{{Short description|British wood paint manufacturer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox company | name = Sherwin-Williams Diversified Brands Ltd | logo = Ronseal.png | type = [[Subsidiary]] | foundation = 1956 | location = [[Chapeltown, South Yorkshire|Chapeltown]], [[Sheffield]], [[England]] | | industry = | products = Wood stain, paint and preservative | num_locations = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | num_employees = | owner = [[Sherwin-Williams]] | homepage = {{url|http://www.ronseal.com/}} | footnotes = }}
'''Ronseal''' is a British [[wood stain]], [[paint]] and [[Wood preservative|preservative]] manufacturer, known for the phrase "[[Does exactly what it says on the tin]]". The [[advertising slogan]], which was created by agency [[HHCL]], has since entered [[popular culture]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Edwards|first1=Peter|title=Exclusive: Ronseal on the acquisition trail through central Europe|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/exclusive-ronseal-on-the-acquisition-trail-through-central-europe-1-3475976|accessdate=20 April 2016|work=The Yorkshire Post|date=14 June 2011}}</ref>
The company is based in [[Chapeltown, South Yorkshire|Chapeltown]], [[Sheffield]], and has been owned by [[Sherwin-Williams]] since 1997.<ref name=Kilgannon>{{cite news|last1=Kilgannon|first1=Laurence|title=Investments push Ronseal into the red|url=https://www.insidermedia.com/insider/yorkshire/123887-|accessdate=20 April 2016|publisher=Insider Media|date=23 September 2014}}</ref>
== History == Ronuk Limited was founded by Horace Fowler as a polish manufacturing company in [[Portslade]], [[Brighton]] in 1896. In 1956, the company launched into the DIY market with Ronseal – Floor and Wood Seal. In 1960, Ronuk was purchased by Izal, itself owned by the [[Newton, Chambers & Co.|Newton Chambers Group]] in Sheffield.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Ronuk|title=Ronuk - Graces Guide}}</ref>
In 1964, the company moved to Chapeltown, Sheffield, where it still resides today. Known as Roncraft, it became a separate sales division of Izal in 1970 and was bought three years later by [[Sterling Drug]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/11/08/archives/327million-deal-completed-by-british-unit-of-sterling-drug.html|title=$32.7‐Million Deal Completed By British Unit of Sterling Drug|date=8 November 1973|newspaper=New York Times|access-date=26 April 2025}}</ref>
In 1989, Sterling was bought by [[Kodak|Eastman Kodak]] until the multinational photographic company sold all of its [[do it yourself]] business to the [[New York City|New York]]{{nbnd}}based [[investment banking|investment bank]] [[Forstmann Little & Co.]] in 1994. Forstmann Little & Co. included Ronseal within its Thompson Minwax Holding Corp. business, which it sold in 1997 to Sherwin-Williams.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ronseal to be acquired by the Sherwin-Williams Company|url=http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ronseal-to-be-acquired-by-the-sherwin-williams-company-156022145.html|access-date=20 April 2016|work=PRNewsire|date=9 December 1997}}</ref>
Sherwin-Williams purchased the [[Poland|Polish]] woodcare company Altax in February 2009, and integrated it into the Ronseal unit.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sherwin-Williams to Acquire Altax in Poland|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sherwin-williams-to-acquire-altax-in-poland-65700592.html|access-date=20 April 2016|work=PRNewswire|date=6 February 2009}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.ronseal.com}}
{{Sheffield companies}}
[[Category:English brands]] [[Category:1956 establishments in England]] [[Category:Chemical companies of England]] [[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Sheffield]]