Frederick Wood

Sir Frederick ("Fred") Ambrose Stuart Wood (30 May 1926 - 9 March 2003) was a prominent businessman and industrialist most renowned for overseeing the rapid growth of Croda International. Early life Fred Wood was born on 30 May 1926 in Goole, Yorkshire. Fred attended Felsted School subsequently gaining a place to study at Clare College, University of Cambridge, his time at which was cut short by military service obligations. In 1944 he joined the Fleet Air Arm, a branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft, completing his training in America and the Caribbean. Early career and role in the establishment of Croda International In 1925 Wood's great uncle, George Crowe entered into a partnership to produce lanolin, a fatty substance found in sheep's wool used widely as a base ingredient in lubricants and cosmetics. This new enterprise was named Croda and established at Rawcliffe Bridge, outside Goole, Yorkshire. In 1927 Fred's father, Philip Wood became the manager of the new factory and made improvements to the production process, during the 1930s, to satisfy meet growing demand for lanolin. Following his demobilisation in 1947 Fred Wood returned to join Croda as a management trainee. When Philip died two years later in 1949, aged 46, a committee of directors assumed responsibility for managing the business, with Fred acting as sales director. A year later, in 1950, Fred re-located to New York City to establish an overseas office. Fred quickly established a US business with turnover of over £100,000 and three years later, aged 27, returned to the UK to assume the position of Managing Director, with the support of Chairman George Crowe.