History
In 1755 James and Patrick Clark began working in the loom equipment and silk thread business in Paisley, Scotland. In 1806 Patrick Clark invented a way of twisting cotton threads together to substitute for silk threads which were unavailable due to France's blockade of Great Britain and opened the first factory for manufacturing the cotton thread in 1812.
In 1802 James Coats set up a weaving business, also in Paisley. In 1826 he opened a cotton mill at Ferguslie to produce his own thread and, when he retired in 1830, his sons, James & Peter, took up the business under the name of J. & P. Coats. The firm expanded internationally, particularly to the USA. In 1890 Coats listed on the London Stock Exchange, with a capital base of £5.7M.
In 1952 J. & P. Coats and the Clark Thread Co. merged. In 1961 a merger with Patons and Baldwins created Coats Patons. In 1986 a merger with Vantona Viyella created Coats Viyella. In 2003 the Guinness Peat Group took over Coats Ltd and it is now registered as "Coats plc".
Read more about this topic: Coats PLC
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