Rugby Portland Cement Co
of Rugby
1824 The original company used to produce lime, but was soon producing Crown cement. The company was run as a family concern by Thomas Walker. His son, George Walker opened the Victoria Lime and Stone Co in New Bilton, Rugby.
1825 The family-run company opened its first cement processing works.
1876 The company was now trading as the Rugby Portland Cement Co.
c1900 The thriving company began to initiate stricter quality controls, especially with the adoption of the so-called Portland cement method.
1925 After 100 years of existence, the company formally incorporated as the Rugby Portland Cement Company.
1935 Sir Halford Reddish was appointed as the company's managing director. Reddish was chiefly responsible for building Rugby Cement into a full-fledged corporation, expanding operations beyond its Warwickshire base. As construction turned from brick to cement and steel, the Rugby Cement Company was able to grow into one of the United Kingdom's largest cement producers.
1950s The company sought further expansion internationally.
1955 Rugby founded its Cockburn Cement Ltd subsidiary, in Perth, Australia.
1963 Acquire Eastwoods Group; sold Eastwoods Ltd to Redland Holdings who sold Eastwood Cement back to Rugby Portland, including its 3 cement plants[1].
1970 Rugby was producing 2.5 million tons of cement per year.
1980s Rugby had branched out from its Portland cement base at the beginning of the century to offer a wide variety of cement types.
1984 Rugby bought the Addison Corporation, based in Atlanta, Georgia.
1987 Rugby acquired Ash Resources.
1987 Renamed The Rugby Group plc
1996 Rugby added to the division's product versatility with the acquisition of Lytag, a producer of lightweight aggregates, sports surfaces, and other lightweight cement products.
1997 Rugby acquires Cementownia Chelm, in Poland.
1999 Merger of Cockburn Cement with Adelaide Brighton Cement.
2000 The company was acquired by RMC Group, a ready mixed concrete supplier since 1930.
See Also
Sources of Information
- Trademarked. A History of Well-Known Brands - from Aertex to Wright's Coal Tar by David Newton. Pub: Sutton Publishing 2008 ISBN 978-0-7509-4590-5
- [1] Answers.com - Rugby Group Plc
- ↑ The Times Apr 29, 1963