Thorn EMI
 |
|
| Public | |
| Industry | Music, video, defence equipment |
| Fate | Demerged and subsequently broken up |
| Founded | Merger of Thorn Electrical Industries and The EMI Group, 1979 |
| Headquarters | London, England, UK |
|
Key people
|
Sir Richard Cave, Founding chairman Sir John Reid, Founding chief executive |
| Parent | Reeves Communications |
| Subsidiaries | EMI |
Thorn EMI was a major British company involved in consumer electronics, music, defence and retail. Created in October 1979 when Thorn Electrical Industries merged with EMI, it was listed on the and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but it demerged again in 1996.
The Company was formed in October 1979 when Thorn Electrical Industries merged with EMI.
In May 1984 the Company attempted to merge with British Aerospace and in July 1984 it bought the micro-chip manufacturer, INMOS.
Thorn EMI acquired the Mullard Equipment Limited ('MEL') division of Philips in 1990.
On 16 August 1996, Thorn EMI shareholders voted in favour of demerging Thorn from EMI again: the Company became EMI Group plc, and the electronics and rentals divisions were divested as Thorn plc.
Thorn EMI's wide range of business covered five principal areas of activity; television broadcasting, retail/rentals, defence, music and consumer electronics.
Thorn EMI was, until a share flotation in 1984, the majority shareholder in the London-based ITV broadcaster Thames Television.
This shareholding was inherited from the 1967 purchase of the Associated British Picture Corporation by EMI. The deal included their interests in the ITV company ABC Weekend Television. Through an enforced merger with Rediffusion London, this became Thames Television.
In 1985 the company attempted to sell their stake to Carlton Communications but this was blocked by the governing body of ITV, the Independent Broadcasting Authority.
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