Wolseley plc

Wolseley plc is a multinational building materials distribution company headquartered near Reading, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest heating and plumbing distributor to the professional market and has approximately 47,000 employees across 25 countries. Its brands include Brossette, Ferguson, Pipe Centre, Plumb & Parts Centre and Wolseley.

Wolseley is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

History

The Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Company Limited

Wolseley plc was incorporated in London in 1887 as a listed public company with the name The Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Company Limited to fund and exploit the commercial potential of the sheep shearing machinery invented by Frederick York Wolseley (1837-1899). Its board of directors were among the most prominent businessmen of Australia and the size of its capitalization placed it among the more important new issues of that year. From the beginning because machinery sales were highly seasonal efforts were made to diversify operations beyond the sheep shearing machinery. Wolseley with his Australian pastoral interests resigned because of ill-health in 1894.