Armitage Shanks facts for kids
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| Private (subsidiary of Bain Capital) | |
| Industry | Bathroom fixtures & plumbing supplies |
| Predecessor | Armitage Ware Limited |
| Successor | American Standard Companies |
| Founded | 1817 |
| Founder | Thomas Bond |
| Headquarters | , |
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Number of locations
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8 factories |
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Area served
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United Kingdom |
Armitage Shanks is a well-known British company. They make many things for your bathroom, like sinks, toilets, and other plumbing parts. Today, Armitage Shanks is part of a larger group called Ideal Standard.
In 2004, Armitage Shanks had eight factories across the United Kingdom. Their biggest factory was in a town called Armitage, in Staffordshire. The company also helps sponsor the Loo of the Year Awards, which celebrate the best public toilets!
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The Story of Armitage Shanks
This company has a long and interesting history. It all started a very long time ago, in 1817.
How It All Began
The company that later became Armitage Shanks was started by a man named Thomas Bond. He began his business in 1817 in the town of Armitage, Staffordshire. His company made "sanitary pottery," which means things like toilets and sinks made from ceramic. They quickly became a very successful company in the United Kingdom for making toilets. In 1907, the business officially became a company called Armitage Ware Limited.
Joining Forces: Armitage and Shanks
Many years later, in 1969, Armitage Ware Limited joined with another company. This company was called Shanks Holdings Limited. Shanks was also a "sanitary engineering company" and had been around since 1878. They were based near Glasgow in Barrhead. When these two companies merged, they created the famous brand name we know today: Armitage Shanks.
Becoming Part of Bigger Companies
In 1980, a company called Blue Circle Industries bought Armitage Shanks. Later, in February 1999, Blue Circle sold its bathroom section. This section included Armitage Shanks and an Italian company called Ceramica Dolomite. They were sold to an American company named American Standard Companies for a lot of money.
Even after this sale, the Armitage Shanks brand stayed strong in the United Kingdom. It also kept its markets in other countries. In 2007, American Standard was bought by a company called Bain Capital. Now, Armitage Shanks is mostly owned by another company called Sun Capital Partners.
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