Wizz buys Stardrops from Thornton & Ross

YORKSHIRE-BASED cleaning products group Wizz Products has bought the historic Stardrops brand in a seven-figure deal.

The Leeds business acquired the household cleaner – which was launched during the Second World War – from Huddersfield group Thornton & Ross.

Wizz, which was founded in 2003 and is run by managing director David Mann and sales director John Carling, produces a range of household cleaing and laundry products under the Wizz, Oxi Ultra Plus, Sonic Boom and Pink Stuff brands.

The deal with Thornton & Ross also includes the Startips, Starclen, and Starpine disinfectant and cleaning products and Wizz is keen to exploit the potential of a brand which is well known thanks to its cleaning abilities and eye-catching yellow ‘droplet’ character on its bottles.

Family-owned Thornton & Ross, which was founded in Huddersfield in 1922, decided to sell Stardrops to concentrate on its core brands which include Zoflora disinfectant, Covonia cough medicine, Setlers digestive tablets and Mycota athlete’s foot treatments.

David Mann of Wizz said: “After we carried out the necessary research and analysed the consumer awareness of Stardrops, we were determined to exploit the latent potential of the brand. We are committed to protecting the brand’s heritage whilst exploring new avenues for brand development.”

Wizz has its head office in Roundhay, Leeds, and a factory in Redditch, Worcestershire.

The deal was completed without bank finance with the owners of Wizz, a group of successful Yorkshire entrepreneurs, funding the new acquisition for a seven-figure sum.

Emma Garland at law firm Schofield Sweeney advised Wizz Products.

Launched during the Second World War, Stardrops was one of the first soapless detergents and the yellow fluid has been used for almost 70 years for a wide variety of household cleaning including bathrooms, kitchens, floors, cars, upholstery, carpets and clothes.