Wikify: date=March 2008

The company's corporate headquarters ( ) is located immediately north of Atlanta, in the Perimeter Center edge city in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States. It operates innovation centers and manufacturing and distribution facilities in several U.S. states and around the world.

Newell Company

Newell Manufacturing Company, Inc. was founded in Ogdensburg, New York in 1902 as a manufacturer of curtain rods. From 1910 to 1921, affiliated companies were founded in Freeport, Illinois, and in Canada.

The F.W. Woolworth retail chain became the first customer for Newell's bronze-plated curtain rods in 1916, making them the first Newell products to be distributed nationally. This marked the beginning of Newell's focus on volume purchasers.

In 1962, the affiliated Newell Companies, including Western Newell, Newell Window Furnishings and Newell Manufacturing were consolidated into a single corporation and was headquartered in Freeport, Illinois. Daniel C. Ferguson was named president in 1965 and developed a growth-by-acquisition strategy based on his intention to build a strong, multi-product company.

Newell went public in 1973. A year later, they acquired EZ Paintr Corporation, then the world's largest maker of paint applicators. Newell was listed on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol NWL in 1979. In 1982, they acquired propane hand torch makers BernzOmatic from Medina, New York. A year later, Mirro Corporation, a cookware maker was acquired. They made the largest purchase by the company up to that time in 1987 with Anchor Hocking Corporation (which included Amerock), a manufacturer of cabinet hardware and window components.

In 1992, they acquired Sanford, a leading manufacturer and marketer of writing instruments, including the Sharpie, Sanford and Expo user brands. The same year they acquired Intercraft, a leading picture frame manufacturer. A year later, they acquired Levolor, a leading manufacturer and marketer of window treatments. Additionally, they acquired Goody hair care accessories and LeeRowan closet organization products.

Newell became the world's largest manufacturer of picture frames, framed art and photo albums with the acquisition of Holson Burnes in 1996. 1997 saw the acquisition of Kirsch, a leader in branded drapery hardware and custom window coverings. In 1998 they purchased Calphalon Corporation, a manufacturer of gourmet cookware marketed primarily to upscale retailers and department stores.

The Newell Rubbermaid merger

In 1999, Newell Company acquired the Rubbermaid and Graco brands in a megamerger deal worth $5.8 billion, and later renamed to Newell Rubbermaid. This was an acquisition ten times as big as the last biggest acquisition Newell had made before. This nearly doubled the company in size and significantly increased the combined company's portfolio of brands. According to the Frontline article in November 10, 2004 titled "Is Wal-Mart Good for America?", this merger was a result of increasing need for consolidation among manufacturers to negotiate with retail buyers.