Elementis

Elementis plc is one of the UK's largest speciality chemicals business. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

History

The company was founded in Liverpool in 1844 as Harrisons and Crosfield by Daniel Harrison, Smith Harrison and Joseph Crosfield to trade in tea and coffee. In the 1860s it became one of the largest tea traders in the UK. In 1903 it diversified into operating rubber plantations in the far east acquiring shareholdings in a number of plantation companies. Then in 1948 the company became a major producer of latex at its factory in Petaling.

In 1967 it acquired Durham Chemicals in Birtley and in 1973 acquired British Chrome & Chemicals in Eaglescliffe so diversifying into the chemicals business. It also acquired a stake in the Sabah Timber Company and then in 1978 took complete control of it. By the end of the 1970s Harrisons and Crosfield was the 91st largest industrial company in the UK by turnover.

In 1982 it sold its Malaysian plantations and in 1994 it sold its Indonesian plantations: these business have since been absorbed into Sime Darby and London Sumatra respectively.