Chubb Security
Encyclopedia
Chubb Security is an electronic security and fire safety
business. It is owned by United Technologies Corporation
.
and Jeremiah Chubb, who patented their Chubb detector lock
in 1818. Apparently the Prince Regent accidentally sat on a Chubb lock complete with its key. The Company won a government competition for a lock which could not be opened other than by its own key. In 1835, the company produced its first Chubb safe at its factory in Wolverhampton
and, in the second half of the 19th century, the company expanded into the US and produced a time lock that was fitted to bank vaults across the country. In the 1800s, Chubb gained some important customers such as the Duke of Wellington
and the Bank of England
. Over the next 100 years the company turned out more than 2.5m locks.
After World War II
, Chubb expanded its operations in 17 countries. From being a single company manufacturing specialized security products it turned into a broad based group of companies covering not only many aspects of security but fire protection as well. The company went on to acquire a number of rival firms including Chatwood-Milner Ltd. (1958), Burgot Alarms Ltd and Rely-a-Bell (1962), Read and Campbell Limited
(1964), Josiah Parkes and Sons Ltd. (1965) and The Pyrene Company Limited
(1967).
It was bought by Racal Electronics
in 1984 from which it was demerged in 1992 before being acquired by Williams Holdings
in 1997 as the latter company sought to build a security-focused conglomerate. Chubb was again demerged in 2000.
In 2000 Chubb sold Chubb Locks
, its lock and safe-making unit, to Assa Abloy of Sweden and concentrated on security systems such as door access and CCTV systems. In 2002 Chubb held intensive acquisitions talks with Sweden-based Securitas, the world's biggest security services business. After 18 months of negotiations, the talks were called off on the grounds that the deal would not be "financially attractive" to either company's shareholders. In 2003 Chubb was acquired for £622m by United Technologies Corporation
.
In 2007 UTC bought Initial Fire and Security, the security arm of Rentokil Initial and proceeded to merge the business and its assets with Chubb.
Chubb Australia may provide secure delivery of readies to major banks, including off licenses, Westpac
, Commonwealth Bank, and ANZ.
Fire safety
Fire safety refers to precautions that are taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a fire that may result in death, injury, or property damage, alert those in a structure to the presence of a fire in the event one occurs, better enable those threatened by a fire to survive, or to reduce the...
business. It is owned by United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corporation is an American multinational conglomerate headquartered in the United Technologies Building in Hartford, Connecticut...
.
History
The Company was founded by CharlesCharles Chubb (businessman)
Charles Chubb . He trained as a blacksmith who started a hardware business at Winchester, subsequently moving to Portsea. Here he improved on the "detector" lock, originally patented in 1818 by his brother, Jeremiah Chubb.He soon moved to London and then to Wolverhampton, where he employed 200...
and Jeremiah Chubb, who patented their Chubb detector lock
Chubb detector lock
A Chubb detector lock is a type of lever tumbler lock with an integral security feature which frustrates unauthorised access attempts and indicates to the lock's owner that it has been interfered with...
in 1818. Apparently the Prince Regent accidentally sat on a Chubb lock complete with its key. The Company won a government competition for a lock which could not be opened other than by its own key. In 1835, the company produced its first Chubb safe at its factory in Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
and, in the second half of the 19th century, the company expanded into the US and produced a time lock that was fitted to bank vaults across the country. In the 1800s, Chubb gained some important customers such as the Duke of Wellington
Duke of Wellington
The Dukedom of Wellington, derived from Wellington in Somerset, is a hereditary title in the senior rank of the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first holder of the title was Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , the noted Irish-born career British Army officer and statesman, and...
and the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
. Over the next 100 years the company turned out more than 2.5m locks.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Chubb expanded its operations in 17 countries. From being a single company manufacturing specialized security products it turned into a broad based group of companies covering not only many aspects of security but fire protection as well. The company went on to acquire a number of rival firms including Chatwood-Milner Ltd. (1958), Burgot Alarms Ltd and Rely-a-Bell (1962), Read and Campbell Limited
Read and Campbell Limited
Read and Campbell Limited was a British manufacturer of firefighting equipment founded in 1881. The company was an early pioneer in the design and manufacture of portable fire extinguishers.-Company timeline:...
(1964), Josiah Parkes and Sons Ltd. (1965) and The Pyrene Company Limited
The Pyrene Company Limited
The Pyrene Company Limited from their beginning in 1914, until 1971 when they became Chubb Fire Security Limited, were among the world's leaders in the manufacture of fire fighting equipment...
(1967).
It was bought by Racal Electronics
Racal
Racal Electronics plc was once the third-largest British electronics firm. Listed on the London Stock Exchange and once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index, Racal was a diversified company, offering products including: as voice and data recorders; point of sale terminals; laboratory instruments;...
in 1984 from which it was demerged in 1992 before being acquired by Williams Holdings
Williams Holdings
Williams Holdings was a major British conglomerate. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
in 1997 as the latter company sought to build a security-focused conglomerate. Chubb was again demerged in 2000.
In 2000 Chubb sold Chubb Locks
Chubb Locks
Chubb Locks is a brand name of the Mul-T-Lock subsidiary of the Assa Abloy Group, which manufactures high security locking systems for residential, secure confinement and commercial applications.-History:...
, its lock and safe-making unit, to Assa Abloy of Sweden and concentrated on security systems such as door access and CCTV systems. In 2002 Chubb held intensive acquisitions talks with Sweden-based Securitas, the world's biggest security services business. After 18 months of negotiations, the talks were called off on the grounds that the deal would not be "financially attractive" to either company's shareholders. In 2003 Chubb was acquired for £622m by United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corporation is an American multinational conglomerate headquartered in the United Technologies Building in Hartford, Connecticut...
.
In 2007 UTC bought Initial Fire and Security, the security arm of Rentokil Initial and proceeded to merge the business and its assets with Chubb.
Operations
Chubb subsidiaries around the world now form an important part of the UTC Fire & Security Division.Chubb Australia may provide secure delivery of readies to major banks, including off licenses, Westpac
Westpac
Westpac , is a multinational financial services, one of the Australian "big four" banks and the second-largest bank in New Zealand....
, Commonwealth Bank, and ANZ.