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Frederick York Wolseley launches the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Company.

The first Wolseley horseless carriage goes on sale in the UK at £120.

Wolseley sells its car and machine tool business to Morris Motors, BMC, British Leyland and Rover Group.

Wolseley merges with Geo H Hughes.

Wolseley acquires a number of UK heating companies.

Sales hit £27 million.

The group repositions to focus solely on distribution.

Wolseley acquires US firm Ferguson Enterprises Inc.

Sales reach £739 million.

Wolseley plc changes its name to Ferguson plc.

Wolseley UK sold to private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier and Rice LLC (CD&R). Wolseley UK acquires Jointing Technologies towards the end of the year.

Wolseley Group acquires Bassetts, DHS, Neville Lumb, Ideal Bathrooms, and Cascade Pipeline. It also acquires Heat Merchants and Hevac Ltd in the Republic of Ireland. And a majority stake in C.P. Hart. 

Wolseley Group acquires Kooltech, R.E.S, and Logicool.

Wolseley Group acquires Bluebay and also launches new Renewables Centre to help Installers grow in the fast-changing heating market.