Vax (vacuum)

Vax UK Ltd is a brand that manufactures electrical goods and cleaning products in the floor-care sector, and which has its headquarters in the United Kingdom.^[1] The brand is a part of Hong Kong-based TechTronic Industries Co. Ltd group. The company has main headquarters in the city centre of Birmingham, West Midlands ^[2] and a service, warehouse and depot operation in the village of Hampton Lovett, near Droitwich, Worcestershire.^[3]

History

Vax UK Ltd was founded in December 1977 by Alan Brazier, who had prior experience in the field of industrial carpet cleaning. Brazier developed a prototype of a machine suitable for a household but capable of washing carpets and handling accident spillages or flooding. In 1979, Vax launched an "orange tub" multi-functional floor-care machine to fulfil this purpose and initially engaged with consumers by door-to-door sales of the device.^[4] This product was a world first.^[5]

Vax products were first offered for sale by high-street retailers in 1982, and the 111 Orange Tub model went on to become the best-selling vacuum cleaning product in the United Kingdom in 1987.^[6]

In June 1990 Vax contracted James Dyson to produce an upright vacuum cleaner aimed at the British market, for a £75,000 license deal. By July 1991 he had left to produce this product independently.^[7]

In July 2010, Dyson attempted to bring legal action against Vax in the High Court for infringement of design patents.^[8] However, the ruling refuted this claim.^[9]

In 2011, Student Placement Engineer Jake Tyler developed Vax ev, a working prototype of the world's first cardboard vacuum cleaner.^[10] This product was featured across a number of tech and environmental online editorials including Gizmag ^[11] and TreeHugger,^[12] and on the BBC Television series Bang Goes the Theory.^[13] The cleaner is referenced as a key point in the history of Vacuum Cleaner development by the Best Cordless Vacuum Guide^[14]

Vax's range has continued to expand over the last 20 years, and today the brand offers a large selection of vacuum cleaning, carpet washing, steam cleaning, hard floor cleaning and other floor-care products.^[15]

Vax vacuum cleaners

Vax manufactures a range of upright and cylinder-style vacuum cleaners. Features of these include ultra-lightweight designs, rotating brushbars and floorheads and tooling to clean stairs, car interiors and furniture.^[16]

In 2009 Vax released the Mach Air upright vacuum cleaner, using the tagline "the lightest full-sized multi-cyclonic vacuum cleaner in the world".^[17] In 2013, this range was updated with the release of the Air3 range.^[18]

Vax has developed the use of multi-cyclonic suction technology within many of its vacuum cleaners.^[19]

Vax carpet cleaners

Vax offer many variants of carpet cleaner models. Features of these include rotating brushbars and spinning brushrows, and all products are designed to dispense and then collect a mixture of water and carpet cleaning solution.^[20]

Technologies developed by Vax in this field include heated cleaning, where heated air leads to a reduced carpet drying time.^[21]

Vax steam cleaners

In January 2011, amazon.co.uk began selling Vax's first upright steam mop product, designed to clean hard floors via the application of steam onto a microfibre cloth at the base of the unit.^[22]

In January 2012, Amazon began offering Vax's new range of upright steam mops, with similar functionality but including the ability to emit a detergent.^[23]

Vax's range also includes canister-style steam cleaners, with an array of tooling to clean grouting, household white goods and bathrooms.^[24]

Other Vax cleaning products

In its autumn/winter 2013 catalogue, Argos began stocking Vax’s new Window Vac model. This product is designed to clean windows whilst emitting a cleaning solution.^[25]

Vax also offers a selection of hard floor cleaning products.^[26]

Vax cleaning solutions

Vax produces its own range of carpet cleaning solutions for use with its carpet cleaner models. All such solutions are compatible with their entire model range. There are also solutions for use with its hard floor cleaners, and detergent for use with compatible Vax steam cleaners.^[27]

Vax have also developed and brought to market a range of non-machine cleaning products, including carpet treatment sprays and cleaners for specific floor types.^[28]

Sources

• Company web site

References