Rank Radio International Ltd.
Bradford Road, Idle Bradford, BD10 8SF (1973)

Rank Organisation PLC
6 Connaught Place, London W2 2EZ (2024)

Note: Models manufactured by Rank subsidiaries should not be placed here but under their respective brand names.

The Rank Organisation, founded by J. Arthur Rank in 1937, began as a consolidation of his filmmaking interests. Initially financing religious films, it rapidly became the UK's largest vertically integrated film company.
A pivotal acquisition came in 1941 with Gaumont British and Gainsborough Pictures, significantly expanding Rank's cinema holdings. By the late 1940s, Rank owned five major film studios and 650 UK cinemas.

Diversification began in 1947 with the formation of British Optical and Precision Engineers Ltd. (later Rank Precision Industries), marking Rank's entry into electronics manufacturing. A crucial development was the 1956 joint venture with Haloid Corporation, creating Rank-Xerox, which became highly profitable.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Rank acquired various electronics companies, including Wharfedale Wireless Works and Bush Radio. However, by the 1980s, the film business was struggling while Rank-Xerox dominated profits.

The 1990s saw Rank divesting its film and entertainment assets. In 1995, the Rank Group acquired all outstanding shares of the Rank Organisation. By 2005, Rank had sold its last film-related businesses.

The Rank Organisation name disappeared in 1996, absorbed into the Rank Group plc. Today, the Rank Group operates as a European gaming business, a far cry from its cinematic origins. This transformation from dominating British cinema to becoming a gaming company exemplifies Rank's constant evolution over its lifetime.

HISTORY

The Rank Organisation, founded by J. Arthur Rank in 1937, evolved into a major British entertainment conglomerate with significant interests in electronics manufacturing. Here's a revised detailed history of their key acquisitions and developments in the electronics sector, including Gaumont British and British Optical & Precision:

Early Acquisitions and Developments
1941: Rank acquired Gaumont British and its sister company Gainsborough Pictures, significantly expanding its cinema holdings and gaining control of Bell & Howell, marking their entry into multimedia equipment.

1947: The Rank Organisation formed British Optical and Precision Engineers Ltd. (BOPE) as a private company, marking a significant step into precision engineering and optical instrument manufacturing.

1948: BOPE was converted to a public company and made several key acquisitions, including A. Kershaw and Sons Ltd, British Acoustic Films Ltd, and Taylor, Taylor and Hobson Ltd.

Expansion into Electronics and Precision Engineering
1952: Rank acquired Andrew Smith Harkness Ltd, a manufacturer of projection screens.

1956:

• British Optical and Precision Engineers Ltd. was renamed Rank Precision Industries Ltd..
• Rank formed a joint venture with Haloid Corporation (later Xerox) to create Rank-Xerox, focusing on xerographic machines.

1958:

• Rank acquired Wharfedale Wireless Works, makers of loudspeakers.
• Rank Precision Industries developed the high-speed Xeronic computer printer.

1960: Rank Audio Visual was established, consolidating various multimedia acquisitions.

1960s: Rapid Growth and Diversification
1961: Rank Precision Industries was manufacturing engineers' measuring instruments, machine tools, lenses, optical instruments, and various cinema and studio equipment.

1964: Rank acquired R. B. Pullin and Co., expanding their electronics portfolio.

1968:

• Rank acquired Hilger and Watts and Strand Electric Holdings.
• A new division called Rank Precision Industries was established, focusing on scientific instruments and including Rank Bush Murphy Electronics.

1969: Rank acquired H. J. Leak and Co., an audio equipment manufacturer.

Other Notable Developments
Cintel: Originally founded in 1927 as Cinema Television Ltd, it was acquired by Rank and specialized in professional post-production equipment.
Television Manufacturing: In the 1970s, Rank Audio Visual produced TV sets in collaboration with NEC of Japan.

International Expansion

Australasia

• 1946: Rank acquired a 50% share in a chain of 133 cinemas from New Zealander Robert James Kerridge for over £1 million, forming Kerridge Odeon.
• Late 1940s: Rank gained interest in Greater Union Theatres in Australia.

Canada and The Netherlands

By the late 1940s, Rank had established subsidiaries in Canada and The Netherlands.

Manufacturing Ventures
Rank Audio Visual

• 1960: Rank Audio Visual was created, bringing together several acquisitions including Bell & Howell (acquired with Gaumont British in 1941).
• 1970s: Rank Audio Visual produced 3-in-1 stereo music centres and TV sets in collaboration with NEC of Japan.

Rank-Arena

Denmark
Rank-Arena operated a manufacturing facility in Horsens, Denmark.

Australia
Rank Industries Australia Pty. Ltd. established Rank Arena as a division for manufacturing and marketing television and audio equipment.

1976: Rank Arena was producing colour and black and white television sets in Australia.

Xerox Partnership
1956: Rank began a partnership with the Haloid Corporation (later Xerox) to form Rank Xerox, manufacturing photocopying equipment.

This venture became highly profitable, contributing significantly to Rank's overall earnings in subsequent decades.

Other International Ventures

Spain

• 2011: Rank introduced the Enracha brand across its Spanish bingo venues.
• 2018: Rank acquired YoBingo.es, a Spanish digital business, for €23.1 million.

United States

1936: Rank and a group of investors acquired a controlling interest in Universal Pictures, an American major studio.

Consolidation and Later Years
By the 1980s, Rank's electronics and precision industries divisions had become significant contributors to the company's overall profits, alongside their successful Rank Xerox venture.
This history demonstrates how Rank strategically expanded from film into diverse electronics manufacturing, leveraging acquisitions like Gaumont British and the formation of British Optical and Precision Engineers to establish a strong presence in audio-visual equipment, precision instruments, and xerographic technology.

The Rank Organisation gradually closed its operations and divested its assets over several years:

1. In 1995, the Rank Group acquired all outstanding shares of the Rank Organisation.
2. In 1997, Rank sold Rank Film Distributors, including its library of 749 films, to Carlton Communications for £65 million.
3. In February 2000, Pinewood Studios was sold for £62 million and Odeon Cinemas for £280 million.
4. The company continued to divest non-core assets, selling its nightclubs, Holidays division, and other holdings.
5. In 2005, Rank severed its final connections to the film industry by selling its DVD distribution business and Deluxe technical support unit.

These actions marked the end of Rank's involvement in the film and entertainment industries which had been its core business for decades. The company transformed into the Rank Group, focusing primarily on gaming, leisure, and entertainment services.

References:

The Rank Organisation: Wikipedia accessed December 2024.
Rank Group Corporate website: Accessed December 2024.