Imperial Tobacco Group has traded up to an even bigger throne. Its acquisition of Spain's Altadis in 2008 added the Montecristo and Ducados brands. Its purchase of German tobacco firm Reemtsma (Davidoff and West cigarettes) doubled its size and made it one of the world's top tobacco firms. Imperial's other brands include Lambert & Butler, the UK's #1 cigarette, as well as Castella cigars, and Amphora and St Bruno pipe tobacco. Its Drum brand is the #1 hand-rolling tobacco worldwide, and Rizla is a top cigarette paper. Acquisitions in Australia and New Zealand have assured Imperial's presence in emerging markets.

Altria Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products in the United States and internationally. The company also manufactures machine-made large cigars and pipe tobacco; and maintains a portfolio of leveraged and direct finance leases principally in transportation, including aircraft, as well as power generation and manufacturing equipment and facilities. It serves wholesalers and distributors, large retail organizations and chain stores, and the armed services. The company was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.

Century Distributors is a full-line supplier of tobacco products and grocery items that caters to some 3,000 customers, including supermarkets, news stands, bookstores, office supply stores, convenience stores, and liquor stores throughout Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, DC. Its products include frozen foods, health and beauty, foodservice, and tobacco, among others. The company boasts a more than 100,000-sq. ft. distribution warehouse. Other services Century offers include inventory control, manufacturer programs, and merchandising support. The mid-sized company is owned by Sheldon Sadugor and managed by his three children.

Reemtsma Cigarettenfabriken company produces a variety of brands, including Gauloises Blondes, Davidoff, Peter Stuyvesant, R1, and JPS. It sells its cigarettes through affiliated operations in more than 130 countries around the globe. Health-related legal complications have as yet not touched the company, since the majority of its sales come from areas outside those litigious towards cigarette makers. Reemtsma is a subsidiary of the UK's Imperial Tobacco.

JTI - Japan Tobacco International is the international tobacco business of Japan Tobacco, the world's third largest industry player, with a global market share of 11% and market capitalization of approximately USD 32 billion.Our group was formed in 1999 when Japan Tobacco Inc. purchased, for USD 8 billion, the international tobacco operations of the US multinational R.J.Reynolds.In 2007, Gallaher, a FTSE 100 business, was acquired by Japan Tobacco for GBP 9.4 billion. At the time, this was the largest foreign acquisition by a Japanese company.

British American Tobacco South Africa (BATSA) wants to smoke the competition by having its customers light up and keep the flame burning. The company makes and markets more than 27 brands, including local industry leaders Peter Stuyvesant and Lucky Strike. BATSA also buys more than 60% of all locally grown tobacco. In South Africa, the company is a smoking superstar, accounting for some 65% of the country's market share (which consists of nearly a quarter of the nation's adult population). BATSA was established in 1904 as United Tobacco Company. The company's current incarnation is a result of a combination of parent BAT and Rothmans International.

British American Tobacco Australasia (BATA) wants its customers in Australia and surrounding regions to smoke 'em if they've got 'em -- and buy some more if they've run out. In Australia, BAT is the market leader with nearly 45% of market share. The company has made the eradication of illegal tobacco as one of its highest priorities. In 2005 BATA ceased production of cigarettes with brand descriptions such as "light" and "mild" in relation to the safety level of the emitted smoke. At around the same time, the company also came out against so-called fire-safe cigarettes that theoretically extinguish themselves if left unattended or are discarded improperly. BATA is a subsidiary of British American Tobacco.

JR Cigar company that began as a small Manhattan cigar shop is now a leading distributor and retailer of premium cigars. Its retail operations include a few discount outlet stores (all in North Carolina) and a direct-mail catalog operation. Its stores also sell pipe tobacco, tobacco accessories, humidors, lighters, coffee, and other specialty items such as a Montecristo golf club set. Orders also are taken on the company's Web site, which features JR Cigar University. The company hosts auctions on its Web site, as well, at JR Cigar Auction. The online database contains extensive information on cigars -- everything from storing them to lighting them up.

Alliance One International, Inc. engages in purchasing, processing, storing, and selling leaf tobacco to cigarette manufacturers and other consumer tobacco products in the United States, South America, Europe, and Asia. It offers flue-cured, burley, and oriental tobaccos. The company also provides processing and related services to manufacturers of tobacco products. Alliance One International, Inc. was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina.

Rothmans company owns 60% of Rothmans, Benson & Hedges (RBH). RBH, Canada's #2 tobacco firm (Imperial Tobacco Canada is #1), makes and distributes cigarettes and roll- your-own tobaccos under top brands Craven "A" and Rothmans, as well as Belvedere, Benson and Hedges, Dunhill (licensed), Mark Ten, Number 7 (its best seller), and Viscount. RBH also distributes cut tobacco, mini-cigars, and pipe tobacco (Captain Black). Rothmans controls about a third of the Canadian tobacco product market. Philip Morris International (PMI) acquired Rothmans for about $2 billion in 2008.

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