Since 1917, Kidde has been writing the story of the fire detection and suppression industry. The more than 95-year legacy is marked by proven innovation and significant milestones.
1877 – Walter Kidde is born in Hoboken, NJ on March 7
1917 – Walter Kidde Company is founded
1917 – Kidde takes ownership of the Rich patent for the use of carbon dioxide for suppression of large fires, particularly aimed at ship fires
1918 – Produced the first integrated smoke detection and carbon dioxide extinguishing system for use on board ships
1923 – Patented the Lux extinguishing system, a carbon dioxide system installed on ships
1924 – Produced the first portable carbon dioxide fire extinguisher
1925 – Installed the first built-in industrial fire extinguishing system
1926 – Walter Kidde & Company, along with the Navy, designed a system to protect airplane engines against fires
1931 – Walter Kidde Ltd is set up in the UK as a supplier of fire protection equipment
1937 – Walter Kidde & Company is formed based in Bellevue, New Jersey
Early 1940s – Walter Kidde Company produced self-inflating life rafts and flotation vests, specially designed fire extinguishers for ships, tanks and aircraft, fire suppression systems for aircraft engines and compressed carbon dioxide devices for operating retractable landing gear and bomb bay doors and compressed oxygen systems for B-17 and B-29 bomber crews among so many other items essential to Allied troop safety during World War 2.
1966 – Walter Kidde & Company acquires Fenwal, Inc. to create Kidde Fenwal
1987 – Walter Kidde & Company is acquired by Hanson Industries
1988 – Williams Holdings PLC acquires Kidde Inc. (USA), consisting of Walter Kidde Aerospace, Walter Kidde Systems, Walter Kidde Portables and Fenwal Inc. as well as Walter Kidde Ltd (UK), some Walter Kidde European subsidiaries and also Graviner (UK), Deugra (Germany) and Detector Electronics (US) - all this to form the Kidde Group
1989 – Walter Kidde Limited UK is merged with the Graviner UK company, creating Kidde-Graviner Ltd.
1990 – The shield is adopted as the logo for the Kidde companies
1991 – The broken flame logo is adopted and Kidde-Fenwal is established in the US
1992 – Kidde France and Kidde-Deugra established
1993 – The official name is changed to Kidde International after undergoing several name changes throughout the preceding decades. Thorn Fire Protection is also acquired
1995 – Kidde purchases Nighthawk and begins to sell CO and smoke alarms
2000 – Kidde plc. is formed and Kidde replaces Kidde International as the corporate name. Packaging and retail materials are re-designed to support the new brand, and Kidde establishes a leadership position in its segment
2005 – UTC Fire & Security acquires Kidde PLC and joins it with Chubb.
2007 – Kidde celebrates its 90th Anniversary
2012 – Kidde introduces new Worry-Free line of smoke alarms with a 10-year sealed-in lithium battery
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