A. O. Smith
Encyclopedia
A. O. Smith Water Products Company, a division of A. O. Smith Corporation , headquartered in Ashland City, Tennessee
, is a manufacturer and marketer of residential and commercial water heaters and boilers.
industry, introducing a concept of forming steel tubing from sheet metal
for bicycle frames.
In 1899, Arthur O. Smith developed the world’s first pressed steel automobile frames and incorporated the A. O. Smith Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, in 1904.
After the end of Prohibition, A. O. Smith introduced the first large, single-piece glass-lined brewery tank in 1933, capitalizing on research in the process of fusing glass to steel.
Using this concept, A. O. Smith patented the process to glass line a residential water tank
in 1936. This concept became the industry standard, making hot water an affordable convenience for homeowners. The company began mass production
of residential water heaters three years later but shifted all production to war time use during World War II.
By 1945, A. O. Smith had built 4.5 million bomb casings, 16,750 sets of landing gear
and 46,700 propeller blades as well as nose frames for the B-25 bomber, water heaters for barracks and military installations, jeep frames and other war material.
After the war, A. O. Smith constructed a 400000 square feet (37,161.2 m²) residential water heater plant in Kankakee, Illinois
, that Life magazine
called “the most modern water heater factory in the world.”
In 1948, the company acquired the Burkay Company of Toledo, Ohio
, entering the commercial water heater market using Burkay’s coil-type instantaneous heaters, which served as the foundation of A. O. Smith commercial line. The company developed a glass-lined commercial water heater five years later.
Beginning in 1949, A. O. Smith used its glass-fused-to-steel process in the production of silos targeted at dairy and livestock operations. The company installed more than 70,000 structures on farms over the next 50 years.
In 1961, A. O. Smith opened its first international water heater and boiler plant in Stratford, Ontario
, Canada and seven years later, produced its 10 millionth residential water heater. With the 1972 opening of its plant in Veldhoven
, The Netherlands
, the company began operations in Europe.
A. O. Smith entered the China residential water heater market in 1995, and today is the number two brand in the market and the only American company with a significant presence in China. The acquisition of State Industries, Inc., and its APCOM Inc. subsidiary, in 2001, followed by the 2006 acquisition of GSW in Canada and American Water
Heater Company helped make A. O. Smith a $1.3 billion (2006 sales) competitor in the global water heating industry.
(DOE) and the technology development firm TIAX
LLC to accelerate innovation toward increased efficiency in residential water heaters. This strategic partnership
resulted in the development of the A. O. Smith Vertex – a residential gas water heater that combines higher gas input and more efficient combustion to deliver substantial amounts of hot water while reducing operating costs.
Ashland City, Tennessee
Ashland City is a town in Cheatham County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 3,641 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cheatham County.-History:Ashland City was created in 1856 as a county seat for the newly-established Cheatham County...
, is a manufacturer and marketer of residential and commercial water heaters and boilers.
History
A. O. Smith began in 1874 as a parts maker for baby carriages and other hardware specialties. Fifteen years later, the company entered the bicycleBicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
industry, introducing a concept of forming steel tubing from sheet metal
Sheet metal
Sheet metal is simply metal formed into thin and flat pieces. It is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and can be cut and bent into a variety of different shapes. Countless everyday objects are constructed of the material...
for bicycle frames.
In 1899, Arthur O. Smith developed the world’s first pressed steel automobile frames and incorporated the A. O. Smith Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, in 1904.
After the end of Prohibition, A. O. Smith introduced the first large, single-piece glass-lined brewery tank in 1933, capitalizing on research in the process of fusing glass to steel.
Using this concept, A. O. Smith patented the process to glass line a residential water tank
Water tank
A Water tank is a container for storing water. The need for a water tank is as old as civilized man, providing storage of water for drinking water, irrigation agriculture, fire suppression, agricultural farming, both for plants and livestock, chemical manufacturing, food preparation as well as many...
in 1936. This concept became the industry standard, making hot water an affordable convenience for homeowners. The company began mass production
Mass production
Mass production is the production of large amounts of standardized products, including and especially on assembly lines...
of residential water heaters three years later but shifted all production to war time use during World War II.
By 1945, A. O. Smith had built 4.5 million bomb casings, 16,750 sets of landing gear
Undercarriage
The undercarriage or landing gear in aviation, is the structure that supports an aircraft on the ground and allows it to taxi, takeoff and land...
and 46,700 propeller blades as well as nose frames for the B-25 bomber, water heaters for barracks and military installations, jeep frames and other war material.
After the war, A. O. Smith constructed a 400000 square feet (37,161.2 m²) residential water heater plant in Kankakee, Illinois
Kankakee, Illinois
Kankakee is a city in Kankakee County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 25,561, and 26,840 as of a 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Kankakee County...
, that Life magazine
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
called “the most modern water heater factory in the world.”
In 1948, the company acquired the Burkay Company of Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, entering the commercial water heater market using Burkay’s coil-type instantaneous heaters, which served as the foundation of A. O. Smith commercial line. The company developed a glass-lined commercial water heater five years later.
Beginning in 1949, A. O. Smith used its glass-fused-to-steel process in the production of silos targeted at dairy and livestock operations. The company installed more than 70,000 structures on farms over the next 50 years.
In 1961, A. O. Smith opened its first international water heater and boiler plant in Stratford, Ontario
Stratford, Ontario
Stratford is a city on the Avon River in Perth County in southwestern Ontario, Canada with a population of 32,000.When the area was first settled by Europeans in 1832, the townsite and the river were named after Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It is the seat of Perth County. Stratford was...
, Canada and seven years later, produced its 10 millionth residential water heater. With the 1972 opening of its plant in Veldhoven
Veldhoven
Veldhoven is a municipality and a town on the Gender stream in the southern Netherlands, located just south-west of Eindhoven.- Population centres :...
, The Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, the company began operations in Europe.
A. O. Smith entered the China residential water heater market in 1995, and today is the number two brand in the market and the only American company with a significant presence in China. The acquisition of State Industries, Inc., and its APCOM Inc. subsidiary, in 2001, followed by the 2006 acquisition of GSW in Canada and American Water
American Water
American Water is the third full-length studio album by indie rock group Silver Jews. Released in 1998 as an LP and CD on Drag City in America and Domino in Europe, American Water was recorded at The Rare Book Room in Brooklyn and mastered at Abbey Road Studios...
Heater Company helped make A. O. Smith a $1.3 billion (2006 sales) competitor in the global water heating industry.
Recent years
From 2003 through 2006, A. O. Smith worked with the U.S. Department of EnergyUnited States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
(DOE) and the technology development firm TIAX
TIAX
TIAX LLC is a laboratory-based technology development company that takes early stage inventions, and in its labs, transforms them into technology-enabled products ready for spin-out and commercialization. TIAX is headquartered in Lexington, MA with non-laboratory offices in Cupertino and Irvine, CA...
LLC to accelerate innovation toward increased efficiency in residential water heaters. This strategic partnership
Strategic partnership
A strategic partnership is a formal alliance between two commercial enterprises, usually formalized by one or more business contracts but falls short of forming a legal partnership or, agency, or corporate affiliate relationship....
resulted in the development of the A. O. Smith Vertex – a residential gas water heater that combines higher gas input and more efficient combustion to deliver substantial amounts of hot water while reducing operating costs.