company produced its first Chubb safe at its factory in Wolverhampton and, in the second half of the 19th century, the company expanded into the US and produced a time lock that was fitted to bank vaults across the country.[3] In the 1800s, Chubb gained some important customers such as the Duke of Wellington and the Bank of England.[4] Over the next 100 years the company turned out more than 2.5m locks.[5]
After World War II, Chubb expanded its operations in 17 countries. From being a single company manufacturing specialized security products it turned into a broad based group of companies covering not only many aspects of security but fire protection as well. The company went on to acquire a number of rival firms including Chatwood-Milner Ltd. (1958), Burgot Alarms Ltd and Rely-a-Bell (1962), Read and Campbell Limited (1964), Josiah Parkes and Sons Ltd. (1965) and The Pyrene Company Limited (1967).[6]
It was bought by Racal Electronics in 1984 from which it was demerged in 1992 before being acquired by Williams Holdings in 1997[7] as the latter company sought to build a security-focused conglomerate. Chubb was again demerged in 2000.[8]
In 2000 Chubb sold Chubb Locks, its lock and safe-making unit, to Assa Abloy of Sweden and concentrated on security systems such as door access and CCTV systems.[9] In 2002 Chubb held intensive acquisitions talks with Sweden-based Securitas, the world's biggest security services business. After 18 months of negotiations,[10] the talks were called off on the grounds that the deal would not be "financially attractive" to either company's shareholders.[11] In 2003 Chubb was acquired for £622m by United Technologies Corporation.[12] In 2007 UTC bought Initial Fire and Security, the security arm of Rentokil Initial and proceeded to merge the business and its assets with Chubb.
Chubb Engineer
Operations
Chubb subsidiaries around the world now form an important part of the UTC Fire & Security Division.
Chubb Australia may provide secure delivery of readies to major banks, including off licenses, Westpac, Commonwealth Bank, and ANZ.
See also
References
- ^ Chubb: An Overview web page Chubb
- ^ A Gazetteer of Lock and Key Makers, A Gazetteer of Lock and Key Makers
- ^ COMPANIES & FINANCE UK & IRELAND: Chubb's safe blown wide open but will there be anything left inside?, Financial Times, Apr 23, 2003
- ^ The History of Chubb Locks Custodial Services, Chubb Locks Custodial
- ^ COMPANIES & FINANCE UK & IRELAND: Chubb's safe blown wide open but will there be anything left inside?, Financial Times, Apr 23, 2003
- ^ http://chubbarchive.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/page8.html
- ^ Williams of Britain to buy Chubb Security New York Times, 15 February 1997
- ^ COMPANIES & FINANCE UK & IRELAND: Chubb's safe blown wide open but will there be anything left inside?, Financial Times
- ^ Troubled Chubb agrees £622m UTC takeover, The Independent
- ^ Securitas halts Chubb merger, BBC News Online
- ^ Chubb slips as Securitas calls off acquisition talks, Telegraph.co.uk
- ^ United Technologies of US is in talks on £1bn takeover of Chubb, Financial Times, Apr 21, 2003
External links
Categories:- Security companies
- Fire detection and alarm companies
- Non-military counter-terrorist organizations
- Manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom
- Service companies of the United Kingdom
- Companies formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange
- Companies established in 1818
- Racal
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