Twyford Bathrooms facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Twyford Bathrooms

Type	Private (subsidiary of Geberit AG)
Industry	Bathroom fittings
Founded	1849
Founder	Thomas Twyford & Thomas William Twyford
Headquarters	Alsager, Cheshire , England
Products	Sanitaryware

Twyford Bathrooms is a company that makes things for bathrooms, like toilets and sinks. It's based in Alsager, Cheshire, England.

The Story of Twyford Bathrooms

How It All Started

The company we know as Twyford Bathrooms began in 1849. It was started by Thomas Twyford and his son, Thomas William Twyford. They set up their first factory in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, England.

Soon, people all over the world wanted their bathroom products. This led to building a brand-new factory in 1887. This factory, in Cliffe Vale, Stoke-on-Trent, was the first one ever built just for making bathroom items.

Who Owns Twyford Today?

Today, Twyford Bathrooms is part of a company called Geberit AG. Geberit is a big European company that makes sanitation equipment. They bought a Finnish company called Sanitec in 2015, and Twyford was part of that deal.

A Royal Connection

In 1999, Twyford Bathrooms received a special honor. They were given the Royal Warrant by Queen Elizabeth II. This means they were official suppliers to the Royal Household.

Twyford's Journey Through Time

Early Beginnings (1600s - 1800s)

• 1680: Joshua Twyford, an ancestor of the founders, was the first Twyford to make pottery for sale. You can see some of his work, including a teapot, in a museum in Stoke-on-Trent.
• 1827: Thomas Twyford, who would later start the company, was born.
• 1849: Thomas Twyford opened two factories. He started selling his products to many countries, including America, Russia, and France.
• 1849, September 23: Thomas William Twyford, Thomas's son, was born.

Big Changes in Bathroom Design (Late 1800s)

• 1870: This year marked the start of a huge growth period for Twyford. Many new inventions for bathrooms appeared.
• 1872: Thomas Twyford passed away. His son, Thomas William, took over the company at just 23 years old.
• 1883: Thomas William Twyford created the "Unitas" toilet. This was a big deal because it was the first all-ceramic, one-piece toilet. It didn't need a wooden cabinet around it. The Unitas was sold worldwide, and in Russia, the word "Unitas" is still used to mean "toilet"!

A Twyford advertisement from 1884, showing their early products.

• 1887: The new Cliff Vale factory was built. It was considered a "model" factory because it had excellent ventilation and toilet facilities for its workers.
• 1889: Twyford introduced the first washbasins that had built-in overflows.
• 1896: Twyford became a private limited company.

Expanding and Innovating (1900s)

• 1901: Twyford built a factory in Germany. However, they left it during World War I in 1914. Another company, Keramag, still makes bathroom products there today.
• 1919: Twyford became a public limited company.
• 1921: Thomas William Twyford died. He was known as the "father of British bathrooms" because of his important ideas about hygiene in bathroom design.
• 1929: A silent film was made to show how Twyford's products were made. This was a new way to advertise!
• 1945: After World War II, the Etruria Works factory was rebuilt.
• 1953: The Cliffe Vale Fireclay factory was also rebuilt after being damaged in the war.
• 1956: Construction began on a new factory in Alsager, Cheshire, which opened in 1958.
• 1960s-1970s: Twyford started making products in India, South Africa, and Australia.
• 1971: Reed International, a large company, bought Twyford.
• 1973: Reed International also bought Curran Steels, adding steel and acrylic baths to Twyford's product range.
• 1976: The Alsager factory was expanded with a £5 million project.
• 1992: A new distribution center and head office were built at the Alsager site. This made it the largest place in Europe for making and distributing vitreous china bathroom products. The site now covers 70 acres.
• 1999: Twyford celebrated its 150th birthday!

Recent Years (2000s)

• 2001, January: A company from Finland, Sanitec Corporation, bought Twyford Bathrooms. Sanitec was Europe's biggest maker of ceramic bathroom products.
• 2001: Twyford introduced the "View suite," the first British-made toilet that used a special valve system.
• 2005: Twyford updated its brand logo.
• 2007: The "Sola" range of products was updated, and the "Rimless Pan" toilet was launched.
• 2007: Twyford's "Galerie Flushwise" toilet, which uses less water, won an award for being water-efficient.
• 2010: Sanitec, Twyford's parent company, announced that the Alsager factory would close. All manufacturing moved outside the UK.
• 2011: After 162 years, production at the Alsager factory stopped. The factory building was closed, but the offices remained open.
• 2012: Plans to build a supermarket where the Alsager factory once stood were not approved. In October 2012, Twyford's old Bath Street Works in Hanley was finally taken down. Later that year, a large fire affected many businesses at Twyford's Garner Street "Etruria Works."

Images for kids

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  A Twyford advertisement from 1884, showing their early products.