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Year : 1946
- The firm of H.L. Smith Builders (Marlow) Ltd was founded by Horace Smith as a business specialising in residential extensions and office maintenance.
Year : 1986
- The business moves from Marlow to Bourne End and the name is changed to H. L. Smith Construction Ltd following the sale of the business to the present owners.
Year : 1988
- The business outgrows its premises and constructs a new purpose built headquarters building in Bourne End, Buckinghamshire.
Year : 1995
- The first Optima partitioning system is launched and the Optima division of H.L. Smith Construction Ltd is established.
- Optima Products is created to provide materials and technical support to the Group’s contracting businesses.
- HLS Installations Ltd is formed to provide well trained, high quality site labour and supervision to the Group.
- Spectrum Glass Contracts Ltd is formed at Dunstable.
Year : 1997
- Cirus Ltd is formed to give a separate identity to the fitting out and refurbishment activities of the business.
Year : 1998
- Acquisition of Curtsons (Radstock) Ltd to provide a manufacturing and distribution base for Group products.
Year : 2002
- The business outgrows its office premises and moves to a new headquarters building in High Wycombe.
- The Optima Products trading style is adopted by Curtsons (Radstock) Ltd.
- Cirus Ltd and Spectrum Glass Contracts Ltd are merged into H.L. Smith Construction Ltd as trading divisions and adopt the trading styles Cirus and Optima Architectural Glass respectively.
Year : 2003
- H.L. Smith Construction Ltd. acquires certain assets of Unilock Ltd, including the company name, inventory, manufacturing rights and work in progress.
- Curtsons (Radstock) Ltd adopts the trading style, 'Unilock Products'.
Year : 2004
- The Cirus division of H.L. Smith Construction Ltd transfers to HLS Installations Ltd.
- Optima Architectural Glass is rebranded as OAG.
Year : 2006
- Bob Morse, the founding Chairman retires and Nick Caley is appointed as Group CEO, the Group board now comprises Nick Caley, Rob Judd, Gary Evans, Andy Grey and Sean Dann.
Year : 2007
- As part of a Group rebranding exercise H L Smith Construction Ltd becomes Optima Contracting Ltd and Curtsons (Radstock) Ltd becomes Optima Products Ltd.
- Wider geographical coverage for Optima Partitioning Systems is achieved through the appointment of a number of Contracting Partners both in the UK and overseas.