Standard Fireworks is a former UK-based firework company, now a brand name of Chinese firm Black Cat Fireworks.
Standard's history began in 1891, when it was founded by James Greenhalgh in Huddersfield. Due to expansion, in 1910 the firm moved to its current site in Crosland Hill, where during the First and Second World Wars, the company produced munitions for the war effort.
In 1959 the company floated on the Stock Market and a period of domination in the UK fireworks industry began, with many retailers having to wait several years for an account with the company. In 1988 Standard bought Brocks Fireworks Ltd. This led to all firework activity being transferred to the Huddersfield site making Standard one of the largest employers in the Yorkshire region with over 500 workers.
In 1998 Standard were purchased by China-based Black Cat Fireworks, bringing an end to production in the UK. The Standard brand is now one of several trading names of Black Cat in the UK, with the former Standard offices now the UK headquarters for Black Cat .
Famous quotes containing the words standard and/or fireworks:
“Neither I nor anyone else knows what a standard is. We all recognize a dishonorable act, but have no idea what honor is.”
—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904)
“Parents can fail to cheer your successes as wildly as you expected, pointing out that you are sharing your Nobel Prize with a couple of other people, or that your Oscar was for supporting actress, not really for a starring role. More subtly, they can cheer your successes too wildly, forcing you into the awkward realization that your achievement of merely graduating or getting the promotion did not warrant the fireworks and brass band.”
—Frank Pittman (20th century)