Imperial Tobacco

Imperial Tobacco PLC is the largest cigarette manufacturer in the UK, second largest in Germany and fourth worldwide, following its purchase of Reemtsma Zigarettenfabriken , adding brands such as Davidoff, Peter Stuyvesant and West to its line-up. The company's headquaters are in Bristol, England.

Imperial Tobacco was created in 1901 from a merger of a number of British tobacco and cigarette companies who were being threatened by competition from the United States. The original merger was between W.D. & H.O. Wills of Bristol and Stephen Mitchel & Son of Glasgow. Later mergers swallowed Lambert & Butler , Wm Clarke & Son , John Player & Sons, Franklyn Davey company , Edwards Ringer , J & F Bell and F & J Smith .

The company's first chairman was William Henry Wills of the Wills company.

Cigarette brands:

• Davidoff - its leading premium brand
• Embassy
• Excellence
• John Player Special (JPS)
• Lambert & Butler - the UK's top selling brand
• Peter Stuyvesant
• Prima - a cheap Eastern European brand
• R1 - a very low tar & nicotine brand
• Richmond
• Route 66
• Superkings
• West - its leading brand

Other products:

• Drum (Van Nelle)- world's #1 roll-your-own tobacco brand
• Rizla - world's #1 rolling paper brand

External links:

• Official website
• European Network for Smoking Prevention brand overview