Crown Paints is a major paint manufacturer based in Darwen, Lancashire. It is owned by Hempel Group.

Crown Paints
Company typePrivate
IndustryDecorating
FoundedLate 1850s
HeadquartersDarwen, Lancashire
ProductsPaint
ParentHempel Group
Websitecrownpaints.co.uk

History

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The origins of the business lie in the history of paint making in Hollins Road Darwen, which can be traced back to the late 1850s.[1] It initially traded as WalPaMur after the initials of The Wall Paper Manufacturers' Company.[1][2]

The company traded independently as Walpamur until it acquired by Reed International in 1965.[3] Queen Elizabeth II visited Crown House, the Walpamur headquarters in Darwen, in 1968.[4] It was taken over by Williams Holdings in 1987[5] and then by Akzo Nobel in 1990.[6]

It was sold in a management buyout backed by the private equity firm Endless in August 2008, in a deal to satisfy the European Union's concerns of a possible monopoly after Akzo Nobel's takeover of ICI.[7][8]

In June 2011, the company was acquired by Danish paints manufacturer, Hempel Group.[9]

Sponsorship

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The company were once sponsors of Liverpool F.C. and Blackburn Rovers F.C.[10]

Royal warrant

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The company has held a Royal Warrant since 1949. It remains one of only three companies to hold the Royal Warrant for the manufacture of paints.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Paint making". Cotton Town. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  2. ^ Room, Adrian (1982). Dictionary of Trade Name Origins. ISBN 9780710201744. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  3. ^ "Beautiful rooms artistically papered / Wall Paper Manufacturers Ltd". Museums of History New South Wales. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Crown Paint – Brushstrokes of History" (PDF). p. 49. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  5. ^ Rudd, Nigel (1 April 1991). "Nigel Rudd, My best deal". Management Today. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  6. ^ "Significant dates". Flint Group. Archived from the original on 1 October 2010. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  7. ^ Tyler, Richard (3 August 2008). "Akzo Nobel give up Crown Paints". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
  8. ^ Feddy, Kevin (20 August 2008). "Endless backs Crown Paints buyout". Manchester Evening News. MEN Media. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
  9. ^ "Hempel splashes out for Crown Paints". The Independent. 10 June 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  10. ^ Henfield, Sally (20 August 2008). "565 Darwen jobs secured after Crown Paints buy-out". Lancashire Telegraph. Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
  11. ^ "Search Members' Directory | Royal Warrant Holders Association". www.royalwarrant.org. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
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