Winmau

Winmau is a British darts-equipment brand founded in 1945 by Harry Kicks. The company began as H.A. Kicks, producing traditional elm dartboards that were hand-painted before adopting graphic transfers for numbering and colored segments in the early 1950s. It later manufactured paper-coil dartboards marketed under the Keep Dry name, a format designed to avoid the soaking required by some traditional elm boards. The Keep Dry brand was sold to Scotts Dartboards of Southend in the late 1950s. During the early 1960s, the business became H.A. Kicks and Sons as Harry Kicks's sons joined the company. Around the same period, the expiry of Nodor's patent on bristle dartboards enabled H.A. Kicks to begin producing bristle boards of its own. Bristle construction became central to the modern darts market because it offered a durable playing surface that could recover after use and did not require the maintenance associated with older board materials. The company adopted the Winmau name in the 1970s. The name was derived from the first three letters of the first names of Harry Kicks's wife, Winifred Maud. The rebranding followed a relationship with Olly Croft, founder of the British Darts Organisation, under which H.A. Kicks boards became official BDO boards. Winmau subsequently developed a close connection with organized darts, particularly through sponsorship of the Winmau World Masters, one of the sport's longest-running tournaments. After Harry Kicks senior died in 1984, his five sons continued to run the company. Winmau later experienced financial difficulties as televised darts lost popularity in the late 1980s. The business had also been required to relocate after a compulsory purchase order in 1969, moving from its earlier premises to Haverhill in Suffolk. The brand is now based in Bridgend in south Wales, while its dartboard manufacturing operations take place in Kenya. Winmau had a long-running rivalry with Nodor, a darts-equipment company established in 1919. The two companies competed in dartboard production and made several attempts to acquire one another before Nodor completed its takeover of Winmau in 2002 under the leadership of John Bluck. The acquisition preserved both names as active brands, with Nodor continuing to sell darts equipment under the Winmau and Nodor labels. The brand's competition profile expanded in 2022 when the Professional Darts Corporation announced a five-year arrangement under which Winmau boards would be used for PDC tournaments, beginning with the 2022 Premier League Darts. This connected Winmau with both its established BDO heritage and the PDC's leading contemporary tournament circuit. Its present identity centers on dartboards, darts equipment, technical board development, and sponsorship or supply relationships within organized darts.

Winmau's history began in 1945, when Harry Kicks used his demobilization money to establish a darts-board business known as H.A. Kicks. Its early products were elm dartboards, initially painted by hand. In the early 1950s, the company began using graphic transfers for the board numbers and colored playing segments, helping standardize production and presentation. The business subsequently developed paper-coil dartboards. Unlike elm boards, these did not need to be soaked before use, leading to the Keep Dry name. In the late 1950s, Scotts Dartboards of Southend, a company specializing in paper-coil boards, purchased the Keep Dry brand from Kicks. During the early 1960s, Harry Kicks's sons joined the business and the company became H.A. Kicks and Sons. A major technical turning point came when the patent covering Nodor's bristle dartboard expired. H.A. Kicks then entered the bristle-board market. Bristle boards became an important category in modern darts because they provided a comparatively resilient surface suited to repeated competitive play. The two manufacturers developed a strong rivalry that would last for decades. In 1969, a compulsory purchase order forced the company to leave its premises, and it relocated to Haverhill in Suffolk. In 1973, H.A. Kicks entered into an arrangement with Olly Croft, founder of the British Darts Organisation, making its boards official BDO boards. A few years later, the business adopted the Winmau name. The name was formed from the opening parts of the first names Winifred and Maud, the names of Harry Kicks's wife. Harry Kicks senior died in 1984, after which his five sons continued to operate the company. The business encountered financial pressure in the late 1980s as darts became less prominent on television. Despite those difficulties, Winmau retained a prominent connection with competitive darts, including its title sponsorship of the Winmau World Masters and its association with BDO events. Winmau and Nodor each made attempts to acquire the other during their long rivalry. Nodor ultimately completed a takeover of Winmau in 2002, with John Bluck associated with the acquiring business. The transaction did not eliminate the Winmau identity: Nodor continued to manufacture and market darts equipment under both names. Winmau remained based in Bridgend in south Wales, while the manufacture of its boards took place in Kenya. The brand's competition reach broadened in 2022. On 31 January that year, the Professional Darts Corporation announced a five-year deal to use Winmau boards for its tournaments, beginning with the Premier League Darts. This partnership gave Winmau a significant role in the PDC circuit in addition to its established historical relationship with the BDO. Today, Winmau remains an active specialist brand focused on dartboards and related darts equipment.

• 2022

  PDC board partnership starts

  [1]Winmauen.wikipedia.org

  A five-year arrangement begins under which Winmau boards are used for Professional Darts Corporation tournaments, starting with the Premier League Darts.

• 2002

  Nodor acquires Winmau

  [1]Winmauen.wikipedia.org

  After a prolonged rivalry and attempted acquisitions involving both companies, Nodor completes a takeover of Winmau while retaining both brand names.

• 1984

  Harry Kicks senior dies

  [1]Winmauen.wikipedia.org

  Following Harry Kicks senior's death, his five sons continue to run the company.

• 1973

  BDO board relationship begins

  [1]Winmauen.wikipedia.org

  An agreement associated with BDO founder Olly Croft makes H.A. Kicks boards official British Darts Organisation boards.

• 1970

  The Winmau name is adopted

  [1]Winmauen.wikipedia.org

  The company changes its name to Winmau, derived from the first parts of Winifred Maud, the names of Harry Kicks's wife.

• 1969

  Relocation to Haverhill

  [1]Winmauen.wikipedia.org

  A compulsory purchase order forces the company to move to new premises in Haverhill, Suffolk.

• 1960

  The business becomes H.A. Kicks and Sons

  [1]Winmauen.wikipedia.org

  Harry Kicks's sons join the company, which adopts the H.A. Kicks and Sons name.

• 1950

  Graphic transfers enter production

  [1]Winmauen.wikipedia.org

  The company begins using graphic transfers for dartboard numbers and colored segments instead of relying exclusively on hand painting.

• 1945

  H.A. Kicks is founded

  [1]Winmauen.wikipedia.org

  Harry Kicks establishes the business that would later become Winmau, initially producing elm dartboards.

A specialist, competition-oriented darts brand built around durable bristle dartboards, technical equipment, and long-standing relationships with organized professional darts.

• Dartboards

  Bristle dartboards

  Winmau's core product category is the bristle dartboard. The company entered this segment after the expiry of Nodor's bristle-board patent and developed a long-term identity around boards designed for repeated recreational and competitive use. Winmau boards have been associated with organized darts through BDO and PDC supply or sponsorship relationships.

• Darts equipment

  Darts equipment

  The Winmau brand covers darts and related equipment in addition to boards. The available reference material identifies the brand broadly as a manufacturer of darts equipment but does not provide a complete current product catalogue.

• Paper-coil dartboards

  Keep Dry paper-coil dartboards

  Keep Dry was an earlier paper-coil dartboard line developed by the company. Its selling point was that paper-coil boards did not require soaking, unlike some elm boards. The Keep Dry brand was sold to Scotts Dartboards in the late 1950s and is not presented as a current Winmau offering.

• 1973British Darts Organisation official-board relationship

  United Kingdom

  Winmau's predecessor H.A. Kicks entered an arrangement associated with BDO founder Olly Croft, making its dartboards official boards of the British Darts Organisation.

  Outcome. The relationship established a long-term connection between the brand and organized competitive darts.

  Source
• Winmau World Masters title sponsorship

  United Kingdom · International darts audience

  Winmau has served as title sponsor of the Winmau World Masters, described as the oldest darts tournament still running in the reference material.

  Outcome. The sponsorship has associated the brand with one of the sport's longest-running tournament properties.

  Source

• 2022

  Winmau enters a five-year PDC board arrangementStrategy

  Background

  Winmau had longstanding links with the BDO and sought continued visibility across organized professional darts.

  Action taken

  The Professional Darts Corporation selected Winmau boards for its tournaments under a five-year deal beginning with the 2022 Premier League Darts.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement expanded Winmau's association with major professional darts beyond its traditional BDO connection.

  Source

• 2002

  Nodor acquires WinmauM&A

  Background

  Winmau and Nodor had competed for years in the dartboard market and had each made attempts to acquire the other.

  Action taken

  Nodor completed the takeover of Winmau under the leadership associated with John Bluck, while continuing to use both brand names.

  Aftermath

  Winmau remained an active darts-equipment brand within Nodor's operations rather than being eliminated or fully merged into the Nodor name.

  Source

• 2022

  PDC announces five-year Winmau board partnership[1]Winmauen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Professional Darts Corporation announced that Winmau boards would be used across its tournaments under a five-year arrangement beginning with the 2022 Premier League Darts.

• 2002

  Nodor completes acquisition of Winmau[1]Winmauen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Nodor completed its takeover of rival dartboard manufacturer Winmau. Both brand names continued to be used in darts-equipment production.

1. 1Winmauen.wikipedia.org