| Type | Public (LSE: BRSN) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Textile rental service |
| Founded | 1920 |
| Headquarters | London, UK |
| Key people | Christopher Kemball, Chairman Peter Ventress, CEO |
| Products | Workwear, mats, washroom, cleanroom, linen |
| Revenue | £986.1 million (2010)[1] |
| Operating income | £123.9 million (2010)[1] |
| Net income | £22.4 million (2010)[1] |
| Employees | 16,100 (2010)[1] |
| Website | www.berendsen.com |
Berendsen plc (LSE: BRSN) (formerly The Davis Service Group Plc) is a leading British-based provider of textile maintenance services. It is headquartered in London and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
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The business was formed in 1920 as Godfrey Davis renting out automobiles. It was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1959. In 1987 it acquired Sunlight Services, a leading laundry business founded in 1900.
On 31 July 2009, it was announced that Peter Ventress, the former President of Staples International,would become the new Chief Executive Officer of Davis Service Group. [2]
1900 Laundry company Sunlight Services is founded.
1920 Godfrey Davis begins car dealership; becomes a prominent automotive rental and leasing company.
1957 A tool hire shop is launched, which later becomes HSS Tool Hire.
1959 Godfrey Davis lists on the London stock exchange, then enters portable building sales and rentals.
1963: Elliot Group is founded, which later becomes part of Falcon Industries.
1968 HSS begins catering equipment rentals.
1973 John Ivey is named CEO of Sunlight.
1981 Godfrey Davis sells off automotive rental business.
1987 Godfrey Davis acquires Sunlight Services for £8 million.
1988 The company acquires Newbury Laundry Company; sells off Sunlight's security services division; acquires Falcon Industries, including Elliot Group.
1989 The company acquires Practical Uniform Company and Cooperative Laundries Society Ltd.
1991 Three of four Godfrey Davis car dealerships are sold off; the company is renamed as Davis Service Group; acquires Presco (Holdings) Ltd.
1992 The company sells off Godfrey Davis Contract Hire to Bank of Scotland.
1993 The company acquires HSS Hire Service Group PLC and enters tool hire market.
1994 The company acquires Lakeland Pennine Group Ltd.
1995 The sale of Practical Uniform Company is completed.
1996 The company acquires Spring Grove Services from Granada, which also includes operations in Ireland and Germany [3]
1998 The company acquires Laundrycraft Limited.
1999 The company acquires Midland Laundry Group.
2000 The company establishes operations in France with the acquisition of Blanchisserie Teinturerie de la Bièvres; acquires Redispace & Johnson from Initial Plant Services Ltd.
2001 The company pays $46 million for 74-store chain RentX Industries, based in the United States.
2002 The company acquires Sophus Berendsen that doubles the textil rental business. Berendsen complements the existing UK/Ireland by operations in the Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia [4]
2004 The company divests HSS Hire Services in UK and USA
2005 The company divests Elliott Group in UK
2007 The company acquires Permaclean Group, focused on workwear, in Germany and establish UK clinical solutions and decontamination business.
2008 The company enters into the Baltics with some small acquisitions.
2010 The company divest Björnkläder AB to Litorina and acquires Norwegian and Swedish mat service businesses and Scandinavian washroom business from ISS A/S.
2011 The company changes name from The Davis Service Group Plc to Berendsen plc [5]
The Group is organised into two divisions: