History

2006 Acquisition of HellermannTyton

Today, HellermannTyton's product portfolio now contains over 50,000 leading products for fastening, fixing, identification, insulation and protection. Featuring operations in 32 countries world-wide and our business continues to move from strength to stength.
 

2005 HellermannTyton sale announced

By November 2005 Spirent announced its wish to sell its Network Products Group, HellermannTyton to focus its business.  HellermannTyton was highlighted as one of Spirent's most profitable business interests world-wide.
 

2004 New Global Media Publication database established

 

2003 Plymouth and Manchester sites obtain ISO 14001 approval

 

2002 Uniform regional structure and mission statement adopted

 

2000 Acquisition of HT Data; change of parent company name from Bowthorpe to Spirent.

As Plymouth and Manchester commence trading as one organisation, Bowthorpe plc. changes its name to Spirent plc. In order to emphasise its telecommunications focus within the market place.  The re-branding and implementation of the 'Spirent' name takes place throughout all operations.  Spirent's Cable Management Sector was then renamed as its Network Products Group.
 

1999 Harmonisation of branding as HT commenced globally; UK Management Merger takes place

The Cable Accessories Division of Hellermann Electric in Plymouth and Hellermann Insuloid in Manchester, commence a management merger in order to focus sales and marketing activities within the UK.  This is in preparation for Trading as HellermannTyton in the year 2000. Bowthorpe acquires Netcom, improving its base within the telecommunications industry.
 

1998 Global strategy adopted; Hellermann China established; Argentina business acquired; UK site relocation; QS 9000 attained

HellermannTyton, as it is now known, relocated into a new purpose built manufacturing plant close to the original site in Manchester.  The company by then had expanded into a multi-million pound business, with export substansially contributing towards this. HellermannTyton Plymouth obtains QS 9000 automotive quality standard
 

1997 Acquisition of Austrian and Spanish operations; HellermannTyton re-branding

The cable management companies within the UK sector were all renamed and branded in line with all Hellermann and Tyton companies world-wide, to be known as "HellermannTyton"  to emphasise the Group's global capabilities.
 

1991 Divisionalisation of Hellermann Electric business

By 1991 the business was divided into Cable Accessories, Heatshrink Specialities and Broad Band Systems Division in order to provide a focus on product ranges.
 

1987 Hellermann Electric capability expansion; Business acquisitions continue

The rubber extrusion capability at Hellermann Electric is expanded to incorporate tubing manufacture.  Staeng Ltd. is acquired by Hellermann Electric to provide harness manufacturing capability.  1987 Hellermann Electric obtains ISO 9001 (S 5750) quality standard.
 

1983 The company continues to grow

The UK company was still located at it's Wythenshawe base, in Manchester at this point, but now with six sites and having acquired a warehouse located within easy reach of the production sites.

 

1981 Hellermann Singapore established

 

1978 Hellermann Electric moves to new site at Plymouth, UK

 

1976 Bowthorpe Hellerman Distributors Ltd. founded / Bowthorpe Electric relocates

The business was founded in Birmingham to provide distribution to wholesalers.  Bowthorpe Electric - EMP moved to Brighton.
 

1973 Acquistion

Hiatt & Company Ltd. of Birmingham was acquired producing cable fixing, whilst Hellermann Deutsch acquired Felbridge Engineering Group to increase local manufacturing capabilities.
 

1972 Creation of HellermannTyton Data

Permark Ltd. closed transferring cable accessories manufacture and sales to Crawley.  The Plastics Division sold to Crawley Mouldings.  Hellermann Data Packaging formed at Crawley, moulding and assembling cassettes.
 

1971 More change....

Hellermann Deutsch at Crawley took on the terminals activities, Hellermann Electronic Components formed at East Grinsteard.  Insuloid Manufacutring Co. Ltd. restructured with its own sales organisation.
 

1970 Tyton Corporation Japan joint venture established; Hellermann Brazil established

 

1969 Terminals Division combined with Cable Accessories Division at Crawley

 

1968 Tyton USA established; changes to UK organisation.

Bowthorpe Hellermann Ltd formed in the UK as a new trading company, with Hellermann Electric as one of the operating divisions.

1967 Insuloid Manufacturing Co. Ltd amalgamated with Cable Accessories Division 

 

1966 Further amalgamation

Permark Services Ltd. and P&N Engineering of Cranleigh were acquired and amalgamated with Hellermann Electric Co. Ltd.

1964 Acquisition of UK fixings business

Insuloid Manufacturing Co. Ltd. was acquired and integrated with Hellermann Electric Co. Ltd, along with Cable Markers Ltd and Union Tool and Guage whixh making cable accessories and special purpose equipment. Insuloid as a whole was then bought by Bowthorpe plc, and after the hand-over period, the Emery family were no longer connected with the company.  Bowthorpe plc, with its finanacial strength allowed further expansion and a more progressive development of the cable tie range began.

1963 Divisionalisation of Hellermann Ltd.

Dividing the comapny into separate trading entities enabled the company to more effectively handle each business entity.

1962 Hellermann Deutsch created

In association with the Deutch Company of America, Hellerman Deutsch was created, taking on the crimped termination and connector business.  Cable termination activities were also grouped to form Hellermann Terminals Division.

1960 Hellermann France created to produce markers and insulation sleeves.

1959 Bowthorpe (New Zealand) Ltd. formed to produce and sell overhead line fittings.

1958 Insuloid becomes the first UK Manufacturer of Cable Ties

With cable ties being used in a number of applications, spotting the potential

Insuloid  quickly began to manufacturing of these towards the end of the 1950s. 

1957 Sale of the Paul Hellermann company to Mr Jack Bowthorpe in England

This move laid the foundation for the later Bowthorpe plc and allowed the company to broaden its capabilties in manufacturing and and sales across Europe.

1955 Bowthorpe Holdings Ltd. quoted on London Stock Exchange

Along with Bowthorpe's introduction on to the LSE the company's capabilities were ever-increasing.  The manufacture of compression terminations for cable terminations commenced.  The range of 'crimped' connectors and water sealing devices grouped into the Sealing Devices and Connector (SDC) Division. Hellermann (Canada) Ltd. formed to market cable accessories and connectors. Back in the UK, Injection Moulding was introduced, to establish a modern automated process for the manufacture of the company's products.

1952 Fire at the Insuloid Manufacturing; Hellermann Ltd is established.

The fire at the site forces the family to move to a new site in Wythenshwe, Manchester.  This gave the operation more space and allowed Insuloid to enter into full production of cable clips by a hand process.  At this time also, Hellermann Ltd. was formed, incorporating: Hellermann Electric Division, producing sleeving and markers; Hellermann Extrusion Division (acquired as Cheltenham Plastics) producing plastic tubing and Hellermann Plastics Divsion producing PVC dipped and moulded products.

1949 Bowthorpe Holdings formed with an initial capital of £100,000.

 

1948 New Manufacturing Site for the UK

Crawley, Sussex was the new manufacturing site, occupied by the Bowthorpe Hellermann group of companies.

1945 “Rubber bicycle valves”

Used for insulating damaged house wiring, the growing demand for these rubber valves inspires Paul Hellermann to devise one of the first great product innovations: The “Hellermann bush” is born. The Hellermann three-pronged expansion sleeve applicator tool is developed to aid assembly. This marks the introduction of two products that were destined to establish the reputation and success of the PAUL HELLERMANN company over the years – both at home and internationally´.

1944 Hellermann Germany Company relocation to Hamburg

'Grosse Bleichen' is now the home of the “Ohnsorg-Theater”, performing plays in local dialect.

1942 Hellermann Plastics is established

The company was founded to further the production of PVC dipped multi-way sleeves to satisfy the needs of complicated cable looms.

1939 UK Paul Hellermann factory moves

To avoid the threat of bombing, the company moved from its original site at Croydon to a larger site in Oxford.  

1938 Paul Hellermann exhibits for the first time at Leipzig Fair; Bowthorpe as Hellermann UK business partner

Jack Bowthorpe, England (now Hellermann Electric) recruited as business partner and Ernst Hess, Switzerland/France (today Societe Sterling SES). Hellermann Electric formed at Croydon by agreement with Herr Paul Hellermann as a UK manufacturer of identification and insulation sleeves; initially importing rubber tubing from Europe, with a UK source at W. Warnes Ltd. of Barking.

1937 Bowthorpe Electric Ltd. is established

Trading in electrical fittings for transmission, Bowthorpe Electric Ltd. was responsible for the distribution and factoring of UK and foreign origin items.  Bowthorpe Engineering Ltd. formed to design, develop and manufacture electrical fittings.

1935 Hellermann Company is created by Herr Paul Hellermann in Germany

Manufacturing rubber hose nozzles.

1933 Insuloid Manufacturing Company founded by the Emery