Eureka (company)

Eureka
Type Division
Genre Home Care
Founded 1909
Founder(s) Fred Wardell
Headquarters Bloomington, Illinois, United States
Products Vacuums, Deep Cleaners, Hard Floor Cleaners, Stick Vacs
Owner(s) Electrolux
Website www.eureka.com

Eureka is a manufacturer of vacuum cleaners. The company is best known for "The Boss" line of vacuum cleaners, which were heavily promoted in the late 1980s.

Contents

History

The company was founded in Detroit, Michigan 1909 by Fred Wardell to build vacuum cleaners.[1] By 1927, Eureka was selling one third of all vacuums manufactured in the United States. 1930 saw expansion into making other appliances with the introduction of the Eureka electric range.

 In 1945, the company merged with Williams Oil-O-Matic, a Bloomington, Illinois manufacturer of oil-based heaters for the home, and the name of the company was changed to Eureka-Williams Corporation.[2]

The company would continue to expand its horizons, eventually manufacturing such diverse items as heaters, air conditioners, a wooden lung, and school furniture.

In 1961, the company became the first U.S. manufacturer to produce a purpose-built electric car, the Henney Kilowatt.

In 1974, Eureka was purchased by AB Electrolux of Sweden and the name was changed to The Eureka Company.

In 2000, production of vacuum cleaners was moved to Juarez, Mexico and the company closed its Normal, Illinois manufacturing facility.[3]

The use of the Eureka Company name was discontinued in 2004 and replaced with Electrolux Home Products Division.[2] Eureka brand vacuums continue to be manufactured to the present.

Eureka Today

(2007) Today Eureka vacuum cleaners are manufactured by the parent company, AB Electrolux.

Electrolux announced in February 2010 the Bloomington, Illinois headquarters of the Home Products Division would be closed and its operations moved to the Charlotte, North Carolina where the company is consolidating American operations.[3]

References

External links