Eureka Company Historical Timeline
The word Eureka means, “I found it.” Greek physicist Archimedes (c. 287-212 B.C.) allegedly exclaimed “Eureka!” when he discovered the theory of water displacement. According to company legend, when Fred Wardell founded the company, he felt that the term “Eureka” symbolized a company that would create innovative products that would have an impact on the world.
Fred Wardell was right. Today, the Eureka brand continues to be recognized as one of the top vacuum cleaners in the world. Eureka products are for sale throughout North America and in 44 other nations. It’s a brand that will remain strong into the future.
Although the company is now known as Electrolux Home Products North America, consumers will continue to see and hear about Eureka floor care products as the Eureka brand is part of the largest, and the only, global manufacturer of floor care appliances.
- 1909 - Fred Wardell founds The Eureka Company in Detroit, Michigan.
- 1913 - Eureka makes six different vacuum models with special attachments.
- 1915 - Eureka is awarded the Grand Prize at the San Francisco International Exposition.
- 1919 - Eureka factory in Detroit has a production capacity of 2,000 cleaners a day.
- 1927 - Eureka is selling one-third of all vacuum cleaners produced in the United States
- 1930 - Eureka begins manufacturing the Electric Range.
- 1941 - Commercial production of vacuum cleaners is discontinued.
- 1942 - Production in Detroit is dedicated to making gas masks and other products to support the war efforts during WWII.
- 1945 - Eureka merges with Williams Oil-O-Matic in Bloomington, Illinois and changes its name to Eureka-Williams. The Company receives the “E” award from the U.S. Department of the Navy.
- 1949 - Eureka creates a “Wooden Lung” for treatment of infantile paralysis and polio
- 1957 - Eureka-Williams ends heating and air conditioning business and concentrates on household floor care products
- 1960 - Eureka-Williams merges with National Union Electric Corporation and begins production of school furniture.
- 1961 - Eureka-Williams makes battery-operated automobile called the Henney Kilowatt.
- 1968 - Eureka begins production of the thermal battery for use in NASA space systems.
- 1974 - Eureka-Williams is purchased by AB Electrolux of Sweden and changes its name to The Eureka Company.
- 1981 - The Eureka Company opens a plant for parts manufacturing in Juarez, Mexico.
- 1983 - The Eureka Company develops a manufacturing plant in El Paso, Texas.
- 1984 - Production of vacuum cleaners begins in El Paso plant.
- 1997 - The manufacturing and warehouse facilities in Normal, Illinois and El Paso, Texas are expanded.
- 2003 - The Eureka Company begins to offer Electrolux branded floor care products.
- 2004 - The Eureka Company officially changes its name to Electrolux Home Care Products North America.
Today, the company concentrates exclusively on manufacturing and distributing more than 130 different models of vacuum cleaners and other home and commercial cleaning products. The company has four brands: Eureka, Electrolux, Sanitaire and Beam.
As a full-line company, Eureka offers uprights, including those with attachments; canisters, hand-held vacuums, home built-in systems, stick vacuums, battery-powered vacuum cleaners, wet-dry vacs, steam cleaners and home cleaning systems. Eureka also manufactures and offers original and replacement parts, including bags, belts, and filters for the models it manufactures.