Chemring Group plc is a global business providing a range of advanced technology products and services to the aerospace, defence and security markets. Chemring has extensive operations in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia.
The company was originally formed during 1905 as The British, Foreign & Colonial Automatic Light Controlling Company Limited, which manufactured timers for gas street lighting. Deciding to venture into electrical filaments, which were used for electric lights, it found demand for the technology from both domestic and foreign armed forces, using it as chaff, a radar decoy. During 1974, the company was first listed on the London Stock Exchange. In 1982, Chemring drastically increased its production of decoys to supply British forces engaged in the Falklands War.
The company again rapidly increased its rate of production of countermeasures to supply coalition forces in the Gulf War of 1991. In 1992, Chemring acquired its main British competitor Haley & Weller. In the following decades, Chemring acquired various businesses while expanding, particularly in the North American market. By 2010, Chemring Group reportedly held roughly 50% of the global market for countermeasures. It has also become the dominant supplier of such devices to both the UK and US armed forces. The company is presently headquartered in Romsey. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.