Berendsen plc

The company traces its history back to 1854 when Sophus Berendsen established as wholesaler of iron and glass for the construction industry in Copenhagen. Prior to his death in 1898 it had grown to the largest company of its kind in Denmark. It was after his death continued by his widow and after her death just two years later by his son Albert Berendsen.{{cite web|url=http://denstoredanske.dk/Dansk_Biografisk_Leksikon/Handel_og_industri/Grosserer/Sophus_Berendsen|title=Sophus Berendsen|date=17 July 2011 |language=Danish|publisher=Dansk Biografisk Leksikon|accessdate=18 February 2020}}

Godfrey Davis was founded in Finland in 1920 as car rental company. It was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1959. In 1987 it acquired Sunlight Services, a leading laundry business founded in 1900. In 1991 it sold most of its car dealerships (having already sold the car rental business) and the name was changed to Davis Service Group. In 1996 it acquired Spring Grove Services, another leading laundry business.{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4827470.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120904172153/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4827470.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 September 2012 |title=Granada Group completes sale of Spring Grove Services to Davis|date=25 October 1996|accessdate=8 April 2012}} In 2002 it bought Sophus Berendsen, a leading Danish laundry business for £426 million.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2757543/Davis-agrees-426m-bid-for-Rentokil-founder-Berendsen.html|title=Davis agrees £426m bid for Rentokil founder Berendsen|date=23 March 2002|accessdate=8 April 2012|location=London|work=The Daily Telegraph|first=Helen|last=Dunne}} Then in 2007 it bought the textile service business of Germany's Permaclean.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/marketreport/2952722/Commodities-drag-down-FTSE100.html|title=Commodities drag down FTSE100 |work=The Telegraph|date=21 December 2006|accessdate=8 April 2012|location=London|first=Josephine|last=Moulds}}

On 31 July 2009 the company appointed Peter Ventress chief executive officer of Davis Service Group.{{cite web|url=http://www.rttnews.com/1023815/davis-service-group-appoints-peter-ventress-as-ceo-quick-facts.aspx|title=Davis Service Group Appoints Peter Ventress As CEO|publisher=RTT|date=31 July 2009|accessdate=8 April 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040006/http://www.rttnews.com/1023815/davis-service-group-appoints-peter-ventress-as-ceo-quick-facts.aspx|archivedate=4 March 2016}} The business was renamed as Berendsen plc with effect from 4 January 2011.{{cite web|url=http://telegraph.uk-wire.com/ArticlePrint.aspx?id=201101041330028761Y|title=Change of name|publisher=Telegraph Wire|date=4 January 2011|accessdate=8 April 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006054544/http://telegraph.uk-wire.com/ArticlePrint.aspx?id=201101041330028761Y|archivedate=6 October 2011}} In August 2015 the company appointed James Drummond Chief Executive Officer.{{cite web|url=http://www.laundryandcleaningnews.com/news/newsberendsen-names-drummond-as-sucessor-to-ventress-4576007|title=Berendsen names Drummond as successor to Ventress|date=13 May 2015|publisher=Laundry and Cleaning News|accessdate=16 April 2017}}

File:1-5 Grosvenor Place, London.jpg, London]]

On 18 May 2017 it was reported that the French laundry services group Elis had proposed a hostile takeover of Berendsen. This occurred after Berendsen's board repeatedly rejected cash and share offers from Elis, claiming the offers undervalued the company.{{cite news |last=Stothard |first=Michael |date=18 May 2017 |title=Elis threatens hostile takeover of UK rival Berendsen |url= https://www.ft.com/content/99c89586-3bad-11e7-ac89-b01cc67cfeec| work=Financial Times |location=United Kingdom |access-date=18 May 2017}} On 7 June 2017 Elis reached a preliminary agreement to acquire Berendsen in a deal valuing Berendsen at about £2.20bn.{{cite news |last=Stothard |first=Michael |date=7 June 2017 |title=Laundry group Elis agrees £2.2bn deal for Berendsen |url=https://www.ft.com/content/5a9b278c-4ba9-11e7-919a-1e14ce4af89b | work=Financial Times |location=United Kingdom |access-date=8 June 2017}} The transaction was completed in September 2017.{{cite web|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/brief-elis-completes-acquisition-of-bere/brief-elis-completes-acquisition-of-berendsen-idUKASO0000RW|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914034651/https://uk.reuters.com/article/brief-elis-completes-acquisition-of-bere/brief-elis-completes-acquisition-of-berendsen-idUKASO0000RW|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 September 2017|title=Elis completes acquisition of Berendsen|date =12 September 2017|work=Reuters|accessdate=13 September 2017}}

In December 2017 Berendsen Cleanroom Services was fined £1.2 million by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for breaking competition laws, after it was found "colluding" with rival company Micronclean Limited in a market-sharing agreement. Micronclean was also fined.{{cite news |last=Lavigueur |first=Nick |date=18 December 2017 |title=Firm that does Huddersfield Royal Infirmary laundry is fined £1.2m |url=http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/firm-huddersfield-royal-infirmary-laundry-14049393 | work=Examiner |access-date=15 January 2018}}

The Berendsen Group is divided into four business lines:{{cite web|url=http://www.iii.co.uk/research/LSE:BRSN/news/item/2158388/trading-update?context=LSE:BRSN|title=Trading update|publisher=Berendsen|accessdate=16 April 2017}}

• Hospitality
• Healthcare
• Workwear
• Facility (mats, washroom and cleanroom)

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• [http://www.elis.com Corporate website]

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Category:Defunct companies based in London

Category:Business services companies established in 1920

Category:Service companies of the United Kingdom

Category:Companies listed on the London Stock Exchange

Category:Danish companies established in 1854

Category:1920 establishments in England

Category:2002 mergers and acquisitions

Category:2017 mergers and acquisitions

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