Kidde
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2015) |
| File:Kiddie Logo.jpg | |
| Company type | Subsidiary of UTC |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1917 |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
| Parent | United Technologies Corporation |
| Website | www |
Kidde (pronounced /ˈkɪdə/[1]) is a brand and division of United Technologies Corporation. It is a group of businesses that manufactures and distributes fire detection and suppression equipment, as well as smoke and CO alarm units.
History
The company was founded by Walter Kidde in 1917 in the United States.[2] The founder was of Czech ancestry and unrelated to the Danish author Harald Kidde.
The company grew rapidly during the 1920s and established a British operation at Northolt in 1935 as its first overseas operation.[2]
It was acquired by Williams Holdings in 1988 and in 1989 it merged with Graviner (another Williams Holdings business) to form Kidde Graviner.[2] In 1993 it acquired Dunford Hepburn.[2] It was demerged from Williams Holdings in 2000.[2]
In 2005, Kidde was acquired by United Technologies Corporation and was combined with Chubb Security, also a former Williams Holdings business, and several other brands to create UTC Fire & Security.[3]
Kidde is headquartered in Mebane, North Carolina. The Kidde Fenwal Controls division is located in Ashland, Massachusetts.
References
- ^ "Americans Neglect Simple Measures to Ensure Fire Preparedness". Kidde. 18 November 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
- ^ a b c d e Kidde Fire Protection: About us
- ^ "UTC agrees to buy Kidde for $2.8bn". The Washington Post, 16 December 2004.