Crompton Lamps is one of the oldest lamp businesses in the world, founded in 1878 by the late Colonel Crompton, an entrepreneur with an interest in electricity. Crompton Lamps was part of Crompton Lighting; in 1999 Crompton Lighting Ltd was acquired by Cooper Industries and operated under the name of Cooper Lighting and Security Ltd. Following a review of its strategy, Cooper Industries decided to withdraw from the lamps business and as a consequence Crompton Lamps Ltd. was acquired by its management in January 2006 and relocated to its present site in Bradford.