Servis
Encyclopedia
Servis Was a white goods brand well known in the United Kingdom
. The company was founded in 1929 in Darlaston
, an area of the West Midlands
renowned for manufacturing. The company started out as a manufacturer, but fell into difficulties in the 1980's. Since 1991, the business has operated in partnership with Italian manufacturer Antonio Merloni.
s (and later tumble driers). It acquired a patent on electronic controls for washing machine drums and the Servis Quartz was the first washing machine to be controlled by a microchip
. The company went into liquidation in 1981. A new company was formed. but. in 1985. this too was in serious difficulties. The receiver had been called in, placing 500 jobs at risk. The future of the company, and indeed the decline in manufacturing in the region was mentioned in parliament. The company had ceased manufacturing by the end of the decade and a new buyer was being sought.
In 1980, the company provided commercial sponsorship for the Staffordshire Brass Band for a period of 3 years.
Staff at the company have been prominent in raising funds for Meningitis UK.
In September 2011, Vestel of Turkey was reported to have purchased the Servis brand from Antonio Merloni SpA http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-05/vestel-beyaz-buys-brands-from-italy-s-merloni-hurriyet-reports.html
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The company was founded in 1929 in Darlaston
Darlaston
Darlaston is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall in the West Midlands of England.-History:Archaeological evidence of the history of Darlaston has been destroyed by The de Darlaston family owned Darlaston and lived in the manor between the 12th century and 15th century. When the de...
, an area of the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
renowned for manufacturing. The company started out as a manufacturer, but fell into difficulties in the 1980's. Since 1991, the business has operated in partnership with Italian manufacturer Antonio Merloni.
As a manufacturer
Servis Domestic Appliances manufactured washing machineWashing machine
A washing machine is a machine designed to wash laundry, such as clothing, towels and sheets...
s (and later tumble driers). It acquired a patent on electronic controls for washing machine drums and the Servis Quartz was the first washing machine to be controlled by a microchip
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
. The company went into liquidation in 1981. A new company was formed. but. in 1985. this too was in serious difficulties. The receiver had been called in, placing 500 jobs at risk. The future of the company, and indeed the decline in manufacturing in the region was mentioned in parliament. The company had ceased manufacturing by the end of the decade and a new buyer was being sought.
In 1980, the company provided commercial sponsorship for the Staffordshire Brass Band for a period of 3 years.
Partnership with Merloni
The company states on its web site that it operates in a partnership with Antonio Merloni. In fact, the company is owned by Antonio Merloni and the parent company supplies the majority (but not all) of its product range. Antonio Merloni continues to grow the brand in the United Kingdom and, as at 1995, it had 3.5% of the domestic market. The company now supplies refrigeration equipment and dishwashers in addition to washing machines and tumble driers. There is no longer any United Kingdom manufacture, all the appliances are European.Staff at the company have been prominent in raising funds for Meningitis UK.
Origins of name
One source suggests that the name was the result of a staff competition. A more plausible explanation is that the spelling differentiates the name for trademark purposes.Liquidation
In October 2008, Merloni announced that it would be placing the Servis brand into liquidationhttp://www.expressandstar.com/2008/10/18/servis-is-to-go-after-80-years-in-business/ with the loss of 150 jobs.In September 2011, Vestel of Turkey was reported to have purchased the Servis brand from Antonio Merloni SpA http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-05/vestel-beyaz-buys-brands-from-italy-s-merloni-hurriyet-reports.html