The history of Eureka vacuum cleaners begins in Detroit, Michigan in 1909 with a man named Fred Wardell. Within three years, the Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Company was selling six models of vacuum cleaners that also came with attachments specialized for different cleaning jobs. Because Eureka's vacuum cleaners were lighter and better designed than their competitors and had such innovative attachments including a hair dryer, Eureka was awarded the grand prize at the San Francisco International Exposition in 1915. Within five years, the Eureka Company was able to produce about 2,000 vacuum cleaners per day from their 3.5 acre Detroit factory. A decade later in 1930, Eureka began manufacturing electric ranges.
By 1942, Eureka halted the production of vacuum cleaners at the Detroit factory in order to produce gas masks and other items to support the war efforts during World War II. Following the war, Eureka merged with Williams Oil-O-Matic, a company known for its heating business, forming the Eureka-Williams Company. By the end of the 1940's Eureka-Williams would be known for a contraption called a "Wooden Lung" that was used in the treatment of people with polio and for children stricken with infantile paralysis. A decade later, in 1957, Eureka-Williams returned to its roots and began to focus on vacuum cleaners and floor care products again.
Over time, Eureka-Williams extended its reach to include the production of school furniture, the introduction of the Henney Kilowatt (a battery-operated car), and even a thermal battery for NASA. In 1974, Eureka-Williams was purchased by AB Electrolux, a Swedish company, and the name was changed to The Eureka Company. For the next twenty years, The Eureka Company expanded its operations to manufacturing plants in Mexico, Texas and Illinois.
In the early 2000's The Eureka Company began to offer Eletrolux vacuum cleaners and in 2004, the company officially changed its name to Electrolux Home Care Products North America. In 2009, Eureka celebrated 100 years of history and brand innovation. Today, Eureka is considered a part of the home products division of Electrolux and continues to focus on vacuum cleaners and other cleaning products including three other brands: Electrolux, Electrolux Central Vacuum Systems and Sanitaire.
There is a full array of cleaning products under the Eureka brand alone, including not only uprights and canisters, but home built in systems and steam cleaners, to list just a few. Eureka has also paired up with Arm & Hammer to produce a new generation of vacuum cleaner products and has joined Filtrete to round out the line of consumer goods available in the marketplace.
In addition to the ongoing development of new designs and innovative products, Eureka also continues to manufacture replacement parts for almost all makes and models of vacuums. Always at the forefront of innovation, Eureka vacuums continue to impress the market with its ability to lead in quality and value yet meet and surpass environmental standards with its products. As the excitement continues to grow over
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