 | |
 Wilkinson Sword plant in Solingen, Germany | |
| Formerly | List
|
|---|---|
| Company type | Private (1772–1978) |
| Industry | Arms Metallurgy Automotive |
| Founded | 1772; 253 years ago (1772) inShotley Bridge, U.K. |
| Founder | Henry Nock |
| Fate | After several takeovers, the Wilkinsonbrand was added to Edgewell when itspun-off from Energizer Holdings in 2015[2] |
| Headquarters | |
| Products | Safety razors,swords,guns,bayonets,typewriters,pruning shears,scissors,motorcycles |
| Brands | Schick (1992) |
| Owner | List
|
| Subsidiaries | Scripto (1973) |
| Website | wilkinsonsword.com |
Wilkinson Sword is a Britishbrand sellingrazors and other personal care products, currently owned byEdgewell Personal Care. The company was founded as a manufacturer ofguns made inShotley Bridge inCounty Durham, byHenry Nock inLondon in 1772.
Besides guns, the company has also producedswords,bayonets and products such astypewriters, gardenshears,scissors andmotorcycles.[1] Gardening equipment is still made under the Wilkinson Sword name by E.P. Barrus under a licensing arrangement.[3] Wilkinson Sword has manufactured its products in three UK locations over the years: in London (Chelsea andActon),Cramlington inNorthumberland, andBridgend in Wales, where it made gardening tools. In 2000, the company closed its razor plant in the UK and consolidated production in Germany. In 2014, the company further moved most of its production to The Czech Republic.
Henry Nock began trading as agunlock smith out of Mount Pleasant in London in 1772. In 1775, he formed "Nock, Jover & Co." with William Jover and John Green.[4] TheAmerican Revolutionary War led to strong sales for the new company. In 1776, theBoard of Ordnance granted Nock, Jover & Co. an advance of £200 to start producingbayonets and in 1779 the company won a contract to produce 500 seven-barreled volley guns for the Royal Navy.[4] Although designed by James Wilson, these would become known as Nock volley guns orNock guns.[4]
When Henry Nock died in 1804, he left the company to his foreman and adopted son-in-law, James Wilkinson.[4] When James's son Henry Wilkinson joined the company it was renamed "James Wilkinson & Son" (also known as simply "Wilkinson & Son").[4] It became the "Wilkinson Sword Company" in 1891.
Wilkinson Sword produced some of the earliest motorcycles in 1903. These were two-cylinder machines with Belgian engines made byAntoine, which were marketed by a garage inChelsea, London – one of the first motorcycle dealerships in the UK. The venture was not a success.[5]
Wilkinson developed and manufactured theWilkinson TMC, a luxury touringmotorcycle between 1911 and 1916, when production was stopped by World War I.[6] The first 'Wilkinsons' were designed for military reconnaissance byP G Tacchi.[citation needed] Demonstrated to the British military in the summer of 1908, the Wilkinson motorcycle failed to impress the authorities, despite optional accessories including a sidecar complete withMaxim machine gun – and a steering wheel instead of handlebars.[7]
The company continued development and exhibited a new version a year later at the Stanley Clyde Motorcycle Show at the Agricultural Hall,Islington, London in 1909.[8] Only about 250 Wilkinsons were produced before World War I. Restrictions brought the line to its end in spring 1916, and Wilkinson then produced thousands of bayonets for the war effort. After the war, they continued to develop the in-line four engine – but in a new car called the Deemster. They never resumed motorcycle production.[6]
Wilkinson Sword began producing theFairbairn–Sykes fighting knife forBritish Commandos and special forces during World War II. This knife became widely used by many militaries around the world.[9] Wilkinson's Pall Mall sideline inbulletproof vests also proved instrumental in the design and early fabrication of 'flak vests' used by USAAF aircrew.
In 1962, Wilkinson Sword introducedstainless steel razor blades.[10] Soon the company's blades made rapid gains in market share because one blade, though somewhat more expensive, could be used for a week. The earlier carbon steel razor blades rusted quickly enough that many people used a new blade daily.
Although Wilkinson gained a larger percentage of the market, the demand for razor blades declined to approximately 14% of its previous level. This introduction gave Wilkinson a significant market share. Previous market leaders responded by introducing their own stainless blades. The technology had been available for some time, but the market leaders such as Gillette, which held a patent on stainless blades, presumably knew that any gain for them in market share would be overwhelmed by the dramatic reduction in the size of the market.[11]
In 1973, Wilkinson Sword merged withthe British Match Corporation to form "Wilkinson Match".[1] This was intended to create a stronger company, with a largeradvertising budget that would enable the company to fight itsAmerican rival in theconsumershaving market,the Gillette Company, and its British subsidiary, also called Gillette. In this advertising war, Wilkinson Sword loudly touted its long and proud tradition of bladesmithing in its print and electronic media advertisements. That same year Wilkinson purchased the American pen and lighter companyScripto, Inc. in an attempt to diversify its holdings.[1]
Allegheny Ludlum Industries ofPittsburgh purchased Wilkinson Match in 1978. After becoming Allegheny International, Inc., the company filed forbankruptcy reorganization in 1987. Allegheny sold Wilkinson Match in 1986 toSwedish Match, which merged with Stora Group two years later.[1] In 1989, American corporationGillette helped finance a buyout of the Swedish Match consumer products division, which included Wilkinson Sword, by the Netherlands-based Eemland Holdings, giving Gillette a 22% stake in Eemland.[12] After Gillette was ordered by the European Community Commission in 1992 to sell its interest in Eemland, Eemland sold Wilkinson Sword toWarner-Lambert, owner ofSchick razor brand forming Schick-Wilkinson Sword. The Schick name was used on its products in North America and Japan, and the Wilkinson Sword name in Europe.[1] In 2000,Pfizer acquired Warner-Lambert and three-years later, divested the Wilkinson component.
Most of the formerBryant and May operations of Wilkinson Match were closed or sold in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including the Bryant and May factories inBow andMelbourne. The home and gardening tools division was sold toFiskars in 1988.
Throughout the 20th century, Wilkinson Sword produced ceremonial swords for theHousehold Cavalry of theBritish Army, and crafted the ceremonial sword for theGolden Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2002. The sword factory combined state of the art manufacturing technology with traditional skills and 19th century machinery to produce original fighting quality swords. The company was also chosen to fabricate theSword of Stalingrad in 1943.[13]
The production of swords came to an end when the company's sword factory at Acton closed in September 2005.[14] Wilkinson Sword then held an auction of the tools, equipment, sword drawings, and forging and milling machinery. Robert Pooley, who had commissioned the company to produce swords, bought many of these items and formedPooley Sword to supply the Army in place of Wilkinson Sword.[15] Other sword manufacturers, and in particularWKC in Germany, also bought items, including the roll forge. Many of the tools and machines remain in use, and classic knives such as the Fairbairn-Sykes are produced by both companies.
Energizer Holdings bought Wilkinson Sword fromPfizer in 2003, along withSchick. In 2015, Energizer demerged its personal care business as a new company,Edgewell Personal Care, of which Wilkinson Sword and Schick became part.[2] Both are now brands used by Edgewell; Wilkinson Sword is used in Europe and Schick is used in Edgewell's remaining markets.
Wilkinson Sword-branded three-, four-, and five-bladed razors for men and women have been produced in Germany since 1998, when production moved from the UK.[16]
In India the 'Wilkinson Sword' brand is owned byGillette, who manufacture and sell products using the Wilkinson Sword logo.[17]
Following the theft of theSword of State of South Carolina in 1941, a replacement was procured by theEdward Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax from Wilkinson Sword, Ltd. The sword, the third to hold the designation of SC Sword of State, is made of steel and gold, featuring iconography of the state etched into the sides of the blade and a burgundy leather sheath. The sword was presented to the state in 1951. The sword remains in use to this day as a ceremonial artifact of theSouth Carolina Senate.[18]
Wilkinson also makes double edge razor blades for safety razors.
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