This is a company, not a label. Major British based multinational conglomerate, operating from 1st Jan 1971. (Formerly known / incorporated as EMI
Also refered to as: EMI Limited / EMI Limited, England
Please also do not confuse with E.M.I. Ltd.
Principal activities through its worldwide subsidiary companies and divisions - included the manufacture and sale of records and tapes, sound recording, music publishing, film production and distribution, retail, medical, industrial and military defence electronics, domestic electronics, cinemas, bingo halls, hotels & restaurants. Via its Central Research Laboratories (CRL) based at the Hayes complex, various types of research and development was carried out on behalf of its individual operating companies, including work undertaken on behalf of government departments, public corporations and other outside bodies. Pioneering research included - recording systems and lacquers, digitising, silicon technology, data handling, medical X-ray scanners, missile & radar systems.
Throughout the 1970s EMI Ltd. primarily operated as 2 main divisions - a records division and an electronics division. These 2 principal divisions formed the backbone of what was generically known as the EMI Group. (Not to be confused with EMI Group Plc, which was a successor company formed in 1996 and purely operating within the music / entertainment industry).
Its international record division Capitol Industries-EMI, Inc.
Acquisitions relating to the recorded music / publishing division of the business:
- In 1972 acquired d Music Publishers Ltd. from EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
- In July 1974 acquired 50% holding in the US based record company Private Stock Records, Ltd.
- On the 30th July 1976 its newly incorporated wholly owned subsidiaries in the USA - Colgems Music Corp. for $23M, and certain other interests outside the US, including UK, Sweden, Belgium, , , Italy & Australia.
In July 1978 the record division is reorganised and restructured, the worldwide companies that formed part of its music operations are unified under its newly established division Capitol-EMI Music, Inc.) covering the music groups interests in North America.
As of 1978 the company was employing 51000 people worldwide and operating over 80 principal subsidiaries, 30 UK based companies of which 15 were music / entertainment related and formed part of EMI Music, the other 15 primarily formed part of its electronics division. Overseas operations consisted of over 50 wholly owned / majority owned principal subsidiaries in 30 countries. (not including various local subsidiaries and t partnerships.)
Principal subsidiary (holding) companies that formed part of the recorded / entertainment / publishing / retail operations as of 1978 included:
- UK - Toshiba EMI Ltd (50%)
On the 13th Nov 1979 EMI Ltd. is acquired by Thorn Electrical Industries Ltd. forming one of the UKs largest conglomerates of its time Thorn Emi Ltd. (later Plc as of 1981)., which becomes the ultimate parent. Following the merger the non music related companies that formed part of EMI Ltd., specifically the companies that formed part of its electronics division were amalgamated with Thorn Electrical Industries Ltd. business's under the divisional name "Thorn"., with the medical electronics business's, its substantial hotels and restaurant division being disposed of. EMI Ltd. however remained the principal (holding) company behind the "EMI Music" division.
As of 1995 Thorn EMI Plc was operating as 3 principal divisions Thorn (electronics), EMI Music & EMI Group Plc, with EMI Music & HMV Group divisions staying with this newly established (holding) company, thus EMI Ltd. becoming an immediate principal subsidiary (holding company) of EMI Group Plc.
In Sept 2012 immediate parent EMI Group Ltd. (formerly EMI Group Plc.) is acquired by Vivendi S.A. (The owner of the various independent companies that form part of the Universal Music Group), EMI Ltd. remained the immediate parent of EMI Music Publishing Ltd. up until 29th June 2012, and EMI Records Ltd. up until 20th Dec 2012 when it was sold (divested) to form PLG Holdco Ltd. (Parlophone Label Group) and subsequently acquired by Warner Music Group, Inc. Two other wholly owned subsidiaries Abbey Road Studios Ltd. and EMI Nominees Ltd. were transferred in 2013.
On 25 April 2017 the Bolloré Group became the ultimate parent.
As of 2022 EMI Ltd. is still controlled by EMI Group Ltd., through a complex corporate structure. The immediate parent is Virgin Records Limited (UK Company number 01070953).
Full legal entity name: EMI Limited
UK Company number: 00053317
Status: Active (dormant)
Note
EMI Ltd.'s corporate trademark, the boxed EMI logo, was commonly placed on releases alongside primary branded labels such as - Pathé, EMI (the label), the logo simply indicates it was released by one of its operating companies (subsidiaries) who were the direct ed trademark owners of these primary labels / brands.
