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Chemring Group

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Chemring Group
Company typePublic (LSE: CHG)
IndustryAerospace and Defence
Founded1905
HeadquartersRomsey, UK
Key people
Peter Hickson, Chairman
Michael Flowers, CEO[1]
Revenue£740.3 million (2012)[2]
£88.3 million (2012)[2]
£15.3 million (2012)[2]
Number of employees
2,848
Websitewww.chemring.co.uk

Chemring Group is a global business providing a range of advanced technology products and services to the aerospace, defence and security markets. Employing 2,848 people (31st October 2014)[3] worldwide, Chemring has extensive operations in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia. It is headquartered in Romsey and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

History

The business was formed in 1905 as The British, Foreign & Colonial Automatic Light Controlling Company Limited in 1905 to make timers for gas street lighting.[4] In the 1950s the company diversified into silver coated filaments for lighting.[4] It was subsequently established that such filaments had an alternative use as chaff for radar decoy purposes.[4]

  • The Falklands War led to Chemring opening a new factory to produce aluminium glass chaff decoys in order to counteract the threat of sea-skimming missiles.
  • In 1986 Chemring acquired pyrotechnics specialist Pains Wessex and moved into IR decoys.[4]
  • The First Gulf War led to a rapid increase in Chemring's production of countermeasures in support of the US-led coalition.[4]
  • In 1992 the company acquired its main competitor, Hayley & Weller. This resulted in Chemring supplying the majority of the UK Ministry of Defence's countermeasure and military pyrotechnic needs.[4]
  • In 1993 Chemring established a presence in the United States with its first US acquisition, Alloy Surfaces Company Inc. This was furthered in 2001 when Chemring acquired Kilgore Flares Company LLC, making the Group the largest provider of decoys to the United States Department of Defense.
  • In 2006 the Chemring Group acquired Poole based BDL Systems for £9 million.[5][6]
  • In 2007 the Company acquired Simmel Difesa, an ammunition supply business,[7] as well as Richmond Electronics & Engineering, a business specialising in bomb disposal technology.[8]
  • In 2008 it went on to buy Scot, a business making devices for aircraft emergency systems,[9] and Martin Electronics, a manufacturer of ammunition and fuses.[10]
  • In 2009 Chemring acquired Hi-Shear Technology Corporation, a US leading manufacturer of high reliability energetic solutions that perform critical functions in key US space and defence programmes.[11]
  • In 2010 it purchased Roke Manor Research, a centre for advanced technology research and development based in Hampshire, UK from Siemens for £55m.[12]
  • In 2011 the company acquired the Detection Systems operations and certain related assets of General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, a subsidiary of General Dynamics Corporation. The business operates as Chemring Detection Systems Inc and is a US leader in chemical and biological threat detection and has advanced capability in stand-off detection of improvised explosive devices.[13]
  • In 2012 Chemring disposed of its Marine interests, Chemring Marine, to Drew Marine.[14]
  • In June 2014 the group headquarters was relocated from Fareham to Romsey.

Operations

Chemring Group operates in four market sectors:[15]

  • Countermeasures - protecting aircraft, ships and land platforms against guided missile threats
  • Sensors & Electronics - equipment to detect, disable and defeat the threats posed by either concealed IEDs (improvised explosive devices), unexploded ordnance, electronic warfare and chemical and biological threats
  • Pyrotechnics & Munitions - an extensive range of products for use in navy, army and air force applications
  • Energetic Systems - propellant, explosives, missile and ammunition components, as well as thrusters, initiators and other components for the space sector

Controversy

In 2014, it was revealed that tear gas used against demonstrators in the 2014 Hong Kong protests was provided by Chemring.[16]

References

  1. ^ "Chemring Names Flowers as CEO". The Wall Street Journal. 2014-06-24. Retrieved 2014-06-24.
  2. ^ a b c Preliminary Results 2012
  3. ^ http://www.chemring.co.uk/~/media/Files/C/Chemring-V2/integrated-report/2014-year-in-review/chemring-2014-RA.pdf
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Chemring: History
  5. ^ "Acquisition of BDL Systems Limited". www.chemring.co.uk. Chemring Group PLC. 2006. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
  6. ^ "Chemring buys BDL Systems for 9 mln stg; order book reaches record 225 mln stg". http://www.lse.co.uk. London South East Limited. 2006. Retrieved 2013-01-21. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  7. ^ Chemring buys Simmel Difesa for £52m Reuters, 30 March 2007
  8. ^ Chemring buys bomb disposal company Richmond Reuters, 5 November 2007
  9. ^ Chemring buys pyrotechnics specialist QCK, 27 May 2008
  10. ^ Chemring buy Martin Electronics for $70m IB Times, 24 June 2008
  11. ^ [1] Reuters, 16 September 2009
  12. ^ "defence.professionals". defpro.com. 2010-08-10. Retrieved 2011-04-08.
  13. ^ [2] The Engineer, 4 July 2011
  14. ^ [3] RTT News, 6 June 2012
  15. ^ [4] Chemring, At a Glance
  16. ^ http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/asia/article4220580.ece
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