holding company
A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own shares of other companies ...
for interests in publishing, travel, and natural resources, that existed from 1978 to 1989. It was formed as a reorganisation of the Thomson Organization, which had been founded by
Roy Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson of Fleet
Roy Herbert Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson of Fleet, (5 June 1894 – 4 August 1976) was a Canadian-born British newspaper proprietor who became one of the moguls of Fleet Street in London.
He first came to prominence when he was selling radios in ...
(Lord Thomson of Fleet; 1894–1976) in 1959. It merged with Thomson Newspapers to become the
Thomson Corporation
The Thomson Corporation was one of the world's largest information companies. It was established in 1989 following a merger between International Thomson Organisation Ltd (ITOL) and Thomson Newspapers. In 2008, it purchased Reuters Group to fo ...
in 1989.
ITO was formed in order to move the Thomson Organization's operating base from Britain to Canada, so that it would not be subject to British monopolies legislation, foreign-exchange controls and dividend limitation. Under Roy Thomson's son
Kenneth Thomson
Kenneth Roy Thomson, 2nd Baron Thomson of Fleet (September 1, 1923 – June 12, 2006), known in Canada as Ken Thomson, was a Canadian/British businessman and art collector. At the time of his death, he was listed by ''Forbes'' as the richest per ...
, ITO sold its natural resources and continued expanding in publishing and media. In 1980, Thomson acquired
Jane's
Jane's Information Group, now styled Janes, is a global open-source intelligence company specialising in military, national security, aerospace and transport topics, whose name derives from British author Fred T. Jane.
History
Jane's Informat ...
, an publishing company specializing in military intelligence. In 1981, it acquired the publishing operations of
Litton Industries
Litton Industries was a large defense contractor in the United States named after inventor Charles Litton Sr.
During the 1960s, the company began acquiring many unrelated firms and became one of the largest conglomerates in the United States. A ...
, including the '' Physicians' Desk Reference''. By 1986, International Thomson had acquired business publisher Warren, Gorham & Lamont; legal publishers Callaghan & Company and Clark Boardman; and automotive publishers
Ward's
Ward's is an American organization that has covered the automotive industry for over 80 years.
The organization is responsible for several publications including, ''Ward's AutoWorld'', and ''Ward's Dealer Business''. Ward's also publish the an ...
. Other publishers acquired include
Gale
A gale is a strong wind; the word is typically used as a descriptor in nautical contexts. The U.S. National Weather Service defines a gale as sustained surface winds moving at a speed of between 34 and 47 knots (, or ).Mitchell, and Thomson & Thomson. In 1988, ITO acquired the British company Associated Book Publishers, which included Sweet & Maxwell,
Chapman & Hall
Chapman & Hall is an Imprint (trade name), imprint owned by CRC Press, originally founded as a United Kingdom, British publishing house in London in the first half of the 19th century by Edward Chapman (publisher), Edward Chapman and William Hall ...
, The Law Book Company of Australasia, and
Routledge
Routledge () is a British multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanities, behavioural science, education, law ...
. In 1989, ITO acquired Lawyers Cooperative Publishing, including subsidiaries Bancroft-Whitney and Research Institute of America.