QuickLinks -- Click here to rapidly navigate through this document

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 12, 2003.

Registration No. 333-          



SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549


FORM S-3
Registration Statement
Under
The Securities Act of 1933


NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Delaware
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation or Organization)
  36-3514169
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)


29 East Stephenson Street
Freeport, Illinois 61032
(815) 235-4171
(Address, Including Zip Code, and
Telephone Number, Including Area Code,
of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)
  Dale L. Matschullat
Vice President—General Counsel
6833 Stalter Drive, Suite 101
Rockford, Illinois 61108
(815) 381-8182
(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and
Telephone Number, Including Area Code,
of Agent for Service)

Please send copies of all communications to:

David McCarthy
Schiff Hardin & Waite
6600 Sears Tower
Chicago, Illinois 60606
(312) 258-5500


Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time
after the effective date of this Registration Statement.


        If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.    o

        If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.    ý

        If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

        If this Form is a post effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    o

        If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please check the following box.    o

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


Title of Each Class of
Securities to be Registered

  Proposed Maximum
Aggregate Offering Price(1)

  Amount of
Registration Fee(2)


Debt Securities   (3)    

Preferred Stock   (3)    

Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share, and related Common Stock Purchase Rights(4)   (3)    

Warrants   (3)    

Stock Purchase Contracts   (3)    

Stock Purchase Units   (3)    

Total   $1,000,000,000(5)   $80,900




(1)
The proposed maximum aggregate offering price per class of securities will be determined from time to time by the registrant in connection with the issuance of the securities hereunder.

(2)
The registration fee has been calculated pursuant to Rule 457(o).

(3)
Not applicable pursuant to General Instruction II.D of Form S-3.

(4)
The aggregate amount of common stock registered hereunder for issuance in connection with at-the-market offerings of common stock is limited to that which is permissible under Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act.

(5)
Except as permitted by Rule 429 under the Securities Act, in no event will the aggregate maximum offering price of all securities issued from time to time pursuant to this registration statement exceed $1,000,000,000 or the equivalent thereof in one or more foreign currencies, foreign currency units or composite currencies. Securities registered hereunder may be sold separately, together or as units with other securities registered hereunder. This total amount also includes such securities as may, from time to time, be issued upon conversion or exchange of securities registered hereunder, to the extent any such securities are, by their terms, convertible into or exchangeable for other securities.


Pursuant to Rule 429 of the Securities Act, the prospectus included in this Registration Statement also relates to the remaining $49,233,000 aggregate principal amount of securities previously registered under the Securities Act by Registration Statement No. 333-88050 and not issued.

The registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.


THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IT IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.

PROSPECTUS

$1,049,233,000

Newell Rubbermaid Inc.

Debt Securities

Preferred Stock

Common Stock

Warrants

Stock Purchase Contracts

Stock Purchase Units


        This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under a "shelf" registration process. Under this process, we may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total initial offering price of $1,049,233,000. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities registered under this process, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any supplement carefully before you invest. This prospectus may not be used to make sales of offered securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

        We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different from, or additional to, the information provided in this prospectus or any later prospectus supplement. We are not making an offer to sell securities in any state or country where the offer is not permitted.


        Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.


The Date of this Prospectus is                    , 2003.



TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
  Page
Newell Rubbermaid Inc.   3

Where You Can Find More Information

 

4

Use of Proceeds

 

5

Description of Debt Securities

 

5

Particular Terms of the Senior Debt Securities

 

13

Particular Terms of the Subordinated Debt Securities

 

17

Description of Capital Stock

 

18

Description of Warrants

 

20

Description of Stock Purchase Contracts and Stock Purchase Units

 

21

Plan of Distribution

 

21

Legal Matters

 

22

Experts

 

22

2



NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC.

        We are a global manufacturer and full-service marketer of branded consumer products and their commercial extensions, serving the needs of volume purchasers, including department stores, discount stores and warehouse clubs, home centers and hardware stores, office superstores and contract stationers, and commercial distributors. Our basic business strategy is to market a multi-product offering of branded consumer products, backed by an obsession with customer service excellence and new product development.

        Our multi-product offering consists of name-brand consumer products in the following four business groups:

        We established five key measures to evaluate financial performance: internal sales growth, operating income as a percent of sales, working capital as a percent of sales, free cash flow and return on invested capital.

        In an effort to achieve superior performance in the five key financial measures, we are pursuing the following transformational strategic initiatives:

3


        We are a Delaware corporation. Our principal executive offices are located at 29 East Stephenson Street, Freeport, Illinois 61032, and our telephone number is 815-235-4171.


Recent Developments

        On June 15, 2002, Arthur Andersen LLP was convicted of one count of obstruction of justice arising from the government's investigation of Enron Corporation. Events arising out of the conviction of Arthur Andersen LLP, as well as the volume of civil lawsuits filed against it, have adversely affected the ability of Arthur Andersen to satisfy claims, if any, arising from its provision of auditing services to us, including claims that may arise out of Arthur Andersen's audit of our consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2001 and 2000 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2001, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

        We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You may read and copy any document we file at the Securities and Exchange Commission's public reference room at 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. You may obtain information on the operation of the public reference room by calling the Securities and Exchange Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330. Our Securities and Exchange Commission filings are also available to the public at the Securities and Exchange Commission's web site at http://www.sec.gov.

        The Securities and Exchange Commission allows us to "incorporate by reference" into this prospectus the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and later information that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 until our offering is completed:

4


        You may request a copy of these filings at no cost by writing to or telephoning us at the following address:

Newell Rubbermaid Inc.
6833 Stalter Drive, Suite 101
Rockford, Illinois 61108
Telephone:   1-800-424-1941
Attention:   Office of Investor Relations


USE OF PROCEEDS

        We expect to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities for general corporate purposes. These may include additions to working capital, repayment of existing debt and acquisitions. If we decide to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities in some other way, we will describe the use of the net proceeds in the prospectus supplement for that offering.


DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

General

        The following description sets forth general terms that may apply to the debt securities. The particular terms of any debt securities will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those debt securities.

        The debt securities will be either our senior debt securities or our subordinated debt securities. The senior debt securities will be issued under an indenture dated as of November 1, 1995, between us and JPMorgan Chase Bank (formerly The Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association)), as trustee. This indenture is referred to as the "senior indenture." The subordinated debt securities will be issued under an indenture in the form of the indenture to be entered into between us and JPMorgan Chase Bank, as trustee. This indenture is referred to as the "subordinated indenture." The senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are together called the "indentures."

        Copies of the indentures are filed as exhibits to the registration statement. For your convenience, we have included references to specific sections of the indentures in the descriptions below. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this prospectus shall have the meanings shown in the indenture to which they relate.

        The following summaries of provisions of the debt securities and the indentures are not complete and are qualified in their entirety by express reference to all of the provisions of the indentures and the debt securities.

        Because Newell is a holding company and conducts its business through its subsidiaries, these notes will be structurally subordinated to the liabilities of its subsidiaries. The rights of Newell, and the rights of its creditors, including the holders of the notes, to participate in any distribution of the assets of any of its subsidiaries upon that subsidiary's liquidation or reorganization or otherwise is necessarily subject to the prior claims of creditors of that subsidiary, except to the extent that Newell's claims as a creditor of that subsidiary may be recognized. Neither the debt securities nor the indentures restrict Newell or any of its subsidiaries from incurring indebtedness. Substantially all of Newell's consolidated accounts payable represent obligations of Newell's subsidiaries, and as of December 31, 2002, the aggregate principal amount of money borrowed by Newell's consolidated subsidiaries, including accounts payable, equaled approximately $1,319.5 million (the current portion of which was approximately $713.0 million).

        Neither of the indentures limits the principal amount of debt securities that we may issue. Each indenture provides that debt securities may be issued up to the principal amount that we may

5



separately authorize from time to time. Each also provides that the debt securities may be denominated in any currency or currency unit designated by us. Unless otherwise shown in the prospectus supplement related to that offering, neither the indentures nor the debt securities will contain any provisions to afford holders of any debt securities protection in the event of a takeover, recapitalization or similar restructuring of our business.

        The senior debt securities will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. The subordinated debt securities will rank junior to all of our senior debt securities and other senior indebtedness as we describe below under "Particular Terms of the Subordinated Debt Securities—Subordination."

        We will include specific terms relating to a particular series of debt securities in a prospectus supplement relating to the offering. The terms we will describe in the prospectus supplement will include some or all of the following:

6


        We may issue debt securities as original issue discount securities to be sold at a substantial discount below their principal amount. If we issue original issue discount securities, then special federal income tax rules that apply may be described in the prospectus supplement for those debt securities.

Registration and Transfer

        We presently plan to issue each series of debt securities only as registered securities. However, we may issue a series of debt securities as bearer securities, or a combination of both registered securities and bearer securities. If we issue debt securities as bearer securities, they will have interest coupons attached unless we elect to issue them as zero coupon securities. (Sections 201 and 301). If we issue bearer securities, we may describe material U.S. federal income tax consequences and other material considerations, procedures and limitations in the prospectus supplement for that offering.

        Holders of registered debt securities may present the debt securities for exchange for different authorized amounts of other debt securities of the same series and of similar principal amount at the corporate trust office of the Trustee in New York, New York or at the office of any other transfer agent we may designate for the purpose and describe in the applicable prospectus supplement. The registered securities must be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer. The agent will not impose a service charge on you for the transfer or exchange. We may, however, require that you pay any applicable tax or other governmental charge. We will describe any procedures for the exchange of bearer securities for other debt securities of the same series in the prospectus supplement for that offering. Generally, we will not allow you to exchange registered securities for bearer securities. (Sections 301, 305 and 1002)

7



        In general, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will issue registered securities without coupons and in denominations of $1,000, or integral multiples, and bearer securities in denominations of $5,000. We may issue both registered and bearer securities in global form. (Sections 301 and 302)

Conversion and Exchange

        If any debt securities will be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock or other securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the terms and conditions of the conversion or exchange, including:

Global Securities

        The debt securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global securities that we will identify in a prospectus supplement. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for the individual debt securities represented thereby, a global security may not be registered for transfer or exchange except:

        The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any portion of a series of debt securities to be represented by a global security will be described in the prospectus supplement applicable thereto. Newell expects that the following provisions will apply to depositary arrangements.

        Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, debt securities that are to be represented by a global security to be deposited with or on behalf of a depositary will be represented by a global security or, in some cases, global securities registered in the name of the depositary or its nominee. Upon the issuance of the global security, and the deposit of the global security with or on behalf of the depositary for the global security, the depositary will credit on its book entry registration and transfer system the respective principal amounts of the debt securities represented by the global security to the accounts of institutions that have accounts with the depositary or its nominee ("participants"). The accounts to be credited will be designated by the underwriters or agents of the debt securities. If we directly offer and sell debt securities the accounts to be credited will be designated by us. Ownership of beneficial interests in the global security will be limited to participants or persons that may hold interests through participants. Ownership of beneficial interests by participants in the global security will be shown on, and the transfer of that ownership interest will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary or its nominee for the global security. Ownership of beneficial interests in the global security by persons that hold through participants will be shown on, and the transfer of that ownership interest within the participant will be effected only through, records maintained by the participant. The laws of some jurisdictions require that certain

8



purchasers of securities take physical delivery of the securities in certificated form. The foregoing limitations and the laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in the global securities.

        So long as the depositary for a global security, or its nominee, is the registered owner of the global security, the depositary or the nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or "Holder" of the debt securities represented by the global security for all purposes under the indenture applicable thereto. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, owners of beneficial interests in the global security will not be entitled to have debt securities of the series represented by the global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of debt securities of the series in certificated form and will not be considered the Holders of the debt securities for any purposes under the indenture applicable thereto. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in the global security must rely on the procedures of the depositary and, if the person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which the person owns its interest to exercise any rights of a Holder of debt securities under the indenture applicable thereto. Newell understands that under existing industry practices, if Newell requests any action of Holders or an owner of a beneficial interest in the global security desires to give any notice or take any action a Holder is entitled to give or take under the indenture applicable thereto, then the depositary would authorize the participants to give this notice or take this action, and participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through these participants to give this notice or take this action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them.

        Principal of and any premium and interest on a global security will be payable in the manner described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

        As provided in the indentures, we may, without the consent of Holders of the debt securities, consolidate with or merge into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of our properties and assets to, any person (the "Survivor"), and we may permit any person to merge into, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to us so long as:

Acceleration of Maturity

        If an Event of Default occurs and continues with respect to debt securities of a particular series, the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of outstanding debt securities of that series may declare the outstanding debt securities of that series due and payable immediately. (Section 502)

        At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to debt securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee therefor, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of

9



that series by written notice to Newell and the Trustee, may rescind and annul the declaration and its consequences if:

        No rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

        The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may, on behalf of the Holders of all the debt securities of the series and any related Coupons, waive any past default under the applicable indenture with respect to the series and its consequences, except a default:

        If an Event of Default with respect to debt securities of a particular series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the applicable indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders of debt securities of the series, unless the Holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity and security against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with the request. (Section 602)

        The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee under the applicable indenture, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the debt securities of that series. The Trustee may refuse to follow directions in conflict with law or the indenture that may involve the Trustee in personal liability or may be unduly prejudicial to the other, non-directing Holders. (Section 512)

Modification or Waiver

        The indentures allow Newell and the Trustee, without the consent of any Holders of debt securities, to enter into supplemental indentures for various purposes, including:

10


        The indentures allow Newell and the Trustee, with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all affected series acting as one class, to execute supplemental indentures adding any provisions to or changing or eliminating any of the provisions of the indentures or modifying the rights of the Holders of the debt securities of the series. (Section 902) Without the consent of the Holders of all the outstanding debt securities affected thereby, no supplemental indenture may:

Meetings

        The indentures contain provisions for convening meetings of the Holders of debt securities of any series for any action to be made, given or taken by Holders of debt securities. The Trustee, Newell, and the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series may call a meeting, in each case after notice to Holders of that series has been properly given. (Section 1502)

        Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series will constitute a quorum at a meeting of Holders of debt securities of that series. Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of debt securities of any series that has been properly held under the provisions of the indentures will bind all Holders of debt securities of that series and related coupons. (Section 1503)

11



Financial Information

        Newell will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission the annual reports, quarterly reports and other documents required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, and will also file with the Trustee copies of these reports and documents within 15 days after it files them with the Securities and Exchange Commission. (Section 703)

Defeasance

        The indentures include provisions allowing us to be discharged from our obligation on the debt securities of any series. (Section 1401) To be discharged from our obligations on the debt securities, we would be required to deposit with the Trustee or another trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations sufficient to make all principal, premium (if any) and interest payments on those debt securities. (Section 1404) If we make this defeasance deposit with respect to your debt securities, we may elect either:

        To establish the trust, Newell must deliver to the Trustee an opinion of our counsel that the Holders of the debt securities will not recognize gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of the defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount, and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the defeasance had not occurred. (Section 1404 (5)) There may be additional provisions relating to defeasance which we will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The Trustee

        JPMorgan Chase Bank (formerly The Chase Manhattan Bank N.A.) ("JPMorgan Chase") is the Trustee under the Senior Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture. JPMorgan Chase is also the agent for the lenders, and a lender, under a revolving credit facility with Newell which, as of the date hereof, permits an aggregate borrowing of up to $1.3 billion, so long as the terms and conditions of this facility are satisfied. J.P. Morgan Securities, Inc., an affiliate of JPMorgan Chase, has from time to time acted as an agent or underwriter with respect to distribution of our securities. In addition, we and some of our affiliates maintain other banking and borrowing arrangements with JPMorgan Chase, and JPMorgan Chase may perform additional banking services for, or transact other banking business with, Newell in the future.

        The Trustee may be deemed to have a conflicting interest for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and may be required to resign as Trustee if:

12


        Newell may appoint an alternative Trustee for any series of debt securities. The appointment of an alternative Trustee would be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Governing Law

        The indentures and the debt securities are by their terms to be governed by and their provisions construed under the internal laws of the State of New York. (Section 112)

Miscellaneous

        Newell has the right at all times to assign any of its respective rights or obligations under the indentures to a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Newell; provided, that, in the event of any assignment, Newell will remain liable for all of their respective obligations. (Section 803) The indentures are binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties thereto and their respective successors and assigns. (Section 109)


PARTICULAR TERMS OF THE SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES

        The following description of the senior debt securities sets forth additional general terms and provisions of the senior debt securities to which a prospectus supplement may relate. The debt securities are described generally in this prospectus under "Description of Debt Securities" above. The particular terms of the senior debt securities offered by a prospectus supplement will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Limitation on Liens

        The senior indenture provides that while the senior debt securities issued under it or the related Coupons remain outstanding, Newell will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien of any kind upon any of its or their property or assets, now owned or hereafter acquired, without directly securing all of the senior debt securities equally and ratably with the obligation or liability secured by the Lien, except for:

13


14


        The term "Capitalized Lease Obligations" means, as to any person, the obligations of the person to pay rent or other amounts under a lease of (or other agreement conveying the right to use) real or personal property which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital lease obligations on a balance sheet of the person under generally accepted accounting principles and, for purposes of the senior indenture, the amount of the obligations at any date shall be the capitalized amount of the obligations at the date, determined according to generally accepted accounting principles. (Section 101)

        The term "Consolidated Total Assets" means the total of all the assets appearing on the consolidated balance sheet of Newell and our Subsidiaries determined according to generally accepted accounting principles applicable to the type of business in which Newell and the Subsidiaries are engaged, and may be determined as of a date not more than 60 days before the happening of the event for which the determination is being made. (Section 101)

        The term "Funded Debt" means any indebtedness which by its terms matures at or is extendable or renewable at the sole option of the obligor without requiring the consent of the obligee to a date more than 12 months after the date of the creation of the indebtedness. (Section 101)

        The term "Lien" means, as to any person, any mortgage, lien, collateral assignment, pledge, charge, security interest or other encumbrance in respect of or on, or any interest or title of any vendor, lessor, lender or other secured party to or of the person under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or Capitalized Lease Obligation, purchase money mortgage or Sale and Lease-back Transaction with respect to, any property or asset (including without limitation income and rights thereto) of the person (including without limitation capital stock of any Subsidiary of the person), or the signing by the person and filing of a financing statement which names the person as debtor, or the signing by the person of any security agreement agreeing to file, or authorizing any other party as the secured party thereunder to file, any financing statement. (Section 101)

        The term "Permitted Liens" means:

15


        The term "Sale and Lease-back Transaction" means, with respect to any person, any direct or indirect arrangement with any other person or to which any other person is a party, providing for the leasing to the first person of any property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired (except for temporary leases for a term, including any renewal of the leases, of not more than three years and except for leases between Newell and a Subsidiary or between Subsidiaries), which has been or is to be sold or transferred by the first person to the other person or to any person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by the other person on the security of the property. (Section 101)

        The term "Subsidiary" means any corporation of which at the time of determination Newell or one or more Subsidiaries owns or controls directly or indirectly more than 50% of the shares of Voting Stock. (Section 101)

        The term "Value" means, with respect to a Sale and Lease-back Transaction, as of any particular time, the amount equal to the greater of:

in either case multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be equal to the number of full years of the term of the lease remaining at the time of determination and the denominator of which shall be equal to the number of full years of the term, without regard to any renewal or extension options contained in the lease. (Section 101)

        The term "Voting Stock" means stock of a corporation of the class or classes having general voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect at least a majority of the board of directors, managers or trustees of the corporation. (Section 101)

Events of Default

        An "Event of Default" regarding any series of senior debt securities is any one of the following events:

16


        We are required to file every year with the Trustee an officers' certificate stating whether any default exists and specifying any default that exists. (Section 1004)


PARTICULAR TERMS OF THE SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES

        The following description of the subordinated debt securities sets forth additional general terms and provisions of the subordinated debt securities to which a prospectus supplement may relate. The debt securities are described generally under "Description of Debt Securities" above. The particular terms of the subordinated debt securities offered by a prospectus supplement will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Subordination

        The subordinated debt securities will be subordinated to the prior payment in full of:

Events of Default

        An "Event of Default" regarding any series of subordinated debt securities is any one of the following events:

        We are required to file every year with the Trustee an officers' certificate stating whether any default exists and specifying any default that exists. (Section 1004)

17




DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

General

        Our authorized capital stock consists of 800,000,000 shares of common stock and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock. As of February 27, 2003 there were 274,121,980 shares of common stock and no shares of preferred stock outstanding. The outstanding shares of common stock are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Chicago Stock Exchange.

Common Stock

        Voting Holders of common stock vote as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, with each share of common stock entitled to one vote.

        Dividends.  Holders of the common stock are entitled to receive the dividends that may be declared from time to time by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available therefor. The rights of holders of common stock to receive dividends are subject to the prior rights of holders of any issued and outstanding preferred stock that may be issued in the future.

        Other Provisions.  Upon liquidation (whether voluntary or involuntary) or a reduction in Newell's capital which results in any distribution of assets to stockholders, the holders of the common stock are entitled to receive, pro rata according to the number of shares held by each, all of the assets of Newell remaining for distribution after payment to creditors and the holders of any issued and outstanding preferred stock of the full preferential amounts to which they are entitled. The common stock has no preemptive or other subscription rights and there are no other conversion rights or redemption provisions with respect to the shares.

        Transfer Agent and Registrar.  The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is First Chicago Trust Company of New York.

Stock Purchase Rights

        Each outstanding share of common stock includes one common stock purchase right (a "Right") provided under the Rights Agreement dated as of August 6, 1998 between Newell and First Chicago Trust Company of New York. Each Right entitles the holder, until the earlier of October 31, 2008 or the redemption of the Rights, to buy the number of shares of common stock having a market value of two times the exercise price of $200, subject to adjustment under certain circumstances. The Rights will be exercisable only if a person or group acquires 15% or more of voting power of Newell or announces a tender offer following which it would hold 15% or more of Newell's voting power. The Rights held by the 15% stockholder would not be exercisable in this situation.

        Furthermore, if following the acquisition by a person or group of 15% or more of Newell's voting power, Newell were acquired in a merger or other business combination or 50% or more of its assets were sold, each Right, other than Rights held by the 15% stockholder, would become exercisable for that number of shares of common stock or securities of the surviving company in a business combination having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.

        Newell may redeem the Rights at $0.001 per Right before the occurrence of an event that causes the Rights to become exercisable for common stock.

        As of the date of this prospectus, the Rights are not exercisable, certificates representing the Rights have not been issued and the Rights automatically trade with the shares of common stock. The Rights will expire on October 31, 2008, unless earlier redeemed.

18



Preferred Stock

        Our Board of Directors may issue, without further authorization from our stockholders, up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series. Our Board of Directors may determine at the time of creating each series:

        We will describe in a prospectus supplement relating to any series of preferred stock being offered the terms of the preferred stock, which may include:

        Although Newell is not required to seek stockholder approval before designating any future series of preferred stock, the Board of Directors presently has a policy of seeking stockholder approval before designating any future series of preferred stock with a vote, or convertible into stock having a vote, in excess of 13% of the vote represented by all voting stock immediately after the issuance, except for the purpose of (a) raising capital in the ordinary course of business or (b) making acquisitions, the primary purpose of which is not to effect a change of voting power.

Provisions With Possible Anti-Takeover Effects

        As discussed above, Newell has adopted a Rights Agreement that provides stockholders with rights to purchase shares of common stock or securities of Newell (or of an acquiring company) at half of the market price under certain circumstances involving a potential change in control of Newell that has not been approved by the Board of Directors. The Rights Agreement is intended as a means to protect the value of the stockholders' investment in Newell while preserving the possibility of a fair acquisition bid. In addition, the Delaware General Corporation Law provides, among other things, that any beneficial owner of more than 15% of Newell's voting stock is prohibited, without the prior approval of the Board of Directors, from entering into any business combination with a company for three years from the date the 15% ownership interest is acquired. Additionally, the "fair price provisions" of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation require that specific proposed business combinations between

19



Newell and an "interested party," a beneficial owner of 5% or more of the voting shares of Newell, must be approved by the holders of 75% of the voting shares, unless certain fair price and procedural requirements are met or the business combination is approved by the directors of Newell who are not affiliated with the interested party. A vote of the holders of 75% of Newell's outstanding voting stock is required to amend the fair price provisions of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

        Newell's Restated Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws contain other provisions which may be viewed as having an anti-takeover effect. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation classifies the Board of Directors into three classes and provides that vacancies on the Board of Directors are to be filled by a majority vote of directors and that directors so chosen will hold office until the end of the full term of the class in which the vacancy occurred. A vote of the holders of 75% of Newell's outstanding voting stock is required to amend these provisions. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, directors of Newell may only be removed for cause. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the By-Laws also contain provisions that may reduce surprise and disruptive tactics at stockholders' meetings. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that no action may be taken by stockholders except at an annual meeting or special meeting, and does not permit stockholders to directly call a special meeting of stockholders. A stockholder must give written notice to Newell of an intention to nominate a director for election at an annual meeting 90 days before the anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting. Each of these provisions tends to make a change of control of the Board of Directors more difficult and time consuming.


DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

        We may issue warrants to purchase debt or equity securities. We may issue warrants independently or together with any offered securities. The warrants may be attached to or separate from those offered securities. We will issue the warrants under warrant agreements to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants.

        The prospectus supplement relating to any warrants that we may offer will contain the specific terms of the warrants. These terms may include the following:

20


Exercise of Warrants

        Each warrant will entitle the holder of warrants to purchase for cash the amount of debt or equity securities at the exercise price stated or determinable in the prospectus supplement for the warrants. Warrants may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date shown in the applicable prospectus supplement, unless otherwise specified in such prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void. Warrants may be exercised as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. When the warrant holder makes the payment and properly completes and signs the warrant certificate at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as possible, forward the debt or equity securities that the warrant holder has purchased. If the warrant holder exercises the warrant for less than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate, we will issue a new warrant certificate for the remaining warrants.


DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND STOCK PURCHASE UNITS

        We may issue stock purchase contracts, including contracts obligating holders to purchase from us, and for us to sell to the holders, a specified number of shares of common stock at a future date or dates. The price per share of common stock and the number of shares of common stock may be fixed at the time the stock purchase contracts are issued or may be determined by reference to a specific formula stated in the stock purchase contracts.

        The stock purchase contracts may be issued separately or as part of units that we call "stock purchase units." Stock purchase units consist of a stock purchase contract and either our debt securities or debt obligations of third parties, including U.S. treasury securities, securing the holders' obligations to purchase the common stock under the stock purchase contracts.

        The stock purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders of the stock purchase units or vice versa, and these payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis. The stock purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations in a specified manner.

        The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units. The description in the prospectus supplement will only be a summary, and you should read the stock purchase contracts, and, if applicable, collateral or depositary arrangements, relating to the stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units. Material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the stock purchase units and the stock purchase contracts will be also be discussed in the applicable prospectus supplement.


PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

        We may sell the securities:

21


        The prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including the following:

        If underwriters are used in the sale, the securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The securities may be either offered to the public through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters or by underwriters without a syndicate. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase securities will be subject to conditions precedent and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the securities if any are purchased. Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

        If dealers are used in the sale, we will sell the securities to the dealers as principals. The dealers may resell the securities to the public at prices determined by the dealers at the time of the resale.

        We may sell securities directly or through agents we designate from time to time. Any agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered will be named, and any commissions payable by us to that agent, will be described in the prospectus supplement.

        The names of the underwriters, dealers or agents, as the case may be, and the terms of the transaction will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

        Agents and underwriters may be entitled to indemnification by us against civil liabilities arising out of this prospectus, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution with respect to payments which the agents or underwriters may be required to make relating to those liabilities. Agents, dealers and underwriters may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.

        Our common stock will be approved for listing upon notice of issuance on the New York Stock Exchange and the Chicago Stock Exchange. Other securities may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange. No assurances can be given that there will be a market for the Securities.


LEGAL MATTERS

        Legal matters in connection with the securities will be passed upon for Newell by Schiff Hardin & Waite, Chicago, Illinois and for any underwriters, dealers or agents by counsel named in the applicable prospectus supplement. Schiff Hardin & Waite has advised Newell that, as of the date hereof, a member of the firm participating in the representation of Newell in this offering owns 4,363 shares of common stock.


EXPERTS

        The financial statements and schedules incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement have been audited by Arthur Andersen LLP, independent public

22



accountants, as indicated in their reports with respect thereto, and are included herein in reliance upon the authority of said firm as experts in giving said reports.

        After reasonable efforts, we have been unable to obtain Arthur Andersen LLP's written consent to the incorporation by reference of such financial statements in the registration statement. Accordingly, we have omitted such consents in reliance upon Rule 437a of the Securities Act of 1933.

        Because Arthur Andersen LLP has not consented to the incorporation by reference of our financial statements in the registration statement, you may not be able to recover against Arthur Andersen LLP under Section 11 of the Securities Act for any untrue statements of a material fact contained in such financial statements or any omissions to state a material fact required to be stated therein.

23




PART II


INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

        The following table sets forth all expenses in connection with the distribution of the debt securities, preferred stock, common stock and rights, warrants, stock purchase contracts and stock unit contracts being registered. All amounts shown below are estimates, except the registration fee:

  Registration fee of Securities and Exchange Commission   $ 80,900
  Accountants' fees and expenses     120,000
  Legal fees and expenses     125,000
  Printing     70,000
  Trustee fees and expenses     4,500
  Miscellaneous     9,600
   
      TOTAL   $ 410,000
   

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

        Section 102 of the Delaware law allows a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except in cases where the director breached his or her duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law, willfully or negligently authorized the unlawful payment of a dividend or approved an unlawful stock redemption or repurchase or obtained an improper personal benefit. Newell's Charter contains a provision which eliminates directors' personal liability as set forth above.

        The Charter and the Bylaws of Newell provide in effect that Newell shall indemnify its directors and officers to the extent permitted by the Delaware law. Section 145 of the Delaware law provides that a Delaware corporation has the power to indemnify its directors, officers, employees and agents in certain circumstances. Subsection (a) of Section 145 of the Delaware law empowers a corporation to indemnify any director, officer, employee or agent, or former director, officer, employee or agent, who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation), against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding provided that such director, officer, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, provided that such director, officer, employee or agent had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

        Subsection (b) of Section 145 of the Delaware law empowers a corporation to indemnify any director, officer, employee or agent, or former director, officer, employee or agent, who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person acted in any of the capacities set forth above, against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit provided that such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification may be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery shall determine that despite the adjudication

II-1



of liability such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the court shall deem proper.

        Section 145 further provides that to the extent that a director or officer or employee of a corporation has been successful in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he or she shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith; that indemnification provided by Section 145 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the party seeking indemnification may be entitled; and the corporation is empowered to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation against any liability asserted against him or her or incurred by him or her in any such capacity or arising out of his or her status as such whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liabilities under Section 145; and that, unless indemnification is ordered by a court, the determination that indemnification under subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145 is proper because the director, officer, employee or agent has met the applicable standard of conduct under such subsections shall be made by (1) a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (2) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (3) by the stockholders.

        Newell has in effect insurance policies for general officers' and directors' liability insurance covering all of Newell's officers and directors. Newell also has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its officers and directors that provide that the officers and directors will be entitled to their indemnification rights as they existed at the time they entered into the agreements, regardless of subsequent changes in Newell's indemnification policy.

        Pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger by and between Newell Co., Rooster Company and Rubbermaid Incorporated dated as of October 20, 1998 (the "Merger Agreement"), Newell will, to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law, indemnify, defend and hold harmless each person who is now, or has been at any time prior to the date of the merger agreement, or who becomes prior to the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement), an officer, director of employee of Rubbermaid or any of its subsidiaries against any losses, expenses, claims, damages or liabilities (1) arising out of acts or omissions occurring at or prior to the Effective Time that are based on or arising out of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer or employee of Rubbermaid or any of its subsidiaries or served as a fiduciary under or with respect to any Rubbermaid employee benefit plan and (2) to the extent they are based on or arise out of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement. In addition, from and after the Effective Time, directors and officers of Rubbermaid who become directors or officers of Newell will be entitled to indemnification under the Charter and the Bylaws of Newell, as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with their terms and applicable law, and to all other indemnity rights and protections as are afforded to other directors and officers of Newell.

        Additionally, for six years after the Effective Time, Newell will maintain in effect Rubbermaid's current directors' and officers' liability insurance covering acts or omissions occurring prior to the Effective Time with respect to those persons who are currently covered by Rubbermaid's directors' and officers' liability insurance policy on terms with respect to such coverage and amount no less favorable than those of such policy in effect on the date of the Merger Agreement; provided that Newell may substitute policies of Newell or its subsidiaries containing terms with respect to coverage and amount no less favorable to such directors or officers. Newell will not be required to pay aggregate premiums for the insurance described in this paragraph in excess of 200% of the aggregate premiums paid by Rubbermaid in 1998, except that if the annual premiums of such insurance coverage exceed such amount, Newell will be obligated to obtain a policy with the best coverage available, in the reasonable judgment of Newell's Board, for a cost up to but not exceeding such amount.

II-2



        For six years after the Effective Time, Newell will also maintain in effect Rubbermaid's current fiduciary liability insurance policies for employees who serve or have served as fiduciaries under any Rubbermaid benefit plan with coverages and in amounts no less favorable than those of such policy in effect on the date of the Merger Agreement.

Item 16. Exhibits

        The Exhibits filed herewith are set forth on the Index to Exhibits filed as a part of this Registration Statement on page II-7 and II-8 hereof.

Item 17. Undertakings

        The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

        (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

        (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

        (4) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing on an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

II-3



        Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the provisions described under Item 15 above, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. If a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

II-4



SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Rockford, State of Illinois, on this 10th day of February, 2003.


 

 

NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC.
(Registrant)

 

 

By:

/s/  
WILLIAM T. ALLDREDGE      
William T. Alldredge
President—Corporate Development
and Chief Financial Officer

        Each person whose signature appears below appoints Joseph Galli, Jr., William T. Alldredge, Andrea L. Horne or Dale L. Matschullat or any one of them, as such person's true and lawful attorneys to execute in the name of each such person, and to file, any pre-effective or post-effective amendments to this Registration Statement that any of such attorneys shall deem necessary or advisable to enable the Registrant to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect thereto, in connection with this Registration Statement, which amendments may make such changes in such Registration Statement as any of the above-named attorneys deems appropriate, and to comply with the undertakings of the Registrant made in connection with this Registration Statement; and each of the undersigned hereby ratifies all that any of said attorneys shall do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature
  Title
  Date

/s/  
JOSEPH GALLI, JR.      
Joseph Galli, Jr.

 

President, Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) and Director

 

February 10, 2003

/s/  
J. PATRICK ROBINSON      
J. Patrick Robinson

 

Vice President—Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer)

 

February 10, 2003

/s/  
WILLIAM T. ALLDREDGE      
William T. Alldredge

 

President—Corporate Development and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)

 

February 10, 2003

/s/  
THOMAS E. CLARKE      
Thomas E. Clarke

 

Director

 

February 10, 2003

 

 

 

 

 

II-5



/s/  
SCOTT S. COWEN      
Scott S. Cowen

 

Director

 

February 10, 2003

/s/  
ALTON F. DOODY      
Alton F. Doody

 

Director

 

February 10, 2003

/s/  
ROBERT L. KATZ      
Robert L. Katz

 

Director

 

February 10, 2003

/s/  
WILLIAM D. MAROHN      
William D. Marohn

 

Director

 

February 10, 2003

/s/  
ELIZABETH CUTHBERT MILLETT      
Elizabeth Cuthbert Millett

 

Director

 

February 10, 2003

/s/  
CYNTHIA A. MONTGOMERY      
Cynthia A. Montgomery

 

Director

 

February 10, 2003

/s/  
ALLAN P. NEWELL      
Allan P. Newell

 

Director

 

February 10, 2003

/s/  
WILLIAM P. SOVEY      
William P. Sovey

 


Chairman of the Board and Director

 


February 10, 2003

/s/  
GORDON R. SULLIVAN      
Gordon R. Sullivan

 

Director

 

February 10, 2003

/s/  
RAYMOND G. VIAULT      
Raymond G. Viault

 

Director

 

February 10, 2003

II-6



INDEX TO EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT
INDEX

  EXHIBIT

1.1

 

Form of Underwriting Agreement with respect to Debt Securities**

1.2

 

Form of Underwriting Agreement with respect to Common Stock**

1.3

 

Form of Underwriting Agreement with respect to Preferred Stock**

1.4

 

Form of Underwriting Agreement with respect to Stock Purchase Contracts**

1.5

 

Form of Underwriting Agreement with respect to Stock Purchase Units**

1.6

 

Form of Underwriting Agreement with respect to Warrants**

3.1

 

Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Newell Rubbermaid Inc., as amended as of April 5, 2001 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2001)

3.2

 

By-Laws of Newell Rubbermaid Inc., as amended through January 16, 2003*

4.1

 

Indenture dated as of November 1, 1995 between Newell Rubbermaid Inc. and The Chase Manhattan Bank (now known as JPMorgan Chase Bank), as Trustee, relating to the Senior Debt Securities (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 3, 1996)

4.2

 

Form of Indenture between Newell and The Chase Manhattan Bank (now known as JPMorgan Chase Bank), as Trustee, relating to the Subordinated Debt Securities (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3, File No. 33-64225)

4.3

 

Form of Specimen Common Stock Certificate of Newell Rubbermaid Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-4, File No. 333-71747)

4.4

 

Rights Agreement, dated as of August 6, 1998, between Newell Co. and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, as Rights Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated August 6, 1998)

4.5

 

Form of Specimen of Preferred Stock Certificate of Newell Rubbermaid Inc.**

4.6

 

Form of Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights of Preferred Stock of Newell Rubbermaid Inc.**

4.7

 

Form of Stock Purchase Contract Agreement**

4.8

 

Form of Stock Purchase Unit Agreement**

4.9

 

Form of Warrant Agreement (including Form of Warrant Certificate) with respect to Warrants to Purchase Debt Securities**

4.10

 

Form of Warrant Agreement (including Form of Warrant Certificate) with respect to Warrants to Purchase Common Stock**

4.11

 

Form of Warrant Agreement (including Form of Warrant Certificate) with respect to Warrants to Purchase Preferred Stock**

4.12

 

Form of Warrant Agreement (including Form of Warrant Certificate) with respect to Warrants to Purchase Stock Purchase Contracts**

 

 

 

II-7



4.13

 

Form of Warrant Agreement (including Form of Warrant Certificate) with respect to Warrants to Purchase Stock Purchase Units**

5.1

 

Opinion of Schiff Hardin & Waite*

12.1

 

Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges of Newell Rubbermaid Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 11 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001)

23.1

 

Consent of Schiff Hardin & Waite (contained in their opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1)

24.1

 

Powers of attorney (set forth on the signature page of this Registration Statement)

25.1

 

Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of Trustee for Senior and Subordinated Debt Indentures*

*
Filed herewith.

**
To be filed as an exhibit to a document filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and incorporated by reference herein.

II-8




QuickLinks

TABLE OF CONTENTS
NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC.
Recent Developments
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
USE OF PROCEEDS
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
PARTICULAR TERMS OF THE SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES
PARTICULAR TERMS OF THE SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND STOCK PURCHASE UNITS
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
LEGAL MATTERS
EXPERTS
PART II INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
SIGNATURES
INDEX TO EXHIBITS

QuickLinks -- Click here to rapidly navigate through this document


Exhibit 3.2

        BY-LAWS

OF

NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
(as amended January 16, 2003)

ARTICLE I
OFFICES

        1.1    Registered Office.    The registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware shall be located in the City of Dover and County of Kent. The Corporation may have such other offices, either within or without the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors may designate or the business of the Corporation may require from time to time.

        1.2    Principal Office in Illinois.    The principal office of the Corporation in the State of Illinois shall be located in the City of Freeport and the County of Stephenson.

ARTICLE II
STOCKHOLDERS

        2.1    Annual Meeting.    The annual meeting of stockholders shall be held each year at such time and date as the Board of Directors may designate prior to the giving of notice of such meeting, but if no such designation is made, then the annual meeting of stockholders shall be held on the second Wednesday on May of each year for the election of directors and for the transaction of such other business as may come before the meeting. If the day fixed for the annual meeting shall be a legal holiday, such meeting shall be held on the next succeeding business day.

        2.2    Special Meetings.    Special meetings of the stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, may be called by the Chairman, by the Board of Directors or by the President.

        2.3    Place of Meeting.    The Board of Directors may designate any place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as the place of meeting for any annual meeting or for any special meeting called by the Board of Directors. If no designation is made, or if a special meeting be otherwise called, the place of meeting shall be the principal office of the Corporation in the State of Illinois.

        2.4    Notice of Meeting.    Written notice stating the place, date and hour of the meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be given not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting, or in the case of a merger or consolidation of the Corporation requiring stockholder approval or a sale, lease or exchange of substantially all of the Corporation's property and assets, not less than twenty nor more than sixty days before the date of meeting, to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting. If mailed, notice shall be deemed given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at his address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time and the place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless the adjournment is for more than thirty days, or unless after adjournment, a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, in either of which cases notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder or record entitled to vote at the meeting.

        2.5    Fixing of Record Date.    For the purpose of determining the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent (to the extent permitted, if permitted) to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion, or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be more than sixty nor less than ten days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty days prior to any other



action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held, and the record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting unless the Board of Directors fixes a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

        2.6    Voting Lists.    The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare and make, at least ten days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in his name, which list, for a period of tens days prior to such meeting, shall be kept on file either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held and which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held, and shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, at any time during ordinary business hours. Such lists shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. The stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the stock ledger, the list of stockholders entitled to vote, or the books of the Corporation, or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

        2.7    Quorum.    The holders of shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to cast a majority of the total votes that all of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation would be entitled to cast at the meeting, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of stockholders; provided, that is less than majority of the outstanding shares of capital stock are represented at said meeting, a majority of the shares of capital stock so represented may adjourn the meeting. If a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders of shares of capital stock represented at the meeting shall be the act of the stockholders, unless a different number of votes is required by the General Corporation Law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws. At any adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the original meeting. Withdrawal of stockholders from any meeting shall not cause failure of a duly constituted quorum at the meeting.

        2.8    Proxies.    Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholder or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. Without limiting the manner in which a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy pursuant to the foregoing sentence, a stockholder may validly grant such authority (i) by executing in writing authorizing another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy or (ii) by authorizing another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy by transmitting or authorizing the transmission of a telegram, cablegram, or other means of electronic transmission to the person who will be the holder of the proxy or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support service organization or like agent duly authorized by the person who will be the holder of the proxy to receive such transmission, provided that any such telegram, cablegram or other means of electronic transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the telegram, cablegram or other electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder, or by any other means permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law.

        2.9    Voting of Stock.    Each stockholder shall be entitled to such vote as shall be provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, or, absent provision therein fixing or denying voting rights, shall be entitled to one vote per share with respect to each matter submitted to a vote of stockholders.

        2.10    Voting of Stock by Certain Holders.    Persons holding stock in a fiduciary capacity shall be entitled to vote the shares so held. Persons whose stock is pledged shall be entitled to vote, unless in



the transfer by the pledgor on the books of the Corporation he has expressly empowered the pledgee to vote thereon, in which case only the pledgee or his proxy may represent such stock and vote thereon. Stock standing in the name of another corporation, domestic, or foreign, may be voted by such officer, agent or proxy as the charter of by-laws of such corporation may prescribe or, in the absence of such provision, as the board of directors of such corporation may determine. Shares of its own capital stock belonging to the Corporation or to another corporation, if a majority of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such other corporation is held by the Corporation, shall neither be entitled to vote nor counted for quorum purposes, but shares of its capital stock held by the Corporation in a fiduciary capacity may be voted by it and counted for quorum purposes.

        2.11    Voting by Ballot.    Voting on any question or in any election may be by voice unless the presiding officer shall order or any stockholder shall demand that voting be by ballot.

ARTICLE III
DIRECTORS

        3.1    General Powers.    The business of the Corporation shall be managed by its Board of Directors.

        3.2    Number, Tenure and Qualification.    The number of directors of the Corporation shall be twelve, and the terms of office of each director shall be as set forth in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation. A director may resign at any time upon written notice to the Corporation. Directors need not be stockholders of the Corporation.

        3.3    Regular Meetings.    A regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held without other notice than this By-Law, immediately after, and at the same place as, the annual meeting of stockholder. The Board of Directors may provide, by resolution, the time and place, either within or without the State of Delaware, for the holding of additional regular meetings without other notice than such resolution.

        3.4    Special Meetings.    Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by or at the request of the Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer or any two directors. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board of Directors may fix any place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as the place for holding any special meeting of the Board of Directors called by them.

        3.5    Notice.    Notice of any special meeting of directors, unless waived, shall be given, in accordance with Section 3.6 of the By-Laws, in person, by mail, by telegram or cable, by telephone, or by any other means that reasonably may be expected to provide similar notice. Notice by mail and, except in emergency situations as described below, notice by any other means, shall be given at least two (2) days before the meeting. For purposes of dealing with an emergency situation, as conclusively determined by the director(s) or officer(s) calling the meeting, notice may be given in person, by telegram or cable, by telephone, or by any other means that reasonably may be expected to provide similar notice, not less than two hours prior to the meeting. If the secretary shall fail or refuse to give such notice, then the notice may be given to the officer(s) or director(s) calling the meeting. Any meeting of the Board of Directors shall be a legal meeting without notice thereof having been given, if all the directors shall be present at the meeting. The attendance of a director at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, and no notice of a meeting shall be required to be given to any director who shall attend such meeting. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors need be specified in the notice of such meeting.

        3.6    Notice of Directors.    If notice to a director is given by mail, such notice shall be deemed to have been given when deposited in the United State mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the director at his home address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. If notice to a directors is given by telegram, cable or other means that provide written notice, such notice shall be deemed to have been given when delivered to any authorized transmission company, with charges prepaid, addressed to the



director at his address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. If notice to a directors is given by telephone, wireless, or other means of voice transmission, such notice shall be deemed to have been given when such notice has been transmitted by telephone, wireless or such other means to such number or call designation as may appear on the records of the Corporation for such director.

        3.7    Quorum.    Except as otherwise required by the General Corporation law or by Certificate of Incorporation, a majority of the number of directors fixed by these By-Laws shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors, provided that, if less than a majority of such number of directors are present at said meeting, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice. Interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors or of a committee thereof.

        3.8    Manner of Acting.    The vote of the majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors.

        3.9    Action Without a Meeting.    Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all the members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, and the writing or the writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee.

        3.10    Vacancies.    Vacancies on the Board of Directors, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies in the Board of Directors resulting from death, disability, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office, or other cause shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation.

        3.11    Compensation.    The Board of Directors, by the affirmative vote of a majority of directors then in office, and irrespective of any personal interest of any of its members, shall have authority to establish reasonable compensation of all directors for services to the Corporation as directors, officers, or otherwise. The directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board and at each meeting of any committee of the Board of which they are members in such manner as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine.

        3.12    Presumption of Assent.    A director of the Corporation who is present at a meeting of the Board of Directors or at a meeting of any committee of the Board at which action on any corporate matter is taken shall conclusively presumed to have assented to the action taken unless his dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless he shall file his written dissent to such action with the person acting as the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward such dissent by registered mail to the Secretary of the Corporation within 24 hours after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a director who voted in favor of such action.

        3.13    Committees.    By resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board, the Board of Directors may designate one or more committees, each such committee to consist of two or more directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member of any meeting of the committee. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolutions or in these By-Laws, shall have and may exercise the powers of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it. In the absence or disqualification of any member of such committee or committees, the member or members thereof present at the meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of such absent or disqualified member.

        3.14    Chairman and Vice Chairmen.    The Board of Directors may from time to time designate from among its members a Chairman of the Board and one or more Vice Chairmen. The Chairman shall reside at all meetings of the Board of Directors. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer and the President and Chief Operating Officer, and, in their absence, a Vice Chairman (with the longest tenure as Vice Chairman), shall preside at all meetings of the Board



of Directors. The Chairman and each of the Vice Chairmen shall have such other responsibilities as may from time to time be assigned to each of them by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS

        4.1    Number.    The officers of the Corporation shall be a Chairman of the Board, a Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, a President and Chief Operating Officer, one or more Group Presidents (the number thereof determined by the Board of Directors), one or more Vice Presidents (the number thereof to be determined by the Board of Directors), a Treasurer, a Secretary and such Assistant Treasurers, Assistant Secretaries or other officers as may be elected by the Board of Directors.

        4.2    Election and Term of Office.    The officers of the Corporation shall be elected annually by the Board of Directors at the first meeting of the Board of Directors held after such annual meeting of stockholders. If the election of officers shall not be held at such meeting, such election shall be held as soon thereafter as conveniently may be. New offices may be created and filled at any meeting of the Board of Directors. Each officer shall hold office until his successor is elected and has qualified or until his earlier resignation or removal. Any officer may resign at any time upon written notice to the Corporation. Election of an officer shall not of itself create contract rights, except as may otherwise be provided by the General Corporation Law, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these By-Laws.

        4.3    Removal.    Any officer elected by the Board of Directors may be removed by the Board of Directors whenever in its judgement the best interested of the Corporation would be served thereby, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed.

        4.4    Vacancies.    A vacancy in any officer occurring because of death, resignation, removal or otherwise, may be filled by the Board of Directors.

        4.5    The Chairman.    The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors. In general, he shall perform all duties incident to the officer of Chairman and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors from time to time.

        4.6    The Chief Executive Officer.    The Chief Executive Officer shall be the principal executive officer of the Corporation. Subject only to the Board of Directors, he shall be in charge of the business of the Corporation; he shall see that the resolutions and directions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect except in those instances in which that responsibility is specifically assigned to some other person by the Board of Directors; and, in general, he shall discharge all duties incident to the office of the chief executive officer of the Corporation and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors from time to time. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors. The Chief Executive Officer shall have authority to vote or to refrain from voting any and all shares of capital stock of any other corporation standing in the name of the Corporation, by the execution of a written proxy, the execution of a written ballot, the execution of a written consent or otherwise, and, in respect to any meeting of the stockholders of such other corporation, and, on behalf of the Corporation, may waive any notice of the calling of any such meeting. The Chief Executive Officer or, in his absence, the President and Chief Operating Officer, the Vice President—Finance, the Vice President—Controller, the Treasurer or such other person as the Board of Directors or one of the preceding named officers shall designate, shall call any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation to order and shall act as chairman of such meeting. In the event that no one, the Chief Executive Officer, the President and Chief Operating Officer, the Vice President—Finance, the Vice President—Controller, the Treasurer or a person designated by the board of Directors of by one of the preceding named officers, is present, the meeting shall not be called to order until such time as there shall be present the Chief Executive Officer, the President and chief Operating Officer, the Vice President—Finance, the Vice President—Controller, the Treasurer or a person designated by the Board of Directors or by one of the preceding named officers. The chairman of any meeting of the stockholders of this Corporation shall have plenary power



to set the agenda, determine the procedure and rules of order, and make definitive rulings at meetings of the stockholders. The Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation shall act as secretary at all meetings of the stockholders, but in the absence of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

        4.7    The President and Chief Operating Officer.    The President and Chief Operating Officer shall be the principal operating officer of the Corporation and , subject only to the Board of Directors and to the Chief Executive Officer, he shall have the general authority over and general management and control of the property, business and affairs of the Corporation. In general, he shall discharge all duties incident to the office of the principal operating officer of the Corporation and such other duties as may be prescribe by the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer from time to time. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer, the President and Chief Operating Officer shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors. In the absence of the Chief Executive Officer or in the event of his disability, or inability to act, or to continue to act, the President and Chief Operating Officer shall perform the duties of the Chief Executive Officer, and when so acting, shall have all of the powers of and be subject to all of the restrictions upon the office of Chief Executive Officer. Except in those instances in which the authority to execute is expressly delegated to another officer or agent of the Corporation or a different mode of execution is expressly prescribe by the Board of Directors of these By-Laws, he may execute for the Corporation certificates for its shares (the issue of which shall have been authorized by the Board of Directors), and any contracts, deeds, mortgages, bonds or other instruments that the Board of Directors has authorized, and he may (without previous authorization by the Board of Directors) execute such contracts and other instruments as the conduct of the Corporation's business in its ordinary course requires, and he may accomplish such execution in each case either individually or with the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, or any other officer these unto authorized by the Board of Directors, according to the requirements of the form of the instrument. The President and Chief Operating Officer shall have authority to vote or to refrain from voting any and all share of capital stock of any other corporation standing in the name of the Corporation, by the execution of a written proxy, the execution of a written ballot, the execution of a written consent or otherwise, and, in respect of any meeting of stockholders of such other corporation, and, on behalf of the Corporation, may waive any notice of the calling of any such meeting.

        4.8    The Group Presidents.    Each of the Group Presidents shall have general authority over and general management and control of the property, business and affairs of certain businesses of the corporation. Each of the Group Presidents shall report to the President and Chief Operating Officer or such other officer as may be determined by the Board of Directors or the President and Chief Operating Officer and shall have such other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the President and Chief Operating Officer and the Board of Directors from time to time.

        4.9    The Vice Presidents.    Each of the Vice Presidents shall report to the President and Chief Operating Officer or such other officer as may be determined by the Board of Directors of the President and Chief Operating Officer. Each Vice President shall have such duties and responsibilities as form time to time may be assigned to him by the President and Chief Operating Officer and the Board of Directors.

        4.10    The Treasurer.    The Treasurer shall: (i) have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds and securities of the corporation; receive and give receipts for monies due and payable to the Corporation from any source whatsoever, and deposit all such monies in the name of the Corporation in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as shall be selected in accordance with the provisions of Article V of these By-Laws, (ii) in general, perform all the duties incident to the office of Treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the President and Chief Operating Officer or the Board of Directors. In the absence of the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer may perform the duties of the Treasurer.

        4.11    The Secretary.    The Secretary shall: (i) record all of the proceedings of the meetings of the stockholders and Board of Directors in one or more books kept for the purpose; (ii) see that all notices



are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these By-Laws or as required by law; (iii) be custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the Corporation and see that the seal of the Corporation is affixed to all certificates for shares in capital stock prior to the issue thereof and to a l documents, the execution of which on behalf of the Corporation under its seal is duly authorized in accordance with the provisions of these By-Laws; (iv) keep a register of the post office address of each stockholder which shall be furnished to the Secretary by such stockholder; (v) have general charge of the stock transfer books of the Corporation and (vi) in general, perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the President and Chef Operating Officer or the Board of Directors. In the absence of the Secretary, or in the event of his incapacity or refusal to act, or at the direction of the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary may perform the duties of Secretary.

ARTICLE V
CONTRACTS, LOANS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS

        5.1    Contracts.    Except as otherwise determined by the Board of Directors or Provided in these By-Laws, all deeds and mortgages made by the Corporation and all other written contracts and agreements to which the Corporation shall be a party shall be executed in its name by the Chief Executive Officer, the President and Chief Operating Officer, or any Vice President so authorized by the Board of Directors.

        5.2    Loans.    No loans shall be contracted on behalf of the Corporation and no evidences of indebtedness shall be issued in its name unless authorized by a resolution of the Board of Directors. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

        5.3    Checks, Drafts, Etc.    All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Corporation, shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents of the Corporation and in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.

        5.4    Deposits.    All funds of the Corporation not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Corporation in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Board of Directors may select.

ARTICLE VI
CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES OF
CAPTIAL STOCK AND THEIR TRANSFER

        6.1    Share Ownership; Transfers of Stock.    Shares of capital stock of the Corporation may be certificated or uncertificated. Owners of shares of the capital stock of the Corporation shall be recorded in the books of the Corporation and ownership of such shares shall be evidenced by a certificate of book entry notation in the books of the Corporation. If shares are represented by certificates, such certificates shall be in such form as may be determined by the Board of Directors. Certificates shall be signed by the Chief Executive Officer or the President and Chief Operating Officer or any Vice President and by the Treasurer or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary. If any such certificate is countersigned by a transfer agent other than the Corporation or its employee, or by a registrar other than the Corporation or its employee, any other signature on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue. All certificates for shares of capital stock shall be consecutively numbered or otherwise identified. The name of the person to whom the shares represented thereby are issued, with the number of share and date of issue, shall be entered on the books of the Corporation. Each certificate surrendered to the Corporation for transfer shall be canceled and no new certificate or other evidence of new shares shall be issued until the former



certificate for alike number of shares shall have been surrendered and canceled, except that in case of a lost, destroyed or mutilated certificate, a new certificate or other evidence of new shares may be issued therefor upon such terms and indemnity to the Corporation as the Board of Directors may prescribe. Uncertificated shares shall be transferred in the books of the Corporation upon the written instruction originated by the appropriate person to transfer the shares.

        6.2    Transfer Agents And Registers.    The Board of Directors may appoint one or more transfer agents or assistant transfer agents and one or more registrars of transfers, and may require all certificates for shares of capital stock of the Corporation to bear the signature of a transfer agent and a registrar of transfers. The Board of Directors may at anytime terminate the appointment of any transfer agent or any assistant transfer agent or any registrar of transfers.

ARTICLE VII
LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION

        7.1    Limited Liability of Directors.    

        (a)  No person who was or is a director of this Corporation shall be personally liable to The Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (i) for breach of the of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders; (ii) for acts of omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or known violation of law; (iii) under Section 174 of the General Corporation Law; or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived any improper person benefit. If the General Corporation Law is amended after the effective date of the By-Law to further eliminate of limit, or to the effective date of this By-Law to further eliminate or limit, or to authorize further elimination or limitation of, the personal liability of the director to this Corporation or its stockholders shall be eliminated or limited to the full extent permitted by the General Corporation Law, as so amended. For purposes of this By-Law, "fiduciary duty as a director" shall include any fiduciary duty arising out of serving at the request of this Corporation as a director of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, and any liability to such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, and any liability to this Corporation in its capacity as a security holder, joint venturer, partner, beneficiary, creditor, or investor of or in any such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

        (b)  Any repeal or modification of the foregoing paragraph by the stockholders of this Corporation shall not adversely affect the elimination or limitation of the personal liability of a director for any act or omission occurring prior to the effective date of such repeal or modification. This provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director for any act or omission occurring prior to the effective date of this By-Law.

        7.2    Litigation Brought by Third Parties.    The Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was or has agreed to become a director or officer of the Corporation; or is or was serving or has agreed to serve at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against costs, charges and other expenses (including attorney's fees) ("Expenses"), judgements, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal thereof if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgement, order, settlement, conviction, or plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was



unlawful. For purposes of this By-Law, "serving or has agreed to serve at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise" shall include any service by a director or officer of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or with respect to any employee benefit plan (or its participants or beneficiaries) of the Corporation or any such other enterprise.

        7.3    Litigation By or in the Right of the Corporation.    The Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was or has agreed to become a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving or has agreed to serve at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity against Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the investigation, defense or settlement of such action or suit and any appeal thereof if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such Expenses as the Court of Chancery of Delaware or such other court shall deem proper.

        7.4    Successful Defense.    To the extent that any person referred to in section 7.2 or 7.3 of these By-Laws has been successful on the merits or otherwise, including, without limitation, the dismissal of an action without prejudice, in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to therein or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified against Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith.

        7.5    Determination of Conduct.    Any indemnification under section 7.2 or 7.3 of these By-Laws (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the director or officer is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in section 7.2 or 7.3. Such determination shall be made (i) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum (as defined in these By-Laws) consisting of directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, or (ii) if such quorum is not obtainable, or, even if obtainable a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (iii) by the stockholders.

        7.6    Advance Payment.    Expenses incurred in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal upon receipt by the Corporation of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation.

        7.7    Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification.    The determination of the entitlement of any person to indemnification under section 7.2, 7.4 or 7.4 or to advancement of Expenses under section 7.6 of these By-Laws shall be made promptly, and in any event within 60 days after the Corporation has received a written request for payment from or on behalf of a director or officer and payment of amounts due under such section shall be made immediately after such determination. If no disposition of such request is made within said 60 days or if payment has not been made with 10 days thereafter, or if such request is rejected, the right to indemnification or advancement of Expenses provided by this By-Law shall be enforceable by or on behalf of the director or officer in any court of competent jurisdiction. In addition to the other amounts due under this By-Law, Expenses incurred by or on behalf of a director or officer in successfully establishing his right to indemnification or advancement of



Expenses, in whole or in part, in any such action (or settlement thereof) shall be paid by the Corporation.

        7.8    By-Laws Not Exclusive: Change in Law.    The indemnification and advancement of Expenses provided by these By-Laws shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of Expenses may be entitled under any law (common or statutory), the Certificate of Incorporation, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, or while employed by or acting as a director or officer of the Corporation or as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person. Notwithstanding the provisions of these By-Laws, the Corporation shall indemnify or made advancement of Expenses to any person referred to in section 7.2 or 7.3 of this By-Law to the full extent permitted under the laws of Delaware and any other applicable laws, as they now exist or as they may be amended in the future.

        7.9    Contract Rights.    All rights to indemnification and advancement of Expenses provided by these By-Laws shall be deemed to be a contract between the Corporation and each director or officer of the Corporation who serves, served or has agreed to serve in such capacity, or at the request of the Corporation as director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, at any time while these By-Laws and the relevant provisions of the General Corporation Law or other applicable law, if any, are in effect. Any repeal or modification of these By-Laws, or any repeal or modification of relevant provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law or any other applicable law, shall not in anyway diminish any rights to indemnification of or advancement of Expenses to such director or officer or the obligations of the Corporation.

        7.10    Insurance.    The Corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was or has to become a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving or has agreed to serve at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of these By-Laws.

        7.11    Indemnification of Employees or Agents.    The Board of Directors may, by resolution, extend the provisions of these By-Laws pertaining to indemnification and advancement of Expenses to any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact that he is or was or has agreed to become an employee, agent or fiduciary of the corporation or is or was serving or has agreed to serve a the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise or with respect to any employee benefit plan (or its participants or beneficiaries) of the Corporation or any such other enterprise.

ARTICLE VIII
FISCAL YEAR

        8.1  The fiscal year of the Corporation shall end on the thirty-first day of December in each year.

ARTICLE IX
DIVIDENDS

        9.1  The Board of Directors may from time to time declare, and the Corporation may pay, dividends on its outstanding shares of capital stock in the manner and upon the terms and conditions provided by law and its Certificate of Incorporation.



ARTICLE X
SEAL

        10.1 The Board of Directors shall provide a corporate seal which shall be in the form of a circle and shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation and the words "Corporate Seal, Delaware."

ARTICLE XI
WAIVER OF NOTICE

        11.1 Whenever any notice whatever is required to be given under any provision of these By-Laws or of the Certificate of Incorporation or of the General corporation Law, a written waiver thereof, signed by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting of stockholders shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the stockholder attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders need be specified in any written waiver of notice.

ARTICLE XII
AMENDMENTS

        12.1 These By-Laws may be altered, amended or repealed and new By-Laws may be adopted at any meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corporation by a majority of the whole Board of Directors.





QuickLinks


QuickLinks -- Click here to rapidly navigate through this document


Exhibit 5.1

SCHIFF HARDIN & WAITE
6600 Sears Tower, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6473
Telephone (312) 258-5500    Facsimile (312) 258-5700

Frederick L. Hartmann
(312) 258-5656
Email: fhartmann@schiffhardin.com

March 12, 2003

Newell Rubbermaid Inc.
29 East Stephenson Street
Freeport, Illinois 61032

Ladies and Gentlemen:

        We have acted as counsel to Newell Rubbermaid Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 12, 2003 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). The Registration Statement relates to the issuance and sale from time to time, pursuant to Rule 415 of the rules and regulations promulgated under the Securities Act, of the following securities of the Company with an aggregate initial offering price up to $1,000,000,000 or the equivalent thereof, based on the applicable exchange rate at the time of sale, in one or more foreign currencies, currency units or composite currencies as shall be designated by the Company: (i) common stock (including related Common Stock Purchase Rights), par value $1.00 per share (the "Common Stock"); (ii) preferred stock (the "Preferred Stock"); (iii) senior and subordinated debt securities, consisting of debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness in one or more series ("Debt Securities"); (iv) warrants to purchase Debt Securities, warrants to purchase Common Stock, warrants to purchase Preferred Stock, warrants to purchase Stock Purchase Contracts and warrants to purchase Stock Purchase Units (collectively, the "Warrants"); (v) the stock purchase contracts (the "Stock Purchase Contracts"); and (vi) the stock purchase units (the "Stock Purchase Units"). The Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities, Warrants, Stock Purchase Contracts and Stock Purchase Units are collectively referred to herein as the "Offered Securities."

        The senior Debt Securities are to be issued under an indenture, dated as of November 1, 1995, between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank (now known as JPMorgan Chase Bank), as trustee, as filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 3, 1996 (the "Senior Debt Indenture"). The subordinated Debt Securities are to be issued under an indenture, to be entered into between the Company and JPMorgan Chase Bank, as trustee, in the form filed as Exhibit 4.4 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 33-64225) (the "Subordinated Debt Indenture"). Each such indenture is referred to as an "Indenture" and, together, as the "Indentures."

        This opinion is being delivered in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.

        In connection with our opinion, we have examined the Registration Statement, including the exhibits thereto, and such other documents, corporate records and instruments, and have examined such laws and regulations, as we have deemed necessary for the purposes of this opinion. In such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to the original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents.

        In rendering the opinions in this letter we have assumed, without independent investigation or verification, that each party to each of the documents executed or to be executed, other than the Company, (a) is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, (b) has full power and authority to execute such documents to which it is a party and to perform its



obligations thereunder, (c) has taken all necessary action to authorize execution of such documents on its behalf by the persons executing same, (d) has properly executed and delivered, or will properly execute and deliver, each of such documents to which it is a party, and (e) has duly obtained all consents or approvals of any nature from and made all filings with any governmental authorities necessary for such party to execute, deliver or perform its obligations under such documents to which it is a party. In addition, in rendering such opinions we have assumed, without independent investigation or verification, (i) that the execution and delivery of, and performance of their respective obligations under, the documents executed or to be executed by each party thereto, other than the Company, do not violate any law, rule, regulation, agreement or instrument binding upon such party, (ii) that each of such documents is the legal, valid and binding obligation of, and enforceable against, each party thereto, other than the Company, and (iii) that the execution and delivery by the Company of, and performance by it of its obligations under, such documents do not violate any law, rule, regulation, agreement or instrument binding upon the Company or require any consent or approval from or filing with any governmental authority (except that we do not make the assumption set forth in this clause (iii) with respect to those laws, rules and regulations of the states of Delaware, Illinois and New York and the United States of America, in each case, that, in our experience, are normally applicable to transactions of the type provided for by the documents executed or to be executed, but without our having made any special investigation with respect to any other laws, rules or regulations).

        Based on the foregoing and subject to the qualifications set forth below, we are of the opinion that, when the Registration Statement, as it may be amended, has become effective under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws have been complied with:

        1.    With respect to any offering of Common Stock, when (i) an appropriate prospectus supplement with respect to the Common Stock has been prepared, delivered and filed in compliance with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder; (ii) if the Common Stock is to be sold pursuant to a firm commitment underwritten offering, the underwriting agreement with respect to the Common Stock has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto; (iii) the Board of Directors, including any appropriate committee appointed thereby, and appropriate officers of the Company have taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance of the Common Stock and related matters; (iv) the terms of the issuance and sale of the Common Stock have been duly established in conformity with the Restated Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws of the Company, so as not to violate any applicable law or the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or result in a default under a breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company; and (v) certificates representing the shares of Common Stock are duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered upon payment of the agreed upon consideration therefor, the shares of Common Stock, when issued and sold in accordance with the applicable underwriting agreement with respect to the Common Stock or any other duly authorized, executed and delivered valid and binding purchase or agency agreement, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

        2.    With respect to the shares of any series of Preferred Stock (the "Offered Preferred Stock"), when (i) an appropriate prospectus supplement with respect to the shares of the Offered Preferred Stock has been prepared, delivered and filed in compliance with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder; (ii) if the Offered Preferred Stock is to be sold pursuant to a firm commitment underwritten offering, the underwriting agreement with respect to the shares of the Offered Preferred Stock has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto; (iii) the Board of Directors, including any appropriate committee appointed thereby, and appropriate officers of the Company have taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the shares of the Offered Preferred Stock and related matters, including the adoption of a Certificate of Designations for the Offered Preferred Stock in accordance with the applicable provisions of Delaware law (the "Certificate of Designations"); (iv) the filing of the Certificate of Designations with the Delaware Secretary of State has duly occurred; (v) the terms of the Offered Preferred Stock and of their issuance and sale have been duly established in conformity with the Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the By-laws of the Company, including the Certificate of



Designations, so as not to violate any applicable law or the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company; and (vi) certificates representing the shares of the Offered Preferred Stock are duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered upon payment of the agreed upon consideration therefor: (1) the shares of the Offered Preferred Stock, when issued and sold in accordance with the applicable underwriting agreement or any other duly authorized, executed and delivered valid and binding purchase or agency agreement, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable; and (2) if the Offered Preferred Stock is convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock, the Common Stock issuable upon conversion or exchange of the Offered Preferred Stock will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, assuming the conversion or exchange of the Offered Preferred Stock is in accordance with the terms of the Certificate of Designations.

        3.    With respect to any series of Debt Securities (the "Offered Debt Securities"), when (i) an appropriate prospectus supplement with respect to the Offered Debt Securities has been prepared, delivered and filed in compliance with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder; (ii) if the Offered Debt Securities are to be sold pursuant to a firm commitment underwritten offering, the underwriting agreement with respect to the Offered Debt Securities has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto; (iii) the Board of Directors, including any appropriate committee appointed thereby, and appropriate officers of the Company have taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the Offered Debt Securities and related matters; (iv) the terms of the Offered Debt Securities and of their issuance and sale have been duly established in conformity with the relevant Indenture so as not to violate any applicable law or the Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company or By-laws of the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company; and (v) the Offered Debt Securities have been duly executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the relevant Indenture and duly delivered to the purchasers thereof upon payment of the agreed-upon consideration therefor: (1) the Offered Debt Securities, when issued and sold in accordance with the applicable underwriting agreement, if any, or any other duly authorized, executed and delivered valid and binding purchase or agency agreement, will be legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms; and (2) if the Offered Debt Securities are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or Preferred Stock, the Common Stock or Preferred Stock issuable upon conversion or exchange of the Offered Debt Securities will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, assuming the conversion or exchange of the Offered Debt Securities is in accordance with the terms of the relevant Indenture and assuming, in the case of Preferred Stock, a Certificate of Designations has been duly adopted and filed with the Delaware Secretary of State.

        4.    With respect to any offering of Warrants (the "Offered Warrants"), when (i) an appropriate prospectus supplement with respect to the Offered Warrants has been prepared, delivered and filed in compliance with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder; (ii) if the Offered Warrants are to be sold pursuant to a firm commitment underwritten offering, the underwriting agreement with respect to the Offered Warrants has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto; (iii) the Board of Directors, including any appropriate committee appointed thereby, and appropriate officers of the Company have taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the Offered Warrants and related matters, including the adoption of the Warrant Agreement with respect to Warrants to purchase Debt Securities, the Warrant Agreement with respect to Warrants to purchase Common Stock, the Warrant Agreement with respect to Warrants to purchase Preferred Stock, the Warrant Agreement with respect to Warrants to purchase Stock Purchase Contracts and the Warrant Agreement with respect to Warrants to purchase Stock Purchase Units, (individually a "Warrant Agreement"), as the case may be, for the Offered Warrants; (iv) the terms of the Offered Warrants and of their issuance and sale have been duly established in conformity with the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company so as not to violate any applicable law or the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company; and (v) the Warrant Agreement for the Offered Warrants has been duly authorized, executed



and delivered and certificates representing the Offered Warrants have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered to the purchasers thereof upon payment of the agreed-upon consideration therefor: (1) the Offered Warrants, when issued and sold in accordance with the applicable underwriting agreement, if any, or any other duly authorized, executed and delivered valid and binding purchase or agency agreement, will be legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company; (2) if the Offered Warrants are exercisable for Common Stock or Preferred Stock, the Common Stock or Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Offered Warrants will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, assuming the exercise of the Offered Warrants is in accordance with the terms of the Warrant Agreement with respect to Warrants to purchase Common Stock or the Warrant Agreement with respect to Warrants to purchase Preferred Stock, as the case may be, and assuming, in the case of Preferred Stock, a Certificate of Designations has been duly adopted and filed with the Delaware Secretary of State; and (3) if the Offered Warrants are exercisable for Debt Securities, the Debt Securities issuable upon exercise of the Offered Warrants will be legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, assuming the exercise of the Offered Warrants is in accordance with the terms of the Warrant Agreement with respect to Warrants to purchase Debt Securities and is in accordance with the terms of the Indenture governing such Debt Securities.

        5.    With respect to any offering of Stock Purchase Contracts (the "Offered Stock Purchase Contracts"), when (i) an appropriate prospectus supplement with respect to the Offered Stock Purchase Contracts has been prepared, delivered and filed in compliance with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder; (ii) if the Offered Stock Purchase Contracts are to be sold pursuant to a firm commitment underwritten offering, the underwriting agreement with respect to the Offered Stock Purchase Contracts has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto; (iii) the Board of Directors, including any appropriate committee appointed thereby, and appropriate officers of the Company have taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the Offered Stock Purchase Contracts and related matters, including adoption of the Stock Purchase Contract Agreement for the Offered Stock Purchase Contracts; (iv) the terms of the Offered Stock Purchase Contracts and of their issuance and sale have been duly established in conformity with the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company so as not to violate any applicable law or the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company; and (v) the Offered Stock Purchase Contract Agreement has been duly executed and duly delivered and certificates representing the Offered Stock Purchase Contracts have been duly executed, authenticated, registered and delivered to the purchasers thereof upon payment of the agreed-upon consideration therefor: (1) the Offered Stock Purchase Contracts, when issued and sold in accordance with the applicable underwriting agreement, if any, or any other duly authorized, executed and delivered valid and binding purchase or agency agreement, will be legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company; and (2) the Common Stock issuable upon settlement of the Offered Stock Purchase Contracts will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, assuming the Offered Stock Purchase Contracts are settled in accordance with the terms of the Stock Purchase Contract Agreement.

        6.    With respect to any offering of Stock Purchase Units (the "Offered Stock Purchase Units"), when (i) an appropriate prospectus supplement with respect to the Offered Stock Purchase Units has been prepared, delivered and filed in compliance with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder; (ii) if the Offered Stock Purchase Units are to be sold pursuant to a firm commitment underwritten offering, the underwriting agreement with respect to the Offered Stock Purchase Units has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto; (iii) the Board of Directors, including any appropriate committee appointed thereby, and appropriate officers of the Company have taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the Offered Stock Purchase Units and related matters, including the adoption of the Stock Purchase Unit Agreement for the Offered Stock Purchase Units; (iv) the terms of the Offered Stock Purchase Units and of their issuance and sale have been duly established in conformity with the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company so as not to violate any applicable law



or the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company; and (v) the Offered Stock Purchase Unit Agreement has been duly executed and duly delivered and certificates representing the Offered Stock Purchase Units have been duly executed, authenticated, registered and delivered to the purchasers thereof upon payment of the agreed-upon consideration therefor: (1) the Offered Stock Purchase Units, when issued and sold in accordance with the applicable underwriting agreement, if any, or any other duly authorized, executed and delivered valid and binding purchase or agency agreement, will be legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company; and (2) the Common Stock issuable upon settlement of the Offered Stock Purchase Units will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, assuming the Offered Stock Purchase Units are settled in accordance with the terms of the Stock Purchase Unit Agreement.

        The opinions set forth above are subject to the following qualifications:

        A.    The opinions expressed herein with respect to the legality, validity, binding nature and enforceability of any Offered Securities is subject to (i) applicable laws relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally, whether now or hereafter in effect, (ii) general principles of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, laches, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and the principles regarding when injunctive or other equitable remedies will be available (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity), (iii) requirements that a claim with respect to any Offered Debt Security denominated other than in United States dollars (or a judgment denominated other than in United States dollars in respect to such claim) be converted into United States dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to applicable law and (iv) government authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments outside the United States or in foreign currencies, currency units or composite currencies.

        B.    The foregoing opinions are limited to the laws of the State of Illinois, the State of New York, the General Corporation Law of Delaware, and the federal laws of the United States of America, and we express no opinion as to the laws of any other jurisdiction.

        The opinions expressed in this opinion letter are as of the date of this opinion letter only and as to the laws covered hereby only as they are in effect on that date. The opinions herein are limited to the matters expressly set forth in this opinion letter, and no opinion is given or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly set forth in this opinion letter.

        We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to us under the caption "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus contained in the Registration Statement.


 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

SCHIFF HARDIN & WAITE

 

 

By:    /s/  
FREDERICK L. HARTMANN      
Frederick L. Hartmann



QuickLinks


QuickLinks -- Click here to rapidly navigate through this document


Exhibit 25.1



SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D. C. 20549


FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF
A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE


CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF
A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(b)(2) o


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK
(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)


New York

 

13-4994650
(State of incorporation
if not a national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification No.)

270 Park Avenue
New York, New York

 

10017
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

William H. McDavid
General Counsel
270 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10017
Tel: (212) 270-2611
(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC.
(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)


Delaware

 

36-3514169
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification No.)

29 East Stephenson Street
Freeport, Illinois

 

61032
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

Debt Securities
(Title of the indenture securities)




GENERAL

Item 1. General Information.

        Furnish the following information as to the trustee:


Item 2. Affiliations with the Obligor and Guarantors.

        If the obligor or any Guarantor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

        None.

2



Item 16. List of Exhibits

        List below all exhibits filed as a part of this Statement of Eligibility.

        1.    A copy of the Restated Organization Certificate of the Trustee dated March 25, 1997 and the Certificate of Amendment dated October 22, 2001 (see Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No. 333-76894, which is incorporated by reference).

        2.    A copy of the Certificate of Authority of the Trustee to Commence Business (see Exhibit 2 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No. 33-50010, which is incorporated by reference). On November 11, 2001 in connection with the merger of The Chase Manhattan Bank and Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, the surviving corporation was renamed JPMorgan Chase Bank.

        3.    None, authorization to exercise corporate trust powers being contained in the documents identified above as Exhibits 1 and 2.

        4.    A copy of the existing By-Laws of the Trustee (see Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No. 333-76894, which is incorporated by reference.).

        5.    Not applicable.

        6.    The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (see Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No. 33-50010, which is incorporated by reference). On November 11, 2001, in connection with the merger of The Chase Manhattan Bank and Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, the surviving corporation was renamed JPMorgan Chase Bank.

        7.    A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee, published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

        8.    Not applicable.

        9.    Not applicable.

3



SIGNATURE

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 the Trustee, JPMorgan Chase Bank, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of New York and State of New York, on the 4th day of March, 2003.


 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK

 

 

By

 

/s/  
JOANNE ADAMIS      
Joanne Adamis
Vice President

4


Exhibit 7 to Form T-1

Bank Call Notice

RESERVE DISTRICT NO. 2
CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF CONDITION OF

JPMorgan Chase Bank
of 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017
and Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,
a member of the Federal Reserve System,

at the close of business September 30, 2002, in
accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this
District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 
   
  Dollar Amounts
in Millions

ASSETS      
Cash and balances due from depository institutions:            
  Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin         $ 17,141
  Interest-bearing balances           13,564
Securities:            
Held to maturity securities           408
Available for sale securities           74,344
Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell            
  Federal funds sold in domestic offices           7,094
  Securities purchased under agreements to resell           72,512
Loans and lease financing receivables:            
  Loans and leases held for sale           17,153
  Loans and leases, net of unearned income   $ 161,915      
  Less: Allowance for loan and lease losses     3,458      
  Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance           158,457
Trading Assets           186,290
Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)           6,177
Other real estate owned           57
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies           326
Customers' liability to this bank on acceptances outstanding           281
Intangible assets            
  Goodwill           2,168
  Other Intangible assets           3,696
Other assets           45,403
TOTAL ASSETS         $ 605,071
         

LIABILITIES

 

 

 

Deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 
    In domestic offices         $ 167,400
    Noninterest-bearing   $ 66,691      
    Interest-bearing     100,709      
    In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries and IBF's           118,273
  Noninterest-bearing   $ 8,445      
    Interest-bearing     109,828      

5



Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agree-ments to repurchase:

 

 

 

 

 

 
    Federal funds purchased in domestic offices           6,317
    Securities sold under agreements to repurchase           105,558
Trading liabilities           126,199
Other borrowed money (includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)           11,025
Bank's liability on acceptances executed and outstanding           304
Subordinated notes and debentures           7,895
Other liabilities           25,977
TOTAL LIABILITIES           568,948
Minority Interest in consolidated subsidiaries           91

EQUITY CAPITAL

 

 

 

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

 

 

 

 

 

0
Common stock           1,785
Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)           16,304
Retained earnings           16,560
Accumulated other comprehensive income           1,383
Other equity capital components           0
TOTAL EQUITY CAPITAL           36,032
         
TOTAL LIABILITIES, MINORITY INTEREST, AND EQUITY CAPITAL         $ 605,071
         

I, Joseph L. Sclafani, E.V.P. & Controller of the above-named bank, do hereby declare that this Report of Condition has been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

JOSEPH L. SCLAFANI

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this Report of Condition and declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the in-structions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true and correct.

    WILLIAM B. HARRISON, JR. )  
    HANS W. BECHERER ) DIRECTORS
    LAWRENCE A. BOSSIDY )  

6




QuickLinks

SIGNATURE