Burroughs Wellcome Ltd

Sectors:

  • Chemical production Pharmaceutical production & research

Notes:

Traced origins to Silas Burroughs, d1895, who arrived in UK from USA in 1878 to market medicines for prescribers trading as S M Burroughs & Co. Joined by Henry Wellcome, also a US citizen, in 1880 when established Burroughs Wellcome & Co. Used US marketing practices, eg brand advertising, and technology, eg compressed pills, in establishing a UK pharmaceutical business. From 1883 manufactured pharmaceuticals, initially at Wandsworth and soon after at a major plant at Dartford. Sold under Tabloid brand label. From 1894 established extensive research laboratories. 1924 Henry Wellcome reorganised his interests bringing together manufacturing, research and his various museum/library assets in the Wellcome Foundation Ltd, most of whose functions were centralised at new Euston Road premises in early 1930s. Wellcome Foundation Ltd continued to grow rapidly, consolidating its position as a world leading pharmaceutical business. On Henry Wellcome's death in 1936 his ownership of Wellcome Foundation passed to Wellcome Trust, a charitable entity which devotes its income to medical research and medical history. The Foundation was floated in 1986 as Wellcome Plc after which the Trust steadily reduced its equity interest until in 1995 most of the balance of its holding was sold to Glaxo which facilitated the latter's takeover of Wellcome Plc to form Glaxo Wellcome Plc

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