Ronson (company)

Last updated
Ronson Consumer Products Corporation
FormerlyThe Art Metal Works
FoundedJuly 20, 1898;125 years ago (1898-07-20) in Newark, New Jersey, United States
FoundersMax Hecht, Louis V. Aronson and Leopold Herzig
Headquarters
United States  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Ronson Consumer Products Corporation was formerly based in Somerset, New Jersey. It was a producer of lighters and lighter accessories.

Contents

Zippo Manufacturing Company currently owns the related brands in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and continues to produce Ronson lighters and Ronsonol fuel.

Ronson International Limited, located in Northampton, England, owns the Ronson brand in most other territories throughout the world.

History

The Art Metal Works

1903 Art Metal Works Advertisement ArtMetalWorks-1903Ad.jpg
1903 Art Metal Works Advertisement

The Ronson lighter company started as The Art Metal Works in 1897 and was incorporated on July 20, 1898, by Max Hecht, Louis Vincent Aronson and Leopold Herzig, in Newark, New Jersey. [1] [2] [3]

Louis V. Aronson was a huge creative driving force for the company; and, with a few business adjustments, including the addition of Alexander Harris (1910–11) [4] [5] as Business Manager, the company soon became World Famous. [6]

All accounts state that Louis Aronson was a gifted man, who at 16 years old set up a money-making shop in his parents' home - before receiving a U.S. patent for a commercially valuable metal-plating process he developed when he was 24 years old, and he sold half the rights while retaining the Right to Use. "His experiments, which he has been conducting since his early youth, resulted in 1893 in the discovery of a process for electrically producing tinplate. Much money was expended upon improving the process... and has been of great practical value to the whole industry. [7] Retaining its rights, he sold half the patent rights, and later used part of the proceeds to open the Art Metal Works in Newark, N.J. [8] Soon the company was producing a variety of high-quality Lamps, Book ends, Art Statues and other decorative items, prized today for their detail in the collector marketplace. [9] [10] [11] [12]

Lamps, ink wells, hood ornaments and safety matches

1912 Art Metal Works Hood Ornaments Advertisement page Art Metal Works Hood Ornaments, circa 1910.jpg
1912 Art Metal Works Hood Ornaments Advertisement page

In the 1910s The Art Metal Works were producing very good quality Hood Ornaments and gained a reputation as a dependable supplier of same. [13] [14] [15]

Aronson had established himself as a safety-match development pioneer with his inventions of the "Non-Toxic Match" and the "All-Weather Match" in the 1890s. Another invention of Mr. Aronson was the wind-match, for which he applied for a patent December 29, 1896. He found a chemical combination which ensured combustion in the highest wind, a boon to the tourist as well as to the explorer and the hunter. The patent was granted October 26, 1897, [16] and a testimony to its merits is shown by the following letter written by the former scientific chemist to the Royal Society of Great Britain in response to an inquiry of some capitalists as to the chemical and commercial importance of the match:

In regard to the match patent by Louis V. Aronson, which patent is dated October 26, 1897, the number of which is 592,227, I beg to state that during the progress of this invention and application for patent, I carefully examined, as chemist, the various steps described therein, and have carefully considered it both commercially and chemically. My conclusions are that the process of manufacture is a simple one, the product a superior one, and the patent a broad and complete one, and can, therefore, recommend it fully and well to you. If properly placed on the market, I feel convinced that it will make a great success, as the article certainly fills a long-felt want and has not any of the objectionable features of the wind-matches heretofore placed on the market.

— (Signed) Martin E. Walstein.

In the investigations conducted for the purpose of improving this Windmatch, Aronson discovered the method for making a white phosphorus-free match. This had been a long time goal for chemical investigators in the industrial world, white phosphorus' necessity in match-making being the cause of the industrial disease called "phossy jaw."

The Belgian government had offered a prize of 50,000 francs, or $10,000, in a competition open to the whole world. This offer had stirred up scientists and chemists to redouble their efforts to produce such a match, and many came very near to eliminating this poisonous phosphorus from the match. The prize was, however, awarded to Mr. Aronson, he being adjudged the only one to produce an absolutely non-phosphorus match, and to have complied entirely with the conditions of the contest. "This triumph for American production is hoped will in time secure a generous reward to the discoverer, since negotiations are in progress with some of the largest manufacturers in the world for the rights for its production and sale." [17] [18] [19]

1970s: Decline

During the 1970s, Ronson came under increasing pressure from new competition in its core US and UK markets. The main company never returned to profitability, and the different units were soon spun off as independent companies or sold to competitors.

United Kingdom and International unit spun off

Continuing losses led to the sale of the UK division in September 1981 to Jeffrey Port, who quickly reorganized it as Ronson International. The losses continued, and the new company was in receivership by July 1982. Geoffrey Lord bought it in 1983, renamed it Ronson Exports Limited, and attempted to return to profitability by adopting the competition's approach of importing lighters produced cheaply in Asia.

In 1994, Howard Hodgson of Halkin Holdings acquired Ronson Exports Ltd for £10 million, reorganizing it again into Ronson PLC and bringing in skilled management from outside. The product line was re-expanded and the brand reintroduced worldwide. In the late 90s, there was an unsuccessful effort to expand into various "lifestyle products" such as watches and sunglasses, leading to heavy losses and the ouster of Hodgson as CEO.

Victor Kiam (owner of Remington Products) acquired a controlling interest in the company and became CEO in July 1998. Kiam embarked on cost-cutting measures, including the end of UK production for the company's premier products. By 2001, expansion into disposable lighters allowed Ronson Intl to post a marginal profit for the first time in years, but more heavy losses led to major downsizing from 2003-2004 and an abortive effort to rebrand as Powerdraught Limited. [20] [21] [22] [23]

North American sales

In 2010, the remaining intellectual property assets (i.e. trademarks) of the core North American companies were sold to longtime competitor Zippo. [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] Zippo continues to maintain Ronson as a distinct brand identity and markets "RONSON" lighters and "RONSONOL" fuel in the US, Canada, and Mexico. [27]

In October 2010, the still-operational Ronson Aviation branch was acquired by Landmark Aviation. [29] [30]

Today

In North America, Zippo continues to maintain Ronson as a distinct brand identity and markets "RONSON" lighters and "RONSONOL" fuel in the US, Canada, and Mexico. [27]

Ronson International Limited, registered in Northampton, England, sells a limited range of lighters branded with the Ronson logo to an international market (with the exception of Australia, Canada, Japan and USA). [31] [32] [23]

Ronson lighters

Banjo, De-Light and Homelighters

1931 Ronson De-Light Lighter Advertisement pages in Color 1931-Ronson-De-Lights.jpg
1931 Ronson De-Light Lighter Advertisement pages in Color

When, in time, technological advances were developed to allow for the manufacture of a safe flint material in 1906, Louis Aronson's ambition for an automatic pocket lighter soon became a reality. In 1913, Louis Aronson applied for a patent for a Liter (lighter), which was approved. In 1926 he released a new "automatic operation" Banjo lighter, which offered to both ignite and extinguish in a single push. [33] It was a great success, demand shortly exceeding supply, spurring Aronson to patent it and design other products around the invention, which were marketed under the Ronson brand name. [34] Under his leadership, the Art Metal Works began designing prototypes, and patented several generations of Igniting-Apparatus until finally arriving at the Banjo Lighter. Ronson received an exclusive patent, in 1926, for a new automatic style of lighter that worked with one hand, and in 1927 Ronson began marketing it as the Ronson De-Light Lighter with the slogan "A flip - and it's lit! Release - and it's out!" Ronson's new lighters were an overnight success worldwide and soon the company offered a variety of lighters for all tastes. [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] As with the Art Metal Works output, many well-built and stylish early Ronson lighters demand high prices in the collectibles marketplace. [40] [41] [42]

Pist-o-liter

Looking much like a long-barrel pistol, the Ronson Pist-o-Liter was exhibited at the 1912 Olympia (UK) car show on the Klaxon stand. [43] It consisted of a file-like member which was drawn up the barrel of the pistol against a strong spring, and when the trigger was pressed it was released rubbing against a 'flinty substance' contained in the cap where the front sight of the pistol would be. This action was said to produce a constellation of sparks sufficient to light an acetylene lamp in the wildest wind. At the time acetylene lighting was standard for motor vehicles. The long barrel made the Pist-o-Liter a practical choice for applying sparks to harder-to-reach places, such as motor vehicle engines. [44]

Touch tip and striker lighters

In the early 1930s Art Metal Works, Inc., began to manufacture a new line of Touch-Tip table lighters which became hugely popular and many stylish Art Deco designs were produced. [45]

Butane lighters

Ronson Consumer Products Corporation

After the war, Ronson turned to producing lighters, then branched out into domestic goods such as electric shavers and cooking appliances. The company expanded to include England and Australia.

In 1967, a butane lighter factory existed in France (Bellegarde-sur-Valserine).

In the early 1980s, high costs and the advent of cheap disposable lighters forced closure of its production facility at Leatherhead in England. Now, a European branch at Long Buckby in Northamptonshire in the UK sells a range of lighters.

Ronson appliances in Australia, after being sold by the parent company, are now owned by Breville Group and the brand is a mid priced value brand with wide distribution in the Australian market [46]

Notable models

Whirlwind

First appearing in 1941, this variant was slightly larger than the "Standard" variant at the time, and featured a windproof shield that could be slid up around the lighter's wick to offer extra protection in windy environments. This model was available during the Second World War, alongside the Standard model, painted black. [47]

Cadet lighter

This silver colored and durable square lighter was brought out to the public in 1959. This lighter was made in three variants not including the Cadet Mini, and they were made exclusively in England. One of these three versions of the Cadet even featured a wind shield. The Cadet Mini was also released in 1959, also manufactured exclusively in England. This shorter variant of the Cadet Lighter also came in four different patterns. [47]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Match</span> Device for lighting fires

A match is a tool for starting a fire. Typically, matches are made of small wooden sticks or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by friction generated by striking the match against a suitable surface. Wooden matches are packaged in matchboxes, and paper matches are partially cut into rows and stapled into matchbooks. The coated end of a match, known as the match "head", consists of a bead of active ingredients and binder, often colored for easier inspection. There are two main types of matches: safety matches, which can be struck only against a specially prepared surface, and strike-anywhere matches, for which any suitably frictional surface can be used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palm, Inc.</span> 1992–2010 American electronics company

Palm, Inc. was an American company that specialized in manufacturing personal digital assistants (PDAs) and developing software. They were the designer of the PalmPilot, the first PDA successfully marketed worldwide, and were known for the Treo 600, one of the earlier successful smartphones. Palm developed the Palm OS software for PDAs and smartphones, which were released under its line of Palm-branded devices and also licensed to other PDA manufacturers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pez</span> Austrian brand of candy and mechanical candy dispensers

Pez is the brand name of an Austrian candy and associated manual candy dispensers. The candy is a pressed, dry, straight-edged, curved-corner block 15 mm long, 8 mm wide and 5 mm high, with each Pez dispenser holding 12 candy pieces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Play-Doh</span> Childrens modeling compound

Play-Doh is a modeling compound for young children to make arts and crafts projects. The product was first manufactured in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, as a wallpaper cleaner in the 1930s. Play-Doh was then reworked and marketed to Cincinnati schools in the mid-1950s. Play-Doh was demonstrated at an educational convention in 1956 and prominent department stores opened retail accounts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lighter</span> Handheld device used to generate a flame

A lighter is a portable device which creates a controlled flame, and can be used to ignite a variety of flammable items, such as cigarettes, butane gas, fireworks, candles or campfires. A lighter typically consists of a metal or plastic container filled with a flammable liquid, a compressed flammable gas and in rarer cases a flammable solid i.e. rope in a trench lighter, a means of ignition to produce the flame, and some provision for extinguishing the flame or merely controlling it to such a degree that the user may extinguish it with their breath. Alternatively, a lighter can be one which uses electricity to create an electric arc utilizing the created plasma as the source of ignition or a heating element can be used in a similar vein to heat the target to its ignition temperatures, as first formally utilized by Friedrich Wilhelm Schindler to light cigars and now more commonly seen incorporated into the automobile auxiliary power outlet to ignite the target material. Different lighter fuels have different characteristics which is the main influence behind the creation and purchasing of a variety of lighter types.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patent leather</span> Type of coated leather

Patent leather is a type of coated leather that has a high-gloss finish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zippo</span> American manufacturer of lighters

A Zippo lighter is a reusable metal lighter produced by Zippo Manufacturing Company of Bradford, Pennsylvania, United States. Thousands of different styles and designs have been made in the nine decades since their introduction, including military versions for specific regiments. Zippo lighters have been sold around the world and have been described as "a legendary and distinct symbol of America." In 2012, the company produced the 500-millionth unit. Since the company's inception, Zippo lighters have been primarily manufactured in the United States, although the company ran an operation from 1949 until 2002 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AGCO</span> American agricultural machinery manufacturer

AGCO Corporation is an American agricultural machinery manufacturer headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, United States. It was founded in 1990. AGCO designs, produces and sells tractors, combines, foragers, hay tools, self-propelled sprayers, smart farming technologies, seeding equipment, and tillage equipment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mason jar</span> Glass jar used at home to preserve food

A Mason jar, also known as a canning jar or fruit jar, is a glass jar used in home canning to preserve food. It was named after American tinsmith John Landis Mason, who patented it in 1858. The jar's mouth has a screw thread on its outer perimeter to accept a metal ring or "band". The band, when screwed down, presses a separate stamped steel disc-shaped lid against the jar's rim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ball Corporation</span> American aerospace and metal food and beverage container manufacturer

Ball Corporation is an American company headquartered in Westminster, Colorado. It is best known for its early production of glass jars, lids, and related products used for home canning. Since its founding in Buffalo, New York, in 1880, when it was known as the Wooden Jacket Can Company, the Ball company has expanded and diversified into other business ventures, including aerospace technology. It eventually became the world's largest manufacturer of recyclable metal beverage and food containers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enoch Bolles</span> American pin-up painter

Enoch Bolles was an American painter of pin-up art. He was among the earliest and most widely circulated glamour illustrators. While known today solely as a pinup artist, Bolles was a versatile illustrator who also worked extensively in the advertising industry, creating hundreds of attractive color illustrations for products ranging from bread to cigarettes. His most widely reproduced advertising illustration is the "Windy Girl" for Zippo lighters. This work, produced in 1937, has recently been reissued as the Vargas Windy Girl and has appeared in well over 100 variations on Zippo lighters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glass milk bottle</span>

Glass milk bottles are glass bottles used for milk. They are reusable and returnable - used mainly for doorstep delivery of fresh milk by milkmen. Once customers have finished the milk, empty bottles are expected to be rinsed and left on the doorstep for collection, or rinsed bottles may be returned to a participating retail store. Bottle sizes vary depending on region, but common sizes include pint, quart or litre.

Albright and Wilson was founded in 1856 as a United Kingdom manufacturer of potassium chlorate and white phosphorus for the match industry. For much of its first 100 years of existence, phosphorus-derived chemicals formed the majority of its products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">W. R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co.</span> American manufacturer of knives

W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company is an American manufacturer of traditional pocket knives, fixed blades/sporting knives, kitchen knives, limited edition commemoratives and collectibles. The company originated in Little Valley, New York, around the turn of the 20th century, before relocating to its current home, Bradford, Pennsylvania, in 1905. The company's namesake, William Russell Case, first made knives with his brothers under the name Case Brothers Cutlery Company. His son, John Russell ("Russ") Case, worked as a salesman for his father's company before founding W.R. Case & Sons.

Imperial Schrade Corp. was an American knife manufacturer of hunting knives, pocketknives, utility knives, and bayonets during the 20th and early 21st centuries. The consolidation of five forerunner companies, including its namesakes, the Imperial Knife Company, founded 1916, and the Schrade Cutlery Company, founded in 1904, Imperial Schrade manufactured its products in the United States and Ireland and sold through hardware stores, department stores, and on military bases. The original company's fortunes declined and in 2004 it entered into bankruptcy where all equipment and intellectual property was sold off to reimburse creditors. The name and intellectual property was bought by Taylor Brands and used for marketing purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louis Vincent Aronson</span>

Louis Vincent Aronson, inventor and businessman, founded The Art Metal Works, which evolved to manufacture the Ronson lighters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xylem Inc.</span> American water technology provider company

Xylem Inc. is a large American water technology provider, in public utility, residential, commercial, agricultural and industrial settings. The company does business in more than 150 countries. Launched in 2011 as the spinoff of the water-related businesses of ITT Corporation, Xylem is headquartered in Washington, DC, with 2018 revenues of $5.2 billion and 17,000 employees worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glossary of firelighting</span>

This is an alphabetized glossary of terms pertaining to lighting fires, along with their definitions. Firelighting is the process of starting a fire artificially. Fire was an essential tool in early human cultural development. The ignition of any fire, whether natural or artificial, requires completing the fire triangle, usually by initiating the combustion of a suitably flammable material.

Charles Louis Cammann Gifford was an American attorney and politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly and the New Jersey Senate. Gifford was President of the Senate in 1860.

References

  1. ↑ "Corporations of New Jersey: List of Certificates Filed in the Department of ... - New Jersey. Dept. of State - Google Books". 1900. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  2. ↑ "Notions and Fancy Goods - Google Books". 1904-04-27. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  3. ↑ "Notions and Fancy Goods - Google Books". 1907. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  4. ↑ "EMF Electrical Year Book - Google Books". 1921. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  5. ↑ "Mill Supplies - Google Books". 1911. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  6. ↑ "Notions and Fancy Goods - Google Books". 1904-04-27. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  7. ↑ "A History of the City of Newark, New Jersey: Embracing Practically Two and a ... - Frank John Urquhart - Google Books". 1913. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  8. ↑ "Newark, the City of Industry: Facts and Figures Concerning the Metropolis of ... - Google Books". 1912. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  9. ↑ Kathy Kaplan (1994-09-11). "Because Few Are Being Made, Collectors Are Getting Fired Up About This Hot Collectible - Chicago Tribune". Articles.chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  10. ↑ Keane, Maribeth (2009-04-15). "Where There's Smoke There's a Vintage Cigarette Lighter". Collectors Weekly. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  11. ↑ "Cigar and Cigarette Lighters - Collector Information". Collectors Weekly. 1922-02-21. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  12. ↑ Ard, Patricia M.; Rockland, Michael Aaron (2002). The Jews of New Jersey: A Pictorial History - Patricia M. Ard - Google Books. ISBN   9780813530123 . Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  13. ↑ Labov, William; Browne, Ray Broadus; Browne, Pat (2001). The Guide to United States Popular Culture - Google Books. ISBN   9780879728212 . Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  14. ↑ Card, Peter W. (2005). Motor Car Mascots and Badges - Peter W. Card - Google Books. ISBN   9780747806295 . Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  15. ↑ Automobile Quarterly - Automobile Heritage Publishing & Communications, LLC, Various - Google Books. March 2003. ISBN   9781596130371 . Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  16. ↑ United States Patent US0592227
  17. ↑ "A History of the City of Newark, New Jersey: Embracing Practically Two and a ... - Frank John Urquhart - Google Books". 1913. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  18. ↑ [ dead link ]
  19. ↑ [ dead link ]
  20. ↑ "Ronson PLC -- Company History". www.company-histories.com. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
  21. ↑ "History of Ronson PLC – FundingUniverse". www.fundinguniverse.com. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
  22. ↑ "Ronson International Limited". ukcompanydb.com. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
  23. 1 2 "Ronson International Limited - Company Information - Endole Suite". suite.endole.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
  24. ↑ "Ronson Corporation, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date Oct 15, 2009". secdatabase.com. Retrieved Apr 25, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Ronson Corporation, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date Feb 8, 2010" (PDF). secdatabase.com. Retrieved Apr 25, 2018.
  26. ↑ "Zippo Acquires Ronson". CSP Daily News. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
  27. 1 2 3 "Our Companies". www.zippo.com. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
  28. ↑ Inc., M. Shanken Communications. "Zippo Acquires Lighter Maker Ronson | News & Features". CigarAficionado.com. Retrieved 2017-09-23.{{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  29. ↑ "Ronson Corporation, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date Mar 29, 2011" (PDF). secdatabase.com. Retrieved Apr 25, 2018.
  30. ↑ Ronson Aviation's Parent Company Sold To Houston Based Firm (Retrieved from NJ.com on 11/12/2016)
  31. ↑ "RONSON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED - Overview (free company information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
  32. ↑ "Ronsonlighters".
  33. ↑ [ dead link ]
  34. ↑ United States Patent 1673727
  35. ↑ [ dead link ]
  36. ↑ [ dead link ]
  37. ↑ [ dead link ]
  38. ↑ "The Ronson Book". The Ronson Book. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  39. ↑ [ dead link ]
  40. ↑ "Vintage Ronson Lighters Home Page". Vintage-ronson.com. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  41. ↑ "OTLS Cigarette Lighter Collectors Club". Facebook. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  42. ↑ [ dead link ]
  43. ↑ "Some more accessories at Olympia", The Automotor Journal, Nov 23rd, 1912, p1416
  44. ↑ A Brief History of the Lighter - sharrowmills.com
  45. ↑ "The Sunday Morning Star - Google News Archive Search".
  46. ↑ "Brands – Breville Group Limited". Brevillegroup.com.au. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  47. 1 2 Frank Dutton. "Ronson Cigarette Lighters A - C". Toledo-bend.com. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.