Charles and Jeremiah Chubb respond to the increasing demand for greater security by inventing the original secure lock mechanism, patented as the Detector Lock.
The Chubb brothers patent the burglar resistant safe.
A Time Lock mechanism is developed for protecting vault and safe doors. Although the designs have since been refined, the basic principles of security and quality have remained the same.
Read & Campbell Ltd is established by two Scottish engineers who register a design in GB to cover the “arrangement for piercing capsules” to expel water, carbon tetrachloride etc by means of a CO2 cartridge (the patent was granted in 1909).
Minimax opens its first office in London and soon becomes world-renowned for its conical extinguisher – The Minimax.
Pyrene Company of Delaware is set up by a Scottish engineer.
Rampart Engineering Company Ltd is formed to make fire extinguishers for the trade by Leonard Jones, the grandson of Samuel Jones – the founder of Samuel Jones and Co Ltd (paper converters and finishers).
Read and & Campbell takes out a patent in Argentina for its ‘Petrolex’ extinguisher – designed for fighting petrol fires.
Rampart Engineering becomes the engineering department of Samuel Jones and Co Ltd.
Pyrene Company Ltd is brought to the UK by Wallace B Phillips in London selling pump extinguishers.
Rampart Engineering officially changes its name to Samuel Jones and Co (Engineering) Ltd.
Panorama Equipment is established to produce industrial safety equipment.
Chubb expands its operations overseas and extends its product range into fire protection.
Pyrene Company Ltd purchases Minimax.
Pyrene purchases the safety product business of Panorama Equipment, and trades as Pyrene Panorama.
Chubb acquires Burgot Alarms and Rely-a-Bell, moving the company into electronic security for the first time, resulting in the launch of Chubb Alarms.
Chubb and Sons acquires Read and Campbell but it continues to operate at Read and Campbell until the formation of Chubb Fire Security Ltd in 1971.
Chubb and Sons takes over Pyrene, which it continues to operate under the name Pyrene until 1971.
Chubb and Sons Ltd purchases Samuel Jones (Engineering) Ltd, in 1971 acquires Fireward Ltd (specialist manufacturers of 1997 plastic bodied fire extinguishers).
Chubb Fire Security Ltd is formed from the Chubb Security and a number of businesses owned by Chubb (who had been trading under their own names up until that date).
Chubb Fire launches its new range of extinguishers under the banner ‘seize and squeeze’ standardising the head so that it is operated by withdrawing a pin and squeezing a lever for all types of extinguisher.
Racal Electronic Group acquires Chubb Fire Security Ltd.
Chubb emerges from Racal to form Chubb Security plc.
Williams plc – security and home improvement group acquires Chubb. Williams plc buys Thorn Fire Protection and re-brands the business Kidde Thorn (started 1918 and originally specialised in marine fire detection and extinguishing systems).
Chubb is first to market with European Standard extinguishers. Chubb launch The Hydrospray Elite 3 Litre extinguisher, later named as a ‘Millennium Product’ by the UK’s Design Council.
Chubb merges with Kidde Thorn. The group now offer an unparalleled product range.
A Swedish-based lock manufacturer, Assa Abloy acquires Chubb’s Lock Security Group in August. In November, Chubb de-merges from Williams plc to become Chubb plc (fire and security install and service) and Kidde de-merges to become Kidde plc (fire and security products).
United Technologies Corporation (UTC) acquires Chubb plc in July.
In July, UTC expands its UK coverage and capabilities by purchasing Initial Fire and Security, and integrating them into Chubb’s UK business. Initial traces its security roots back to 1962, with the founding of ‘Shorrocks’.
Chubb celebrates its 200 year anniversary. In that time Chubb has become a globally-recognised fire and security service business. Its technology and service solutions are essential in an ever changing world.
UTC separates out its commercial businesses. Carrier is now a stand-alone business of which Chubb forms a part.
APi Group Corporation (NYSE: APG), a global, market-leading business services provider of safety and specialty services, acquires Chubb in January.