McBride timeline

Camille Simon and his wife arrive in Britain and open a laundry in West London

The launch of Simon's Lessive Cleaning Extract of Soap.

On 9 March, Robert McBride created a business in North Manchester to supply chemical processing products to Lancashire's cotton industry.

McBride moves to its present location in Middleton, North Manchester. Under Reg McBride, our first consumer product is bleach, delivered overnight in glass bottles to local corner shops.

The company entered an aggressive phase of expansion under the direction of Reg McBride's son, Terry. We launched washing-up liquid and fabric conditioner, and developed the in-house blowing of plastic bottles, following a growing demand for supermarket private labels.

The company went public, and acquired Gretna Laboratories, a toiletries business in Burnley Lancashire, increasing the range of operations and breadth of product range.

Camille Simon introduced the first fluid bed washing powder production in UK.

Robert McBride was acquired by BP and becomes part of the detergents division.

In order to broaden its detergents business BP acquired Tensia, a surfactant business based in Continental Europe.

Robert McBride became the first UK manufacturer of private label laundry liquids.

Robert McBride Ltd acquired Camille Simon Ltd's washing powder factory at Barrow, bringing with it Surcare, our leading brand of laundry products designed for people with sensitive skin.

Robert McBride became the first manufacturer to develop two times concentrated washing powders.

Further UK acquisitions included ER Holloway's aerosol factory in Hull, and the Crestol Ltd haircare business in Bradford.

In 1988 Yplon in Belgium and KopChemie in Italy were acquired; BP integrated these businesses with Tensia, which had acquired the Moyaux factory for private label liquid detergents and the Rosporden aerosol factory.

McBride was the first to launch a combined liquid detergent and fabric conditioner, as well as the first fine china dishwashing powder.

BP decided to sell its Consumer Products Division in 1993 to concentrate on its core business. The business was purchased by a group of institutional investors led by Lehman Bros and Legal and Ventures, and fronted by Lord Sheppard of Didgemere and Mike Handley.

McBride Ltd was established to build on the goodwill attached to the McBride name.

Arco Iris in Spain and the retail washing powder business of Albright and Wilson Ltd were acquired.

 McBride plc floated in July 1995.

McBride's geographic and product range expanded through organic growth and acquisitions. Acquisitions during this period included Grada in Holland, Problanc, Sodichlor and Vitherm in France.

McBride expanded outside the EU commenced in 1998 with the acquisition of 85% of Intersilesia Sp Z.o.o. in southern Poland. We also opened sales offices in Hungary and the Czech Republic.

Later the same year the acquisition of Globol Chemicals (UK) Ltd provided the group with access to controlled release air care technology.

McBride acquired 80% of Wrafton Laboratories in 1999, providing an entry into the rapidly growing over-the-counter medicines field. In the same year, our 50/50 joint venture with Nichol Beauty products created the UK's second largest independent filler of aerosol products.

McBride plc becomes the first company to launch soluble liquid laundry detergent sachets in Europe under the name Brio Actipods, beating the major multinational manufacturers.

In June, McBride announced the disposal of its 92.5% share in Wrafton Laboratories Ltd to Perrigo Corp of America in order to concentrate on its core household and personal care businesses.

McBride launched the repackaged Surcare brand and website.

McBride announced the closure of its Breda factory in The Netherlands and the transfer of production to other sites in the group.

The company also stopped the manufacture of I&I (Industrial and Institutional) Products at the Estaimpuis site. We converted the facility into a modern household cleaner production unit.

In September McBride purchased the joint venture partners equity share in Aerosol Products Limited.

Miles Roberts becomes the new Chief Executive.

McBride acquired the household liquids business and assets of Sanmex International Limited, and Coventry Chemicals two  UK based private label suppliers.

In 2006 the company opened a sourcing office in Hong Kong.

We acquired Dasty, a privately owned manufacturer of private label household cleaning liquids, in Italy and Henkel's European private label Household products business, comprising the leading facility for Private label machine dishwashing tablet production in Europe and a household liquids factory in Coventry in the UK.

In 2008 we aqcuired the production assets of Darcy industries in the UK with production facilities in Warrington plus the former Remploy household and personal care production facility in St Helens in the UK. McBride commissioned a greenfield manufacturing facility in Zhongshan China for production of specialist air fresheners.

In March 2008 the McBride plc Group Head office moved to Central London.

In 2009 the group acquired the Limelite and Frish brands in the UK and purchased the manufacturing assets of Budelpack Roosendaal in Holland.