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Newell Brands

From Alfawiki
Newell Brands Inc.
Company typePublic
IndustryConsumer goods
PredecessorNewell Manufacturing Company
FoundedJanuary 1, 1903; 123 years ago (1903-01-01) in Ogdensburg, New York, U.S.
FounderEdgar Newell
Headquarters
Atlanta
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Michael B. Polk (President and CEO)
ProductsConsumer and commercial goods including storage solutions, hydration bottles, outdoor equipment, writing tools, adhesive products, children's merchandise, cookware, small kitchen appliances, fragrances
Websitewww.newellbrands.com

Newell Brands Inc. is a U.S.-based producer, promoter, and supplier of both consumer and commercial goods. Its diverse brand lineup features Rubbermaid storage solutions and trash containers; Contigo and Bubba hydration bottles; Coleman outdoor equipment; a range of writing tools including Paper Mate, Dymo, Sharpie, Parker, Prismacolor, Rotring, X-acto, and Waterman; adhesive products such as Elmer's and Krazy Glue; children's merchandise under Aprica, NUK, Tigex, Baby Jogger, and Graco brands; cookware and small kitchen appliances like Calphalon, Sunbeam, Rival, Crock-Pot, Holmes, FoodSaver, Oster, and Mr. Coffee; as well as fragrance lines including Yankee Candle, Chesapeake Bay Candle, Millefiori Milano, and WoodWick.

The corporation’s worldwide headquarters is situated in Atlanta, Georgia.

Newell Company

Founded in 1903 by Edgar Newell in Ogdensburg, New York, the Newell Manufacturing Company initially specialized in producing metal curtain rods. In 1916, the company secured its first national client when the retail chain F. W. Woolworth began purchasing its products, marking the onset of its strategy focused on mass merchandising. This growth led to the establishment of a new 15,000-square-foot plant in Ogdensburg.

In 1921, Newell expanded by acquiring Barnwell Mfg. Co., based in Freeport, Illinois, which was renamed Western Newell Manufacturing Company to utilize Freeport’s rail infrastructure for distribution across the western United States. Kresge (which later became Kmart) emerged as a significant customer.

Daniel C. Ferguson assumed the presidency in 1965 and launched an acquisition-driven growth plan aimed at diversifying the company’s product offerings.

Newell went public in 1972 with an initial NASDAQ share price of $28 and later listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NWL in 1979. That same year, it opened its inaugural corporate headquarters in Freeport, Illinois.

The company entered the cookware market by purchasing Mirro in 1983. William P. Sovey was appointed president in 1985 while Ferguson continued as CEO. In 1987, Newell broadened its portfolio through the acquisition of Anchor Hocking, gaining a foothold in glassware and cabinetry hardware via Amerock.

In 1992, Newell acquired Sanford L.P., recognized for Sharpie and Expo brands, followed by Levolor window treatments in 1993. The firm also ventured into beauty accessories by acquiring Goody and Ace grooming lines. For a brief period until 1998, it owned Stuart Hall stationery based in Kansas City.

The window covering segment was further expanded with the 1997 purchase of Kirsch division from Cooper Industries. In 1998, Newell enhanced its premium cookware offerings by acquiring Calphalon along with South American cookware manufacturer Panex.

In 2016, the company moved its headquarters from Atlanta to Hoboken, New Jersey but returned to Atlanta three years later in 2019.

Criticism

Newell Rubbermaid attracted criticism within the United Kingdom for shutting down British manufacturing sites such as Parker Pen and transferring production to Nantes, France and China. Comparable issues were raised concerning its handling of Toolmakers Berol, Record, and Marples.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Newell Sistema’s factory in Auckland faced scrutiny due to unsafe workplace conditions that lacked proper social distancing measures and protective gear. After an inspection by WorkSafe NZ, employees received full compensation throughout the lockdown period.

Rubbermaid

In 1999, Newell completed a $5.8 billion merger with Rubbermaid and Graco, nearly doubling its overall scale and significantly broadening its brand lineup. This transaction was by far the largest in Newell's history, exceeding previous acquisitions by a factor of ten.

Later referred to by Businessweek as the "merger from hell," the deal resulted in substantial shareholder losses—Newell’s stock declined by 50%, while Rubbermaid’s fell 35%. Additionally, a $500 million goodwill impairment was recorded in 2002.

Other mergers

In 2000, Newell Rubbermaid expanded its stationery segment by acquiring Gillette’s stationery division, incorporating brands such as Paper Mate, Parker, Waterman, and Liquid Paper into its portfolio.

The purchase of American Tool Companies in 2002 added notable brands including Irwin, Vise-Grip, and Marathon. The following year, acquisition of American Saw and Manufacturing Company enhanced Newell’s range of hand tools and power tool accessories under the Lenox brand.

Newell broadened its labeling solutions in 2005 through the acquisition of DYMO Corporation. Later additions included CardScan scanners (2006), Mimio interactive whiteboards (2006), and Endicia postage solutions (2007). That same year, Mark Ketchum assumed the roles of president and CEO, introducing the "Brands That Matter" tagline to emphasize the company’s strategic priorities.

In 2008, Newell Rubbermaid acquired Aprica Kassai, a Japanese manufacturer specializing in strollers and car seats, along with Technical Concepts, which operates in the away-from-home restroom market. The company centralized many of its brands under a global headquarters located near Atlanta. Michael B. Polk was appointed president and CEO in 2011.

On July 21, 2014, Newell Rubbermaid purchased Ignite Holdings for $308 million, gaining ownership of reusable water bottle brands Avex and Contigo, including the exclusive Autoseal closing technology.

In October 2015, Newell Rubbermaid announced a $600 million deal to acquire Elmer's Products—known for Elmer's glue and Krazy Glue—while simultaneously planning to divest its window covering brands Levolor and Kirsch.

The most substantial acquisition occurred in December 2015 with Newell Rubbermaid’s purchase of Jarden for over $15 billion in cash and stock. The merged company was rebranded as Newell Brands with projected annual revenues of approximately $16 billion; Newell shareholders retained a 55% stake.

Divestitures

In 2014, Newell Rubbermaid sold off Ashland Hardware Systems, Bulldog, and Shurline. Further divestments followed in 2017 with the sales of K2 Sports, Völkl, Diamond Match Company, Levolor, and Kirsch.

Beginning January 2018, Newell initiated a strategic realignment by divesting multiple former Jarden businesses. By May that year, Waddington was sold to Novolex. In June 2018, Rawlings was transferred to Seidler Equity Partners; Goody was sold to ACON Investments in August. November 2018 saw the divestiture of Pure Fishing and Jostens to Sycamore Partners and Platinum Equity respectively—each transaction valued at $1.3 billion.

In June 2019, Newell completed the sale of the United States Playing Card Company to Belgium-based Cartamundi Group as part of ongoing efforts to streamline its portfolio and concentrate on core products and services for growth enhancement.

Brands

Newell's collection encompasses a wide range of brands spanning several major industry sectors:

Home Appliances

Baby and Health

  • Aprica Kassai
  • Baby Jogger
  • Graco
  • NUK
  • Century
  • Tigex
  • Lillo
  • Billy Boy (condoms)

Commercial Solutions

Food

Home Fragrance

Outdoor & Recreation

Writing (stationery)

Former Brands

To concentrate on primary markets and enhance operational efficiency, several brands have been sold or discontinued:

Notes

External links

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