Helix (company)
 | |
| Private | |
| Industry | Stationery |
| Founded | 1887 |
| Headquarters | Lye, West Midlands, United Kingdom |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Oxford |
| Parent | Maped |
| Website | Helix |
Helix is a family-run United Kingdom-based manufacturer of scholastic stationery. It currently employs 75 people, and exports to over 65 countries, with offices in Chicago and Hong Kong and with UK headquarters based in Lye, West Midlands.
History
Helix was established in 1887 under the name, The Universal Woodworking Company Ltd.; it manufactured wooden rules and metal laboratory apparatus. In 1894, it patented the drawing compass and, with it, launched the Helix brand, following on from the initial success of the compass and rule. In 1912, the company's first mathematical set was created and, in 1935, the brand "Helix Oxford" was launched. 1955 saw the company become known as the Helix Universal Company, moving its headquarters to Lye, where it is still based today. In the 1960s, the name again changed to its current name Helix International Ltd.. Helix is now part of the French owned Maped group.
Brands
- Helix
- Splat and Tribe- fashion stationery
- Helix Oxford- high quality mathematical instruments and stationery
- Helix Technical- technical drawing instruments for older students and professional use
Administration
On Monday 23 January 2012, the company made the following announcement, "Over the last few months, the Directors of Helix have been working towards a financial restructuring with the aim of securing the future of the Helix brand, its business and employees. The administration is an integral part of this process and Helix is continuing to trade in the short term, as we hope to conclude a deal in the next few days in order to achieve our objective. We will, of course, keep you informed of developments as they occur."