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28-567: Since 2000 Waterman has been owned by the American group Newell Brands , through its subsidiary, Sanford L.P. Lewis Waterman, an insurance salesman in New York City , invented the first truly functional fountain pen in the early 1880s. A typical pen of the day leaked all over a contract he had prepared for a large policy , and by the time Waterman returned with a new document, his client had signed with someone else. Later, Waterman

56-408: A Kansas City stationery company which they held until 1998. In 1997, Newell acquired Cooper Industries' Kirsch, a company specializing in drapery hardware, and custom window coverings . In 1998, the company expanded in cookware with the purchase of Calphalon Corporation, a manufacturer of cookware marketed primarily to upscale retailers and department stores. The company also purchased Panex,

84-672: A cookware maker in South America. In 2016, Newell moved its corporate headquarters from Atlanta to Hoboken, New Jersey. In 2019, it returned to Atlanta. Newell Rubbermaid has been criticized in the UK for closing British factories, including those of Parker Pen, and relocating them to Nantes, France, and China. Similarly, they have been criticized for their handling of Toolmakers Berol, Record and Marples. Newell Sistema products has been criticized for requiring workers in their Auckland, New Zealand, factory to work in unsafe conditions during

112-594: A division of Newell Rubbermaid (now known as Newell Brands ), along with the Parker Pen Division , which Gillette acquired in 1993. Early Waterman pens were made of hard rubber and were equipped with 14K gold nibs . From early on, precious metal trim and overlays were offered. Many are still in use today, and their nibs are prized for their smoothness and flexibility. Waterman's high production volume from c. 1900 on means that vintage examples are comparatively easy to find today. The most common models from

140-501: A historic former bank building in Freeport, Illinois. In 1983, the company entered the cookware market with the purchase of Mirro . In 1985, William P. Sovey was announced as the new president. Daniel C. Ferguson continued as vice chairman and chief executive officer of the company. In 1987, the company acquired Anchor Hocking Corporation, a specialty manufacturer of glassware, flatware, cookware and other products. The deal included

168-673: A merger of the two enterprises in July 1934. Still named the Wooster Company, the new group began to produce rubber household products under the Rubbermaid brand name. In 1984, Rubbermaid acquired Little Tikes , a toy maker. In 1985, Rubbermaid acquired competitor Gott Corporation. In 1996, Rubbermaid acquired Graco baby products. In 1999, Rubbermaid was purchased by Newell for $ 6 billion. Then Newell changed its name to Newell Rubbermaid. Newell Rubbermaid changed its name again to

196-595: A pen to be held directly in a pocket. In 1908 Waterman released their first retractable nib "safety" pen. As the 20th century wore on, Waterman's conservatism allowed its younger and more innovative competitors to gain market share— Parker , Sheaffer , and Wahl-Eversharp in particular. By the later 1920s, Waterman was attempting to catch up; it continued to struggle through and beyond World War II before finally shutting down in 1954. Waterman's French subsidiary, Waterman-JiF (Jules-Isidore Fagard) later Waterman S.A., continued to prosper and eventually absorbed what remained of

224-406: A refocusing effort. In May 2018, Newell sold Waddington to Novolex. In June 2018, Newell sold Rawlings to Seidler Equity Partners. In August 2018, Newell sold Goody to ACON Investments . In November 2018, Newell sold its Pure Fishing line of business to Sycamore Partners for $ 1.3 billion and Jostens to Platinum Equity for $ 1.3 billion. In June 2019, Newell Brands announced the sale of

252-528: Is in Atlanta . The Newell Manufacturing Company was founded by Edgar Newell in Ogdensburg, New York , in 1903 as a manufacturer of metal curtain rods . 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. This marked the beginning of Newell's mass merchandising strategy. As

280-561: The Paper Mate , Parker , Waterman and Liquid Paper brands. In 2002, they acquired American Tool Companies , adding the Irwin, Vise-Grip , and Marathon brands to their portfolio. In 2003, Newell Rubbermaid acquired American Saw and Manufacturing Company , a manufacturer of linear-edge power tool accessories, hand tools, and band saw blades marketed under the Lenox brand. In 2005,

308-588: The United States Playing Card Company to Belgian card manufacturer Cartamundi Group . Newell's brands include the following. Rubbermaid Rubbermaid is an American manufacturer and distributor of household items. A subsidiary of Newell Brands , it is best known for producing food storage containers and trash cans . It also produces sheds , step stools , closets and shelving, laundry baskets , bins, air fresheners and other household items. Rubbermaid

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336-576: The "Exposition Universelle" in Paris in 1900. Nonetheless, it was after L.E. Waterman's death in 1901 that the company took off. Under the leadership of Waterman's nephew, Frank D. Waterman, the Waterman Pen Company expanded aggressively worldwide. While Waterman introduced its share of innovations, the company's main selling point was always quality and reliability. In 1905 Waterman patented their first permanently attached pen clip, allowing

364-574: The American company and its British arm. The Waterman company was acquired by the Bic company which went public in 1958 with a reverse merger ; Bic would later sell off the Waterman division. Successfully weathering the challenge of the ballpoint pen, it was acquired by The Gillette Company in March 1987 which grew overall sales by 40% with its aggressive North American sales and later sold to Sanford ,

392-470: The COVID-19 outbreak and lock down without adequate distances between workers and proper personal protective equipment. After a WorkSafe NZ visit, workers were told they would not have to go to work and would be on full pay for the four week lock down. In 1999, Newell acquired the Rubbermaid and Graco brand names in a megamerger worth $ 5.8 billion, and later renamed the combined firm Newell Rubbermaid. This

420-470: The business grew, the company built a new 15,000-square-foot facility in Ogdensburg, New York. The company purchased Barnwell Mfg. Co. of Freeport, Illinois in 1921, renaming it Western Newell Manufacturing Company. Freeport's access to railroad lines facilitated shipping products west. Kresge, the department store chain (later Kmart ) was one of Western Newell's larger accounts. Daniel C. Ferguson

448-417: The company acquired DYMO , designing, manufacturing, and marketing on-demand labeling solutions. The company expanded its presence in this market with the 2006 purchases of CardScan business card scanners and Mimio interactive whiteboard products along with the 2007 acquisition of postage company Endicia and its Picture-it-Postage brand. In 2005, Mark Ketchum was named president and CEO. The company added

476-421: The company as president and CEO. On July 21, 2014, Newell Rubbermaid announced a $ 308 million acquisition of Ignite Holdings, a Chicago-based maker of reusable water bottles and thermal mugs. Ignite sold its products under two brand names: Avex and Contigo, also acquiring Ignite's proprietary closing mechanism, Autoseal. On October 5, 2015, Newell Rubbermaid announced that it would acquire Elmer's Products ,

504-430: The fountain pen industry was fierce, both in the marketplace and the courtroom. Despite later company literature that depicts Lewis E. Waterman as a golden-hearted innocent, all evidence indicates that he was a tough, savvy, and innovative businessman. In 1899 the L.E. Waterman Company developed the "spoon Feed" system which prevented the overflow of ink, which also led to the company receiving the gold medal of excellence at

532-544: The hard rubber era are the #12 slip-cap eyedropper, the #52 screw-cap lever-filler, and the #42 retracting-nib safety pen. Though largely ignored by present-day collectors, the Waterman C/F of 1953 introduced the modern plastic ink cartridge. In 1983 and celebrating the company's 100th anniversary, Waterman created the Le Man 100, aiming its products at the luxury writing market. Former French President François Mitterrand

560-770: The makers of Elmer's glue , Krazy Glue , and X-Acto , among other brands, for $ 600 million. The company also announced plans to divest its window covering brands Levolor and Kirsch. On December 14, 2015, Newell Rubbermaid announced that it would acquire Jarden for over $ 15 billion of cash and stock. The combined company would be known as Newell Brands, and 55% would be owned by Newell's shareholders. The combined company would have estimated annual sales of $ 16 billion. In 2014 Newell Rubbermaid sold Ashland Hardware Systems, Bulldog and Shurline. In 2017, Newell sold K2 Sports , Völkl , Diamond Match Company , Levolor and Kirsch. In January 2018, Newell announced that it would sell off several businesses, mostly former Jarden units, in

588-456: The present-day Newell Brands in 2016 as part of a takeover of Jarden in another merger. In 2003, the company announced its move out of Wooster to Atlanta, Georgia; 850 manufacturing and warehouse jobs would be eliminated, and 409 office jobs would move to other locations. A Rubbermaid distribution center remained at the former headquarters for some time, until it was recently purchased by GOJO Industries, Inc. On November 16, 2004, Rubbermaid

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616-510: The purchase of Amerock , a maker of cabinet hardware and window components. In 1992, they acquired Sanford , a manufacturer and marketer of writing instruments, including the Sharpie and Expo brands. A year later, they acquired Levolor, a manufacturer and marketer of window treatments. They also entered the beauty and style category by acquiring Goody hair care accessories, including Ace men's grooming accessories.They also acquired Stuart Hall

644-451: The slogan of "Brands That Matter" to their logo to emphasize the change. In February 2008, Newell Rubbermaid acquired Aprica Kassai, a Japanese maker of strollers, car seats, and other children's products and Technical Concepts, in the away-from-home restroom market. The company created a global headquarters in the Atlanta metropolitan area to consolidate numerous brands and functions under one roof. In July 2011, Michael B. Polk joined

672-536: Was an acquisition ten times larger than the last biggest acquisition Newell had made, nearly doubled the company's size, and significantly increased Newell's portfolio of brands. In 2003, the merger was dubbed the "merger from hell" by Businessweek magazine. Newell shareholders lost 50% of their value in the two years following the closing and Rubbermaid shareholders lost 35%. In 2002, Newell wrote off $ 500 million in goodwill. In 2000, Newell Rubbermaid acquired Gillette 's stationery products business, including

700-604: Was founded in 1920 in Wooster, Ohio as the Wooster Rubber Company by nine businessmen. Originally, Wooster Rubber Company manufactured toy balloons. In 1933, James R. Caldwell and his wife received a patent for their blue rubber dustpan . They called their line of rubber kitchen products Rubbermaid. In 1934 Horatio Ebert saw Rubbermaid products at a New England department store, and believed such products could help his struggling Wooster Rubber. He engineered

728-1875: Was known for carrying two wherever he went. As Waterman progressed into the modern era, it produced many of the pens that are still available today including the Edson, the Exception, the Philéas , the Hémisphère , the Expert, the Harmonie, the Charleston, the Ici et Là, the Audace, the Sérénité, the Liaison, and the Carène. Newell Brands Newell Brands Inc. is an American manufacturer, marketer and distributor of consumer and commercial products. The company's brands and products include Rubbermaid storage and trash containers; home organization and reusable container products; Contigo and Bubba water bottles; Coleman outdoor products; writing instruments ( Berol , Expo Markers , Paper Mate , Dymo , Mr. Sketch , Parker Pens , Sharpie , Reynolds , Prismacolor , Rotring , X-acto , Waterman ) glue ( Elmer's , Krazy Glue ); children's products (Aprica, NUK , Tigex, Babysun, Baby Jogger and Graco ); cookware and small appliances (Calphalon, Sunbeam , Rival , Crock-Pot ; Holmes , FoodSaver, Oster , Osterizer , and Mr. Coffee ) and fragrance products ( Yankee Candle , Chesapeake Bay Candle , Millefiori Milano , and WoodWick). The company's global headquarters

756-593: Was named president in 1965 and developed a growth-by-acquisition strategy, intending to build a strong, multi-product company. The Newell Company went public in 1972, opening on the NASDAQ at $ 28 per share. In 1974, they acquired EZ Paintr Corporation, then the world's largest maker of paint applicators . Newell was listed on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol NWL in 1979. In 1979, Newell moved into its first corporate headquarters in

784-464: Was working as a pen salesman in New York for a new company founded in the spring of 1883 by a volatile inventor named Frank Holland. Holland abandoned his company after only six weeks; Waterman stepped in and took over, fitting the pens with a simplified feed of his own design. It was for this "three fissure feed" that his first pen-related patent was granted in 1884. From the beginning, competition in

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