Chemring Group is a global business providing a range of advanced technology products and services to the aerospace, defence and security markets. Employing 2,848 people (31 October 2014) worldwide, Chemring has extensive operations in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia. It is headquartered in Romsey and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
The business was formed in 1905 as The British, Foreign & Colonial Automatic Light Controlling Company Limited in 1905 to make timers for gas street lighting. In the 1950s the company diversified into silver coated filaments for lighting. It was subsequently established that such filaments had an alternative use as chaff for radar decoy purposes.
The company was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1974.
The Falklands War led to Chemring opening a new factory to produce aluminium glass chaff decoys in order to counteract the threat of sea-skimming missiles.
In 1986 Chemring acquired pyrotechnics specialist Pains Wessex and moved into IR decoys.
The First Gulf War led to a rapid increase in Chemring's production of countermeasures in support of the US-led coalition.
In 1992 the company acquired its main competitor, Haley & Weller. This resulted in Chemring supplying the majority of the UK Ministry of Defence's countermeasure and military pyrotechnic needs.
In 1993 Chemring established a presence in the United States with its first US acquisition, Alloy Surfaces Company Inc. This was furthered in 2001 when Chemring acquired Kilgore Flares Company LLC, making the Group the largest provider of decoys to the United States Department of Defense.
In 2006 the Chemring Group acquired Poole based BDL Systems for £9 million.
In 2007 the Company acquired Simmel Difesa, an ammunition supply business, as well as Richmond Electronics & Engineering, a business specialising in bomb disposal technology.
In 2008 it went on to buy Scot, a business making devices for aircraft emergency systems, and Martin Electronics, a manufacturer of ammunition and fuses.
In 2009 Chemring acquired Hi-Shear Technology Corporation, a US leading manufacturer of high reliability energetic solutions that perform critical functions in key US space and defence programmes.
In 2010 it purchased Roke Manor Research, a centre for advanced technology research and development based in Hampshire, UK from Siemens for £55m.
In 2011 the company acquired the Detection Systems operations and certain related assets of General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, a subsidiary of General Dynamics Corporation. The business operates as Chemring Detection Systems Inc and is a US leader in chemical and biological threat detection and has advanced capability in stand-off detection of improvised explosive devices.
In 2012 Chemring disposed of its Marine interests, Chemring Marine, to Drew Marine.
In June 2014 the group headquarters was relocated from Fareham to Romsey.
Chemring Group operates in four market sectors:
Countermeasures - protecting aircraft, ships and land platforms against guided missile threats
Sensors & Electronics - equipment to detect, disable and defeat the threats posed by either concealed IEDs (improvised explosive devices), unexploded ordnance, electronic warfare and chemical and biological threats
Pyrotechnics & Munitions - an extensive range of products for use in navy, army and air force applications
Energetic Systems - propellant, explosives, missile and ammunition components, as well as thrusters, initiators and other components for the space sector
In 2002, a report on the BBC Today programme claimed that a salesman from PW Defence, a Chemring subsidiary, had agreed to sell landmines to an undercover reporter. The anti-personnel weapons were outlawed in the UK in 1998, following the signing of the Ottawa Treaty.
In 2011, it was revealed that CS gas produced by Chemring was used against civilian pro-democracy protesters in the 2011 Egyptian revolution. Later in 2014, it was also revealed that tear gas used against demonstrators in the 2014 Hong Kong protests was provided by Chemring.
