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A diversified giant Newell Rubbermaid (formerly just plain Newell) is a leading manufacturer and marketer of housewares, home furnishings, hardware, office products and juvenile products. With dozens of familiar name brands and products under its belt, Newell Rubbermaid is a diversified consumer products behemoth. Thank you, Woolworth's Founded early in the 20th century in Ogdensburg, NY as a manufacturer of curtain rods, the company got its first big break when Woolworth's decided to carry Newell products. Yet the company pursued a policy of slow growth until the 1960s, when all the Newell companies were consolidated into a single corporation. The company went public in 1972, and by 1978, sales reached $100 million. Newell goes shopping... Newell diversified through constant acquisitions. In 1973, the company acquired EZ Paintr (paint applicator maker). The company bought Mirro (cookware) in 1983 and, in one of its biggest ever purchases, Anchor Hocking (glassware, plastic, cabinet hardware) in 1987. In 1988-89, Newell acquired WearEver aluminum Cookware and the paint Applicator Division of Thomas Industries. During that period, the company surpassed $1 billion in sales. ...and never comes back The company then moved into the office supplies market by buying W.T. Rogers, Kene Manufacturing and Sanford in 1991-92. Newell bought Goody (hair accessories)in 1993 and DelMar and LouverDrape in 1994 (makers of window treatments). It was also in 1994 that Newell began pushing its global operations by acquiring the European operations of Corning Consumer Glass. One year later, the company bought Decorel (picture frames) and Berol (pencils and writing instruments). Newell would become the world's largest manufacturer of picture frames in 1996 with its acquisition of Holson Burnes. In 1997, Newell acquired Rolodex (card files and organization products) and the office products business of Rubbermaid. Finally, in 1998, the company purchased Calphalon (cookware), Panex (bakeware) and Rotring Group (writing instruments). In June 1999, the company acquired Ateliers 28 (drapery hardware). Brand name newlyweds Yet the only acquisition which has compelled Novell to change its name has been its 1999 acquisition of Rubbermaid - its biggest deal yet. Rubbermaid had done extremely well during the 1980s, but the company had lost its luster of late. With Rubbermaid, Newell got Little Tikes (toys), which Rubbermaid had acquired in 1994. But more importantly, Newell will (it hopes) reap the benefits of Rubbermaid's innovative approach to product development to help enliven Newell's older products. The benefits of the Rubbermaid acquisition have been slow to surface. Before it could see any profits from the deal, Newell had to update Rubbermaid's archaic distribution system, and chopped 2,000 offerings from Rubbermaid's product line, bringing the number of Rubbermaid products down to a more manageable 2,000. Most analysts agree that Newell overpaid for Rubbermaid, and Wall Street has pounded Newell Rubbermaid's stock since the acquistion. By acquiring Rubbermaid, though, Newell has positioned itself for unparalleled growth - once it gets all the kinks worked out. Newell Rubbermaid is looking to make a mjor push into Europe and has entered into talks with Gilette to acquire Gilette's stationery product lines.
Newell invites applicants to send a resume and cover letter, via fax or regular mail, to the corporate headquarters in Illinois. Candidates then must complete two rounds of phone and face-to-face interviews, as well as Newell's basic skills and psychological testing.
"A growing company with a good reputation" Employees at Newell Rubbermaid describe their employer as "a growing company with a good reputation for quality and competitiveness." A casual dress code and an emphasis on "team interaction" fosters a "relaxed atmosphere" in which "everyone is serious about contributing to the company." Newell is "adamant about treating all of its employees equally," and its promotion process "moves much more quickly than most companies of this size." Says one employee, "The opportunities here are becoming only more impressive." While some suggest that "the pay leaves something to be desired," they also comment that "the benefits and the product discounts are tough to beat."
Human Resources
Cookware;Kitchen utensils;Home furnishings;Office products;Hardware
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