• 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