Frigidaire
Encyclopedia
Frigidaire is a brand of consumer and commercial appliances. Frigidaire was founded as the Guardian Frigerator Company in Fort Wayne, Indiana
, and developed the first self-contained refrigerator
(invented by Nathaniel B. Wales and Alfred Mellowes) in 1916. In 1918, William C. Durant
, a founder of General Motors, personally invested in the company and in 1919, it adopted the name Frigidaire. The brand was so well known in the refrigeration field in the early 20th century that many Americans called any refrigerator, whatever its brand, a "Frigidaire." The name Frigidaire or the earlier version, Frigerator, may be the actual origin of the slang term "fridge."
From 1919 to 1979, the company was owned by General Motors. During that period, it was first a subsidiary of Delco-Light and was later an independent division, based in Dayton, Ohio
. Frigidaire was sold to White Consolidated Industries 1979, which was in turn purchased by Electrolux
, its current parent, in 1986.
While the company was owned by General Motors, its logo featured the phrase "Product of General Motors."
The company claims firsts including:
and therefore the machine was not formally introduced until 1947. The washing action of a Frigidaire automatic was unique in that the agitator pulsated up and down, a unique departure from the traditional oscillating type. The Frigidaire washers were commonly named for their mechanisms, which, in true General Motors fashion, underwent frequent changes over the years. The Unimatic was in production the longest, for any single Frigidaire mechanism, from 1947 to 1958. The Pulsamatic mechanism, unique in that it pulsated 330 times per minute, was introduced in 1955 for the lower-end models. This became the foundation for the Multimatic, introduced for the 1959 model year. The Multimatic lasted through 1964, as the Rollermatic was brought out for the 1965 lineup. The Rollermatic was unique in that instead of using an oil-filled gearcase, metal and urethane rollers transferred the power within the mechanism. This underwent a slight revision in 1970 for the new eighteen-pound capacity 1-18, which kept the same basic mechanism but differed in that it was belt-driven off of the motor and added a recirculating pump. Besides the unique action, another notable feature of these older washers was the high final spin speed (nicknamed "Rapidry"), 1140 revolutions per minute in the Unimatic, 850 in the Multimatic, and 1010 in the high-end Rollermatic models.
When Frigidaire was acquired by White Consolidated in 1979, it abandoned the General Motors design in favor of the Westinghouse- produced top-loading design, as White-Westinghouse was already among its house brands by this time.
Electrolux/Fridgidaire also operates a manufacturing facility for free standing gas and electric ranges in Springfield, Tennessee. The Springfield facility currently employs about 2,900 people.
by British
singer songwriter Jarvis Cocker
features a song called From Auschwitz To Ipswich
which features the line:
"Well if your ancestors could see you standing there
They would gaze in wonder at your Frigidaire
They had to fight just to survive
So can't you do something with your life?"
The word Frigidaire sung to have the double meaning of expensive fridge and 'frigid hair'
The popular blues song "I'm gonna move to the outskirts of town", sung by Ray Charles mentions the brand:
"Let me tell you, honey
We gonna move away from here
I don't need no iceman
I'm gonna get you a Fridgidaire"
In "¡Bienvenido Mister Marshall!", the lyrics of the main song features:
"Los yanquis han venido, ole el salero, con mil regalos
y a las niñas bonitas van a obsequiarlas con aeroplanos.
Con aeroplanos de chorro libre,
que corta el aire
y también rascacielos bien conservados en Frigidaire.
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
, and developed the first self-contained refrigerator
Refrigerator
A refrigerator is a common household appliance that consists of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the fridge to its external environment so that the inside of the fridge is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room...
(invented by Nathaniel B. Wales and Alfred Mellowes) in 1916. In 1918, William C. Durant
William C. Durant
William Crapo "Billy" Durant was a leading pioneer of the United States automobile industry, the founder of General Motors and Chevrolet who created the system of multi-brand holding companies with different lines of cars....
, a founder of General Motors, personally invested in the company and in 1919, it adopted the name Frigidaire. The brand was so well known in the refrigeration field in the early 20th century that many Americans called any refrigerator, whatever its brand, a "Frigidaire." The name Frigidaire or the earlier version, Frigerator, may be the actual origin of the slang term "fridge."
From 1919 to 1979, the company was owned by General Motors. During that period, it was first a subsidiary of Delco-Light and was later an independent division, based in Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
. Frigidaire was sold to White Consolidated Industries 1979, which was in turn purchased by Electrolux
Electrolux
The Electrolux Group is a Swedish appliance maker.As of 2010 the 2nd largest home appliance manufacturer in the world after Whirlpool, its products sell under a variety of brand names including its own and are primarily major appliances and vacuum cleaners...
, its current parent, in 1986.
While the company was owned by General Motors, its logo featured the phrase "Product of General Motors."
The company claims firsts including:
- Electric self-contained refrigeratorRefrigeratorA refrigerator is a common household appliance that consists of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the fridge to its external environment so that the inside of the fridge is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room...
(September, 1918 in Detroit) - Home food freezer
- Room air conditioner
- 30" electric range
- Coordinated colors for home appliances
Automatic washers
During the years that Frigidaire was owned by General Motors, it was very competitive in the automatic clothes-washing-machine business. Frigidaire engineer Kenneth O'Sisson, also credited with the design of the incrementing timer used on clothes washers and dishwashers for years to come, designed the Frigidaire automatic washer with the Unimatic mechanism in the late 1930s. Production of the first Frigidaire automatic clothes washers was halted due to World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and therefore the machine was not formally introduced until 1947. The washing action of a Frigidaire automatic was unique in that the agitator pulsated up and down, a unique departure from the traditional oscillating type. The Frigidaire washers were commonly named for their mechanisms, which, in true General Motors fashion, underwent frequent changes over the years. The Unimatic was in production the longest, for any single Frigidaire mechanism, from 1947 to 1958. The Pulsamatic mechanism, unique in that it pulsated 330 times per minute, was introduced in 1955 for the lower-end models. This became the foundation for the Multimatic, introduced for the 1959 model year. The Multimatic lasted through 1964, as the Rollermatic was brought out for the 1965 lineup. The Rollermatic was unique in that instead of using an oil-filled gearcase, metal and urethane rollers transferred the power within the mechanism. This underwent a slight revision in 1970 for the new eighteen-pound capacity 1-18, which kept the same basic mechanism but differed in that it was belt-driven off of the motor and added a recirculating pump. Besides the unique action, another notable feature of these older washers was the high final spin speed (nicknamed "Rapidry"), 1140 revolutions per minute in the Unimatic, 850 in the Multimatic, and 1010 in the high-end Rollermatic models.
Refrigerators
Frigidaire also produces a wide variety of refrigerators and freezers for the consumer market. Their model line-up includes fridge freezer units of several different types. The selection they offer includes traditional Top Freezer models, as well as more modern Side-By-Side and French Door styles.When Frigidaire was acquired by White Consolidated in 1979, it abandoned the General Motors design in favor of the Westinghouse- produced top-loading design, as White-Westinghouse was already among its house brands by this time.
Manufacturing
A new cooktop manufacturing facility will be located in the Frank C. Pidgeon Industrial park, the facility will be built to LEED certification standards. Workers will manufacture the company’s Electrolux ICON®, Electrolux® and Frigidaire® product lines, including drop-in/slide-in ranges, wall ovens, specialty free standing ranges and cook tops. Construction is expected to begin in early 2011 with production to begin in mid-2012.Electrolux/Fridgidaire also operates a manufacturing facility for free standing gas and electric ranges in Springfield, Tennessee. The Springfield facility currently employs about 2,900 people.
In popular culture
The 2007 album JarvisJarvis (album)
Jarvis is the debut solo album by Pulp vocalist and musician Jarvis Cocker, released in the UK on November 13, 2006.-Production:...
by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
singer songwriter Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and frontman for the band Pulp. Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figurehead of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s. Following Pulp's hiatus Cocker has led a successful solo career...
features a song called From Auschwitz To Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
which features the line:
"Well if your ancestors could see you standing there
They would gaze in wonder at your Frigidaire
They had to fight just to survive
So can't you do something with your life?"
The word Frigidaire sung to have the double meaning of expensive fridge and 'frigid hair'
The popular blues song "I'm gonna move to the outskirts of town", sung by Ray Charles mentions the brand:
"Let me tell you, honey
We gonna move away from here
I don't need no iceman
I'm gonna get you a Fridgidaire"
In "¡Bienvenido Mister Marshall!", the lyrics of the main song features:
"Los yanquis han venido, ole el salero, con mil regalos
y a las niñas bonitas van a obsequiarlas con aeroplanos.
Con aeroplanos de chorro libre,
que corta el aire
y también rascacielos bien conservados en Frigidaire.