- 1780
- 1787
- 1791
- 1791
- 1805
- 1812
- 1812
- 1818
- 1827
- 1840
- 1844
- 1852
- 1872
- 1878
- 1878
- 1883
- 1886
- 1886
- 1889
- 1890
- 1898
- 1900
- 1904
- 1909
- 1910
- 1915
- 1940
- 1949
- 1950
- 1956
- 1958
- 1959
- 1961
- 1962
- 1965
- 1978
- 1984
- 1988
- 1990
- 1991
- 1993
- 1999
- 2000
- 2001
- 2004
- 2008
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2014
- 1780
Archibald Kenrick (1760 – 1835) arrives in Birmingham
- 1787
Archibald enters his first business partnership with buckle-maker Thomas Bolton and acquires his first shop
- 1791
With the decline in sales of buckles, Archibald begins manufacture of cast iron articles and establishes ‘Archibald Kenrick, Ironfounder of West Bromwich’
- 1791
Archibald leases over 4000 sq yd’s of land at the Spon Lane site bordering the Birmingham canal, and commences foundry work. This site remains Kenricks headquarters today
- 1805
Kenrick’s begin manufacture of cast–iron hollow–ware, particularly for culinary use
- 1812
Kenrick’s introduce steam powered machinery, and are the first company to manufacture saucepans with rims.
- 1812
Archibald’s nephew Stephen Kenrick becomes a partner, and the company becomes known as ‘Archibald Kenrick & Co’
- 1818
Archibald purchases 26 acres of freehold land adjacent to the Spon Lane works, followed by a further 25 acres in 1823
- 1827
After 15 years Samuel withdraws from the company to establish his own business. Archibald is joined by his son Archibald Jnr, and 'Archibald Kenrick & Son' is organised
- 1840
The Kenrick’s catalogue now includes door furniture, saucepans, a waffle iron and a humane man trap!
- 1844
Kenrick’s begin casting hinges
- 1852
A new foundry is erected next to the canal wharf
- 1872
Kenrick’s first travelling salesman is appointed
- 1878
With over 700 employees now on the payroll, new offices and warehouses are erected.
- 1878
With agents appointed in South America and South Africa more than 30% of all output is sold overseas
- 1883
Archibald Kenrick & Sons becomes a limited company, with John Arthur Kenrick directing the firm’s affairs
- 1886
Kenrick’s acquire the Birmingham Hollow-ware Co, and the pay the passage for Mr JK Merritt to travel to Australia, where he becomes principal agent until his retirement in 1931
- 1886
Kenrick’s amalgamate with principal competitor A & E Baldwins, emphasising their determination to become the largest supplier of cast iron butt hinges in Britain. Steel is substituted for iron, and stamping and pressing begin to replace casting
- 1889
Kenrick’s acquire the bedstead castor business of Parry & Wythes of Birmingham
- 1890
New offices are opened in Glasgow, Dublin and Leeds
- 1898
Kenricks’s acquire brassfounders Thomas Pemberton, and employ a further 400 people
- 1930
With unfavourable market conditions and the rise of aluminium in the hollow – ware industry Kenrick’s turn their attention to the manufacture of baths. Bath sales will account for 39% of turnover by 1935
- 1904
Kenrick’s begin production of cylinder door locks
- 1909
George Kenrick is Lord Mayor of London and has his knighthood conferred
- 1910
Various steel hinge businesses under the company’s control are amalgamated to form United Hinges Ltd, whose operations are carried on from premises adjacent to the works at West Bromwich
- 1915
Kenrick’s produce grenades and shells for the war effort, and by 1918 military contracts account for 80% of total sales
- 1940
Kenricks return to munitions supply, and begin the transformation from iron–founding to die–casting
- 1949
GF Shepherd, a retired engineer living in Australia, agrees to license the company to manufacture and sell his patented castor
- 1950
William Kenrick oversees production of the first set of Shepherd castors, and pressure die casting now replaces traditional sand die casting
- 1956
With the huge success of the castor business the Kenrick tinning department is closed after 150 years, following the closure of the bath department in 1950
- 1958
After lavish promotional campaigns between 1954 -57 production of the 1,000,000th set of Shepherd castors is achieved in Feb 1958. Castor sales now account for 64% of total sales, and the event is marked by the presentation of one gold plated set of castors to the inventor
- 1959
West Bromwich Football Club purchase land formerly used as a Kenrick recreation ground
- 1961
Castor sales continue to soar as the Shepherd Minicastor is introduced
- 1962
Kenrick’s first plastic castor, the patented ‘Meteor’, is manufactured under license
- 1965
Kenrick’s 173 year history as an iron–founder comes to an end as the decision is made to close the foundry. Die cast products now account for 80% of output, and Kenrick’s are now described technically as zinc alloy die–casters, and generally as hardware manufacturers
- 1978
Kenrick’s diversification continues with the introduction of aluminium extruded hardware (window handles and letterplates), aluminium racking systems and aluminium twinwheel castors
- 1984
A range of bathroom accessories are introduced
- 1988
New gravity die casting services lead to the manufacture of phone box casings, socket covers, engine mountings, and sophisticated prototyping services
- 1990
The Suroy industrial castor complements the existing castor range, and is followed by the Textile castor in 1991
- 1991
The launch of the groundbreaking Sabre Lock shootbolt for windows re-asserts Kenrick’s influence in hardware design and manufacture
- 1993
The popular Sentri Lock system is launched and Kenrick’s Window Test Centre is opened
- 1999
The Rapier shootbolt from 1996 is succeeded by the groundbreaking patented Excalibur shootbolt
- 2000
Can Opener production commences at the West Brom site and the new plating shop is introduced
- 2001
The Centurian shootbolt complements the existing shootbolt ranges, and mushroom espags follow in 2003
- 2004
The Excalibur provides the inspiration for the time saving Easi Fit espag, and the new Kenrick window and door test facility is opened in 2005
- 2008
Following a successful showing at Glassex, the premier glass and glazing exhibition, Kenrick’s Excalibur door lock reaches the market
- 2010
The Centurian Fast Fit confirms Kenrick’s commitment to continuous improvement and new product development
- 2011
The introduction of the twin cam Interceptor confirms Kenrick’s commitment to new development to meet customer demands
- 2012
Kenrick’s introduce a comprehensive range of cylinders to complement its door lock range
- 2014
Kenrick’s introduce a split spindle door lock to simplify fabrication and offer wider range of handle fitting options