Crookes Healthcare
Encyclopedia
Crookes Healthcare is a healthcare manufacturer based in Nottingham, UK. It manufactures some of the most well-known health remedies and over-the-counter
medicines (OTC) found in British chemists. Around six hundred people work on the site.
, a chemist. Crookes Collosols, started by Henry Crookes the son of William Crookes, was formed on 29 March 1912. British Colloids Ltd, formed in December 1918, bought this company in January 1919.
In 1946 it became The Crookes Laboratories Ltd, on Gorst Road in north-west London. It became a public company on 28 February 1951. Crookes Laboratories was an international copmpany.
By the 1960s it was making dosulepin, a tricyclic antidepressant
(TCA), under the brand name Prothiaden.
There were two main divisions
Both companies were profitable. Crookes Veterinary began in September 1969.
The Crookes Veterinary Ltd division was sold to Anglian Food Group for £260,000. This company moved to central Birmingham and was wound up
around 1997.
By the early 1980s Boots had amalgamated its most common household medical products into its Crookes Products division, which is much the form that the company retains today. In the 1980s its main competitor was the Beecham Group for OTC medicines, and with Warner-Lambert the three had about half of the market. In October 1987 it claimed to be Britain's leading manufacturer of OTC medicines.
Boots bought Optrex in February 1983 for around £10 million; Optex Ltd had been based at 17 Wadsworth Road in Perivale
from the 1930s, who had been bought by Hoechst AG
in 1976. In October 1990 it bought Mycil from Medeva plc (who were bought by Celltech
in November 1999).
Under Boots, the main money-spinner of the Crookes Products division was Nurofen (Ibuprofen
or Brufen), which Boots had patented in 1962. By the late 1980s Nurofen had a 12% share of the analgesic
s market. Gold Greenlees Trott (GGT), who later bought BBDP then were bought by Omnicom Group
in 1998 and made part of TBWA Worldwide, were commissioned to make an advert to markedly increase Nurofen's market share. Analgesics are mainly purchased by 25-40 year old women. The 30 second TV advert, launched on 3 May 1989, used the voice instrumental section by Clare Torry
(for which she was originally paid £150) of The Great Gig in the Sky
. It was the first time that an analgesic brand had been advertised in such fashion, and the first time that music from Pink Floyd
had been used in TV advertising; they only agreed after seeing the produced advert.
From 2000-6 it also made Clearasil
, the best-selling skin-care product.
The main competitors to its products would be those made by Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare. Nurofen and Strepsils are global brands. Strepsils claims to be the world's best-selling product for sore throat
s.
Over-the-counter drug
Over-the-counter drugs are medicines that may be sold directly to a consumer without a prescription from a healthcare professional, as compared to prescription drugs, which may be sold only to consumers possessing a valid prescription...
medicines (OTC) found in British chemists. Around six hundred people work on the site.
History
The name comes from Sir William CrookesWilliam Crookes
Sir William Crookes, OM, FRS was a British chemist and physicist who attended the Royal College of Chemistry, London, and worked on spectroscopy...
, a chemist. Crookes Collosols, started by Henry Crookes the son of William Crookes, was formed on 29 March 1912. British Colloids Ltd, formed in December 1918, bought this company in January 1919.
In 1946 it became The Crookes Laboratories Ltd, on Gorst Road in north-west London. It became a public company on 28 February 1951. Crookes Laboratories was an international copmpany.
By the 1960s it was making dosulepin, a tricyclic antidepressant
Tricyclic antidepressant
Tricyclic antidepressants are heterocyclic chemical compounds used primarily as antidepressants. The TCAs were first discovered in the early 1950s and were subsequently introduced later in the decade; they are named after their chemical structure, which contains three rings of atoms...
(TCA), under the brand name Prothiaden.
Guinness
In November 1960 it was bought by Arthur Guinness Son and Company in a joint-venture with Philips-Duphar (part of Philips Electrical Industries) of the Netherlands, who owned 40%. In April 1969 Guinness acquired the rest of Crookes Laboratories.There were two main divisions
- Crookes Laboratories Group
- Crookes Anestan - toiletriesPersonal carePersonal care or toiletries is the industry which manufactures consumer products used for beautification and in personal hygiene.-Subsectors:Subsectors of personal care include cosmetics and feminine hygiene....
Both companies were profitable. Crookes Veterinary began in September 1969.
Boots
Boots of Nottingham agreed to buy the two divisions of the company on 26 July 1971 for around £2 million. At this point its turnover was around £700,000 a year.The Crookes Veterinary Ltd division was sold to Anglian Food Group for £260,000. This company moved to central Birmingham and was wound up
Dissolution (law)
In law, dissolution has multiple meanings.Dissolution is the last stage of liquidation, the process by which a company is brought to an end, and the assets and property of the company redistributed....
around 1997.
By the early 1980s Boots had amalgamated its most common household medical products into its Crookes Products division, which is much the form that the company retains today. In the 1980s its main competitor was the Beecham Group for OTC medicines, and with Warner-Lambert the three had about half of the market. In October 1987 it claimed to be Britain's leading manufacturer of OTC medicines.
Boots bought Optrex in February 1983 for around £10 million; Optex Ltd had been based at 17 Wadsworth Road in Perivale
Perivale
Perivale is a small suburb in the London Borough of Ealing, west of Charing Cross, central London. Landmarks in the suburb include the A40, a large road that connects Central London with the M40 motorway, and the large Art Deco Hoover Building, as well as St Mary's Church , the River Brent and...
from the 1930s, who had been bought by Hoechst AG
Hoechst AG
Hoechst AG was a German chemicals then life-sciences company that became Aventis Deutschland after its merger with France's Rhône-Poulenc S.A. in 1999...
in 1976. In October 1990 it bought Mycil from Medeva plc (who were bought by Celltech
Celltech
Celltech Group plc was a leading British-based biotechnology business based in Slough. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
in November 1999).
Under Boots, the main money-spinner of the Crookes Products division was Nurofen (Ibuprofen
Ibuprofen
Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for relief of symptoms of arthritis, fever, as an analgesic , especially where there is an inflammatory component, and dysmenorrhea....
or Brufen), which Boots had patented in 1962. By the late 1980s Nurofen had a 12% share of the analgesic
Analgesic
An analgesic is any member of the group of drugs used to relieve pain . The word analgesic derives from Greek an- and algos ....
s market. Gold Greenlees Trott (GGT), who later bought BBDP then were bought by Omnicom Group
Omnicom Group
Omnicom Group is a holding company whose agencies provide marketing and communications services in the disciplines of advertising, customer relationship management , strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and...
in 1998 and made part of TBWA Worldwide, were commissioned to make an advert to markedly increase Nurofen's market share. Analgesics are mainly purchased by 25-40 year old women. The 30 second TV advert, launched on 3 May 1989, used the voice instrumental section by Clare Torry
Clare Torry
Clare Torry is a British singer who famously performed the wordless vocals on Pink Floyd's "The Great Gig in the Sky" on the 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon.-Education:...
(for which she was originally paid £150) of The Great Gig in the Sky
The Great Gig in the Sky
"The Great Gig in the Sky" is the fifth track from English progressive rock band Pink Floyd's 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon. It features voice instrumental music by Clare Torry.-Composition:...
. It was the first time that an analgesic brand had been advertised in such fashion, and the first time that music from Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
had been used in TV advertising; they only agreed after seeing the produced advert.
From 2000-6 it also made Clearasil
Clearasil
Clearasil is the top-selling brand of skin care and acne medication, whose products contain chiefly benzoyl peroxide, sulfur & resorcinol, triclosan, or salicylic acid as active ingredients...
, the best-selling skin-care product.
Reckitt Benckiser
Reckitt Benckiser bought Boots Healthcare International (BHI) for £1.9 billion in 2005, which required regulatory approval in early 2006.Products
The household-name products it makes are:- NurofenNurofenNurofen is the brand name of a range of pain-relief medication made by Reckitt Benckiser. Introduced in 1983, the Nurofen brand was acquired following Reckitt Benckiser's acquisition of Boots Healthcare in 2005...
- StrepsilsStrepsilsStrepsils is a line of lozenges manufactured by Reckitt Benckiser in Nottingham, United Kingdom. They come in a variety of flavours and are part of the Boots Healthcare International brands that Reckitt Benckiser acquired in 2006...
- E45 skincare
- Optrex (chloramphenicolChloramphenicolChloramphenicol is a bacteriostatic antimicrobial that became available in 1949. It is considered a prototypical broad-spectrum antibiotic, alongside the tetracyclines, and as it is both cheap and easy to manufacture it is frequently found as a drug of choice in the third world.Chloramphenicol is...
) - Sweetex
- Mycil (chlorphenesinChlorphenesinChlorphenesin is a centrally acting muscle relaxant used to treat muscle pain and spasms.It also has antifungal and some antibacterial properties and is thus classified as an antifungal for topical use by the WHO.-Safety:...
) - Karvol
The main competitors to its products would be those made by Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare. Nurofen and Strepsils are global brands. Strepsils claims to be the world's best-selling product for sore throat
Sore throat
A sore throat or throat pain is a common physical symptom usually caused by acute pharyngitis, or throat inflammation, though it also occurs in a number of other situations, such as post trauma and in diphtheria. It can cause mild to extreme pain....
s.
Alumni
- Sir Michael Lyons, brand manager from 1971-2 for Crookes-Anestan