Newell Brands history

In 1908, the company boosted profits by investing in machines that produced curtain rods better and faster than any other manufacturer.

1910: Newell forms an affiliated company in Prescott, Canada, called Newell Manufacturing Company Ltd.

1912 In 1912, the company hired Ben Cuthbert to grow the struggling Canadian business and build relationships with the Woolworth Company, paving the way for Newell's mass merchandising strategy.

The F. W. Woolworth retail chain became the first customer for Newell's bronze–plated curtain rods in 1916, making them the first Newell products to be distributed nationally.

By 1917 Newell's curtain rods were being coated with a nontarnishable lacquer.

1920: The Wooster Rubber Company is formed in Wooster, Ohio, to make toy balloons.

1921: Another Newell-affiliated company, Western Newell Manufacturing Company, is formed to run a curtain rod factory in Freeport, Illinois.

The company quickly became profitable, and in 1925 a new factory was erected.

By 1928 Western Newell's sales had grown to $485,000, more than twice that of Newell Ltd. and about half that of Newell Manufacturing.

At the time of the stock market crash in October 1929, Western Newell was producing a wide variety of drapery hardware, including extension curtain rods, ornamental drapery rods, and pinless curtain stretchers.

1933: James R. Caldwell forms an enterprise called Rubbermaid, whose first product is a red rubber dustpan.

1934: Wooster Rubber and Rubbermaid merge, retaining the former's corporate name and headquarters and the latter's brand name.

By 1937 Western Newell, under the leadership of Ferguson, had surpassed Newell Manufacturing in both revenues and income, earning $126,000 on sales of $553,000, whereas Newell Manufacturing earned $70,000 on sales of $511,000.

1955: Wooster Rubber goes public.

1956: Wooster branches into plastic products, introducing a plastic dishpan.

1957: Wooster Rubber changes its name to Rubbermaid Incorporated.

In 1963 Ferguson was named chairman and chief executive of the three Newell companies and two years later his son, Daniel C. Ferguson, became president of the companies.

1965 Dan Ferguson was named President in 1965.

In 1968 Newell purchased a majority interest in Mirra-Cote Industries, a manufacturer of plastic bath accessories.

In 1969 Newell acquired Dorfile Manufacturing Company, a maker of household shelving, and E.H. Tate Company, which brought the "Bulldog" line of picture hanging hardware into the Newell line of products.

1970: Newell Manufacturing is reincorporated in Delaware as Newell Companies, Inc.

In April 1972 Newell went public as an over-the-counter stock and that same year initiated an acquisition strategy that would later be replayed in various forms.

By March 1973 Newell had ousted the EZ Paintr board and Daniel Ferguson had became president of the company, which yielded complete control of its stock to Newell six months later.

In 1974, they acquired EZ Paintr Corporation, then the world's largest maker of paint applicators.

In 1975 Leonard Ferguson died and a descendant of Ben Cuthbert, William R. Cuthbert, was later named chairman.

In May 1978 Newell acquired 24 percent of the financially-troubled BernzOmatic Corporation, a manufacturer of propane torches and other do-it-yourself hand tools.

In February 1979 Newell gained operational control over BernzOmatic after its president, who had earlier sold convertible debentures to Newell, yielded his position to Ferguson and Newell had taken control of the smaller firm's board.

1983: Cookware maker Mirro Corporation is acquired by Newell.

1984: Rubbermaid acquires the Little Tikes Company, maker of plastic toys.

In May 1985 the company changed its name to Newell Co.

In January 1986 William P. Sovey, former president of AMF Inc., was named president and chief operating officer.

In 1987, the company acquired Anchor Hocking Corporation, a specialty manufacturer of glassware, flatware, cookware and other products.

In 1989 Newell unsuccessfully tried to buy a 20-plus percent investment in Vermont American, a maker of consumer and industrial tools that turned to another suitor after suggesting Newell would be a disruptive force in its operations.

Attempting to once again piggyback on a growing mass merchandiser market--namely the trend to sell office supplies through mass retailers--in 1991 Newell entered the office products business by acquiring two small firms, Keene Manufacturing, Inc., and W.T. Rogers Company.

In 1992 Newell also sold its closures business for $210 million, and the company's books for the year reflected a record $119 million in earnings on a record $1.45 billion in sales.

In 1993 Newell--in what could be perceived as a return to its roots&mdashquired Intercraft Industries, Inc., the largest supplier of picture frames in the United States.

1994: Newell acquires Home Fashions Inc., Faber-Castell Corporation, and Corning Incorporated's European consumer products operation.

In 1997, the company acquired Kirsch, a company involved with drapery hardware and custom window coverings.

1998: Newell acquires Calphalon Corporation and two German firms: the Gardinia Group and Rotring Group; Rubbermaid acquires the Curver Group and Century Products Company.

1999: Newell acquires Rubbermaid for $6 billion; Newell changes its name to Newell Rubbermaid Inc.

2000: Newell Rubbermaid acquires the stationery products division of Gillette Company, gaining the Paper Mate, Parker, Waterman, and Liquid Paper brands.

2001: Joseph Galli, Jr., comes onboard as president and CEO and launches a thorough restructuring.

2002: The company acquires American Tool Companies, Inc., maker of hand tools and power tool accessories.

Michael B. Polk joined the company in July as president and CEO. He has been a member of the company’s Board of Directors since 2009.​​

2012 Newell implemented the Growth Game Plan, a new multi-year corporate strategy to accelerate into a bigger, faster growing, more global and more profitable company.

2014 Newell opened its state-of-the-art Design Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan, making a significant commitment to create a brand-led company famous for innovation, design and product performance.

2015 In 2015, Newell Rubbermaid announced its intention to acquire Jarden Corporation and its diverse global portfolio of well-known brands such as Ball, Yankee Candle, FoodSaver and more.

In April 2016, the combination of Newell Rubbermaid and Jarden Corporation marked the next chapter of our proud history, creating a new company – Newell Brands.

2018 The company announced its Accelerated Transformation Plan, a series of strategic initiatives designed to improve operational performance and evolve the portfolio to a group of more consumer-facing brands, powered by innovation, eCommerce and international deployment.