Hanson's march : LORD HANSON : NEWS ANALYSIS

1965 - Hanson, as chairman of Wiles, buys Welbecson, White's publishing firm.

1967-69 - Buys Scottish Land Development; West of England Sack; brickmaker Butterley.

1969-73 - Now Hanson Trust, buys Rapid Loaders, Oldings, National Star Brick,British Steel Brick, Castle and Midland Brick.

1973-76 - White moves to US; buys food firms such as Hygrade ($32m); Hanson knighted.

1977-79 Buys Interstate, US food company ($30m); Hamlyn Animal Feed ( UK); textile firms Templon Spinning (US), Henry Campbell and Lindustries (UK) for £25m. White knighted.

1980 - McDonough US ($180m).

1982 - Buys Berec, Ever Ready batteries group (£95m).

1983 - Buys UDS clothes retailer (£255m). Hanson ennobled.

1984 - USL engineering in US ($532m), London Brick (£247m).

1985 - Smith-Corona ($930m).

1986 - Buys UK Imperial Group (tobacco, beer, hotels) for £2.5bn.

1987-89 - Kaiser, Kidde ($1.6bn), Gold Fields (£3.3bn).

1990-92 - Biltbest ($8.7bn), Peabody ($1.2bn), parts of Garant ($12bn), Beazer (£391m), 2.8% of ICI (£240m). White ennobled.

1992-94 - Southern Ohio Coal, Costain's Australian coal assets ($299m),Exxon's Carter Mining ($360m), Econowaste in UK.