Who we are
A global company
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c.15,000People
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50+Countries
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170+Years
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£3,037m2023 revenue
Where we operate
- View All
- John Crane
- Smiths Detection
- Smiths Interconnect
- Flex-Tek
We're proud to be Smiths. Proud of our history. Proud of our commitment to innovation, our dedication to excellence in all we do, and the support we give each other.
We do things The Smiths Way. That includes applying our values to everything we do. And never being afraid to challenge the status quo. Looking beyond the obvious. And always doing the right thing.
1851
Samuel Smith opens his first jewellery shop in south London, founding the business that will later become Smiths Group
1904
Smiths innovates with the early development of car speedometers, fitting one to King Edward VII’s Mercedes.
1912
Smiths provide a speedometer, adapted as a sledge-meter, for Captain Scott’s epic expedition to the South Pole.
1917
Smiths develops aviation instruments for aircraft development accelerated by WWI, also supplying fuses, lighting and generators.
1930
Smiths innovates in time-keeping, introducing the first affordable electric clock for homes and offices.
1939
Smiths again supports the war effort, producing over 10 million aircraft instruments, 4 million clocks and 1.5 million speedometers and mileage counters.
1951
Smiths 100th anniversary is marked with the opening of its most advanced clock factory in Scotland, making up to 25,000 clocks a day.
1952
Smiths innovates by fitting the first ever automatic pilot to the de Havilland Comet, the world’s first commercial jet airliner.
1953
Smiths’ De Luxe watch is worn by Edmund Hillary as he completes the first successful ascent of Everest, resulting in Smiths famous “Everest” watch range.
1958
Smiths invents the first safe medical ultrasound device to produce clear images of human organs and unborn babies.
1962
Smiths innovative autopilot instruments complete the first ever successful landing without human control in zero visibility.
1973
Smiths innovates with the first ever heads-up displays (HUD), working with customer Saab to fit them to their Viggen aircraft.
1978
Smiths works with customer Boeing to provide auto-throttles for the 727 and 737 ranges, and engine indicators for the 747.
1991
Smiths provides the electrical load management system for the innovative new Boeing 777.
1995
Smiths joins the FTSE100 index on the London Stock Exchange for the first time
2000
Smiths Industries changes the name of the business to Smiths Group plc.
2007
Smiths sells its aerospace division to GE for £2.6bn, some 90 years after Smiths started making aircraft instruments.
2017
Smiths completes the purchase of Morpho Detection and absorbs the business into the Smiths Detection division
2019
In the week the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 taking man to the moon, Smiths Interconnect’s high-speed D-sub connectors and harnesses were part of NASA’s successful Orion test flight proving that Orion could pull astronauts to safety in the event of an emergency during launch.
2021
Smiths completes the sale of Smiths Medical to ICU Medical, inc.
Our business is managed day to day by our Executive Committee which includes the heads of each division and function. While our Board oversee the long-term direction and corporate governance of our business.
We believe that doing business the right way is a responsibility, not a choice. And we demonstrate that commitment daily.
Through an unflinching focus on safety, and on how we support and develop our colleagues. How we work closely with customers and suppliers, right up and down our supply chain. And how we minimise our environmental impacts and support the communities around us.