Salton, Inc.

Salton, Inc. was an American manufacturer and marketer of household appliances founded in 1947 by Lou Salton, a Jewish immigrant from Poland. The company was headquartered in Miramar, Florida, and developed a broad portfolio spanning kitchen appliances, personal-care products, time products, and licensed appliances. Although the Salton corporate name is strongly associated with the George Foreman grill, the company’s business was built through a combination of branded product development, licensing, and acquisitions. Salton expanded substantially in the late 1990s and 2000s. One of its most visible commercial relationships was the George Foreman brand, under which it marketed small kitchen appliances and cooking products. In October 2000, Salton entered an exclusive licensing agreement with Synergy Worldwide to market and distribute the Spin Fryer, designed by Reno R. Rolle, under the George Foreman brand. The arrangement illustrated Salton’s strategy of using celebrity-linked and licensed brands to broaden its appliance portfolio. In 2001, Salton acquired the UK housewares and personal-care company Pifco Group. That transaction brought the Russell Hobbs, Carmen, and Tower brands into the company’s portfolio. Salton also acquired Westclox and related trademarks, including Big Ben and Spartus, from the bankrupt General Time Corporation. The company later held a license to manufacture certain small appliances, including vacuum cleaners, under the Westinghouse name from 2002 through 2008. The company encountered financial and market difficulties during the 2000s. On August 6, 2007, its shares were suspended from the New York Stock Exchange. Salton subsequently traded on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol SFPI. In October 2007, it sold its entire time-products business, including the Westclox and Ingraham trademarks, to NYL Holdings LLC. In December of that year, Salton merged with Applica Incorporated, another household-appliance company. Applica owned the LitterMaid brand and held a license for Black & Decker home appliances; after the transaction, Applica became a wholly owned subsidiary of Salton. In December 2009, the combined company changed its corporate name to Russell Hobbs, Inc., taking the name of the British appliance company acquired through the Pifco transaction. In June 2010, Spectrum Brands acquired Russell Hobbs, Inc., bringing the former Salton business into Spectrum Brands. Salton, Inc. therefore ceased to operate as an independent corporate entity, although several brands and product lines associated with its former portfolio continued within successor businesses. The former Salton corporation should be distinguished from Salton Appliances (1985) Corp., a Canadian company that continues to operate independently in the home-appliance sector. The Canadian company markets products under names including Salton, Toastess, and Delfino, but it is not the successor to, or corporate continuation of, Russell Hobbs, Inc., formerly Salton, Inc.

Salton, Inc. was established in 1947 by Lou Salton and became a Florida-based household-appliance company. Its early and later activities centered on the manufacture and marketing of practical domestic products, with the business eventually extending beyond the Salton name through licensing and acquisitions. During its expansion period, Salton developed a prominent relationship with the George Foreman brand. In October 2000, it signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Synergy Worldwide covering the marketing and distribution of the Spin Fryer, a product designed by Reno R. Rolle. The George Foreman association helped Salton compete in the highly visible small-appliance and countertop-cooking categories. Salton’s acquisition program broadened its geographic reach and product coverage. In 2001, it purchased Pifco Group, a UK housewares and personal-care company. The transaction brought Russell Hobbs, Carmen, and Tower into Salton’s brand portfolio. That same year, Salton purchased the Westclox name and related trademarks, including Big Ben and Spartus, from General Time Corporation, which had entered bankruptcy. From 2002 to 2008, Salton was also licensed to produce certain small appliances, including vacuum cleaners, under the Westinghouse name. The company’s financial position became more difficult in the second half of the 2000s. On August 6, 2007, trading in Salton’s shares was suspended on the New York Stock Exchange. The company later appeared on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol SFPI. Salton responded in part by restructuring its portfolio. In October 2007, it sold its entire time-products business to NYL Holdings LLC, including the Westclox and Ingraham trademarks. In December 2007, Salton merged with Applica Incorporated. Applica operated in the household-appliance sector and owned the LitterMaid brand, while also holding a license to use the Black & Decker brand for home appliances. Following the merger, Applica became a wholly owned subsidiary of Salton, creating a larger combined platform of branded and licensed products. The corporate identity changed again in December 2009, when the combined company adopted the name Russell Hobbs, Inc. The new name reflected the importance of the British Russell Hobbs brand acquired through Pifco. In June 2010, Spectrum Brands acquired Russell Hobbs, Inc. and incorporated the business into its operations. This acquisition brought the former Salton company to an end as an independent corporate entity. The former American company is distinct from Salton Appliances (1985) Corp., an independent Canadian appliance business. Although that Canadian company uses the Salton name in parts of its product range, it is not connected with the former Salton, Inc. that became Russell Hobbs, Inc. and was later acquired by Spectrum Brands.

• 2010

  Acquired by Spectrum Brands

  [1]Salton, Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Spectrum Brands acquired Russell Hobbs, Inc., the successor company to Salton, Inc.

• 2009

  Corporate name changed to Russell Hobbs

  [1]Salton, Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  The combined company adopted the Russell Hobbs, Inc. name.

• 2007

  NYSE suspension and portfolio restructuring

  [1]Salton, Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Salton was suspended from the NYSE, sold its time-products business, and merged with Applica later in the year.

• 2001

  Pifco Group and Westclox acquisitions

  [1]Salton, Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Salton acquired Pifco Group and added Russell Hobbs, Carmen, and Tower, while separately acquiring Westclox-related trademarks.

• 2000

  George Foreman Spin Fryer agreement

  [1]Salton, Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Salton entered an exclusive agreement with Synergy Worldwide to market and distribute the Spin Fryer under the George Foreman brand.

• 1947

  Company founded

  [1]Salton, Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Lou Salton founded the American appliance company that became Salton, Inc.

A broad household-appliance company using owned brands, acquisitions, and licensing agreements to sell practical kitchen, personal-care, and home products.

• Kitchen appliances

  George Foreman grills and cooking appliances

  Salton’s best-known product association was the George Foreman range of countertop cooking appliances. The portfolio included grills and other cooking products marketed through a licensing relationship, helping connect Salton with a recognizable consumer-facing personality brand.

• Kitchen and household appliances · 2001

  Russell Hobbs appliances

  Russell Hobbs became part of Salton through the 2001 acquisition of Pifco Group. The brand covered household and kitchen appliances and later became the source of the combined corporation’s name.

• Clocks and time products · 2001

  Westclox time products

  Salton acquired the Westclox name and associated trademarks, including Big Ben and Spartus, from General Time Corporation. The time-products business was later divested to NYL Holdings LLC in 2007.

• Household appliances · 2007

  LitterMaid products

  LitterMaid products entered the combined Salton portfolio through the 2007 merger with Applica, which owned the brand before becoming a wholly owned Salton subsidiary.

• Licensed household appliances · 2007

  Black & Decker home appliances

  Through Applica, Salton became associated with a license to produce home appliances under the Black & Decker brand. This was a licensed business rather than ownership of the Black & Decker trademark.

• 2010

  Acquisition by Spectrum BrandsM&A

  Background

  Russell Hobbs, Inc. was the renamed successor to Salton, Inc. and controlled a portfolio of household-appliance brands.

  Action taken

  Spectrum Brands acquired Russell Hobbs, Inc.

  Aftermath

  The former Salton business became part of Spectrum Brands and no longer operated as an independent company.

  Source

• 2009

  Rebranding as Russell Hobbs, Inc.Strategy

  Background

  After the Applica merger, the Russell Hobbs brand represented a major part of the combined company’s international appliance identity.

  Action taken

  The company changed its corporate name from Salton, Inc. to Russell Hobbs, Inc.

  Aftermath

  The renamed company was acquired by Spectrum Brands in June 2010.

  Source

• 2007

  Merger with ApplicaM&A

  Background

  Salton pursued a combination with another small-appliance company as it managed a broad and financially pressured brand portfolio.

  Action taken

  Salton merged with Applica Incorporated, making Applica a wholly owned subsidiary and adding LitterMaid and licensed Black & Decker home appliances.

  Aftermath

  The combined company later changed its name to Russell Hobbs, Inc. and was acquired by Spectrum Brands in 2010.

  Source

• 2007

  Divestiture of the time-products businessStrategy

  Background

  Following the suspension of Salton’s NYSE trading, the company restructured its product portfolio.

  Action taken

  Salton sold its complete time-products business, including the Westclox and Ingraham trademarks, to NYL Holdings LLC.

  Aftermath

  The divestiture reduced Salton’s involvement in clocks and related time products before the company’s merger with Applica.

  Source

• 2010

  Spectrum Brands acquires Russell Hobbs[1]Salton, Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Spectrum Brands acquired Russell Hobbs, Inc., the renamed successor to Salton, Inc., ending Salton’s existence as an independent company.

• 2009

  Combined company adopts the Russell Hobbs name[1]Salton, Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  The combined Salton-Applica company changed its corporate name to Russell Hobbs, Inc.

• 2007

  Salton shares suspended from the New York Stock Exchange[1]Salton, Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Regulation · Other

  Salton was suspended from the NYSE and later traded on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol SFPI.

• 2007

  Salton sells time-products business[1]Salton, Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Salton sold its entire time-products business, including the Westclox and Ingraham trademarks, to NYL Holdings LLC.

• 2007

  Salton merges with Applica[1]Salton, Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Salton merged with Applica Incorporated, whose portfolio included LitterMaid and a license for Black & Decker home appliances. Applica became a wholly owned subsidiary of Salton.

• 2001

  Salton acquires Pifco Group and Westclox trademarks[1]Salton, Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Salton acquired the UK-based Pifco Group, adding Russell Hobbs, Carmen, and Tower, and also purchased Westclox and related trademarks from bankrupt General Time Corporation.

• 2000

  Salton enters exclusive Spin Fryer licensing agreement[1]Salton, Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  Salton entered an exclusive agreement with Synergy Worldwide to market and distribute the Spin Fryer under the George Foreman brand.

1. 1Salton, Inc.en.wikipedia.org