Kelvinator
Encyclopedia
Kelvinator is an appliance
brand. It takes its name from William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin
, who developed the concept of absolute zero
and for whom the Kelvin
temperature scale is named. The name was thought appropriate for a company that manufactured ice-boxes and domestic refrigerators.
, United States
by engineer Nathaniel B. Wales who introduced his idea for a practical electric refrigeration unit for the home to Edmund Copeland and Arnold Goss.
Wales, a young inventor, secured financial backing from Arnold Goss, then secretary of the Buick
Automobile company, to develop the first household mechanical refrigerators to be marketed under the name "Electro-Automatic Refrigerating Company." After producing a number of experimental models, Wales selected one for manufacturing.
In February 1916, the name of the company was changed to "Kelvinator Company" in honor of British physicist, Lord Kelvin, the discoverer of absolute zero
. Kelvinator was among some two dozen home refrigerators introduced to the US market in 1916. In 1918 Kelvinator introduced the first refrigerator with any type of automatic control.
By 1923, the Kelvinator Company held 80 percent of the market for electric refrigerators. In 1926, the company acquired Leonard
, which had been founded in 1881. In 1928, George W. Mason
assumed control of Kelvinator. Under his leadership the company lowered its costs while increasing market share
through 1936.
In 1926, Kelvinator Limited, England
, was started in London
. From simple merchandising of the products of the American factories it grew until it was producing much of its own equipment for the British
Market. In 1946 it was considered that the time was ripe for this Unit to expand and be self-contained in its manufacture of Kelvinator Equipment, and the London
manufacturing activities were moved to Crewe
and greatly expanded with a further 200,00 sq. ft. of floor space.
In England
, Kelvinator of London
contributed to the field of testing aeroplane components at ultra-low temperatures, and instruments under high altitude conditions, research which was credited as saving the lives of many allied aircrews.
to form Nash-Kelvinator Corporation
as part of a deal that placed Mason at the helm of the combined company. In 1952, it acquired the Altorfer Bros. Company
, which made home laundry equipment
under the ABC brand name.
(AMC) when Nash merged with Hudson in 1954. Kelvinator introduced the first auto-defrost model side-by-side refrigerator in the early 1950s. In the 1960s, Kelvinator refrigerators introduced "picture frame" doors on some models allowing owners to decorate their appliance to match décor of their kitchens.
Under the leadership of Roy D. Chapin Jr.
AMC sold off its Kelvinator operations in 1968. (AMC then purchased Jeep Corporation from Kaiser in 1970) Kelvinator joined White Consolidated Industries, a company that had also acquired the rights to Frigidaire
(formerly owned by General Motors), Gibson
, Tappan, and White-Westinghouse
product lines. White Consolidated Industries was acquired by Electrolux
of Sweden in the early 80's.
In the early 1990s, the name of the Dublin, Ohio
based holding company changed to Frigidaire Company.
. National Refrigeration continues to manufacture Kelvinator bunkers, dipping cabinets, blast chillers, reach-ins and low- and medium- temp merchandisers.
The Kelvinator brand still exists in Argentina
, with the support of Radio Victoria Fueguina S.A. (in Tierra del Fuego
, in the south). The factory is in this province.
Likewise, the Kelvinator brand of refrigerators has continuously been marketed in the Philippines
since 1960s until present by Concepcion Industries
, a local maker of air conditioning equipment and refrigerators, including other notable brands: Carrier
and Condura.
Home appliance
Home appliances are electrical/mechanical machines which accomplish some household functions, such as cooking or cleaning. Home appliances can be classified into:*Major appliances, or White goods*Small appliances, or Brown goods...
brand. It takes its name from William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin
William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin
William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin OM, GCVO, PC, PRS, PRSE, was a mathematical physicist and engineer. At the University of Glasgow he did important work in the mathematical analysis of electricity and formulation of the first and second laws of thermodynamics, and did much to unify the emerging...
, who developed the concept of absolute zero
Absolute zero
Absolute zero is the theoretical temperature at which entropy reaches its minimum value. The laws of thermodynamics state that absolute zero cannot be reached using only thermodynamic means....
and for whom the Kelvin
Kelvin
The kelvin is a unit of measurement for temperature. It is one of the seven base units in the International System of Units and is assigned the unit symbol K. The Kelvin scale is an absolute, thermodynamic temperature scale using as its null point absolute zero, the temperature at which all...
temperature scale is named. The name was thought appropriate for a company that manufactured ice-boxes and domestic refrigerators.
History
Kelvinator was founded in 1914, in Detroit, MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by engineer Nathaniel B. Wales who introduced his idea for a practical electric refrigeration unit for the home to Edmund Copeland and Arnold Goss.
Wales, a young inventor, secured financial backing from Arnold Goss, then secretary of the Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
Automobile company, to develop the first household mechanical refrigerators to be marketed under the name "Electro-Automatic Refrigerating Company." After producing a number of experimental models, Wales selected one for manufacturing.
In February 1916, the name of the company was changed to "Kelvinator Company" in honor of British physicist, Lord Kelvin, the discoverer of absolute zero
Absolute zero
Absolute zero is the theoretical temperature at which entropy reaches its minimum value. The laws of thermodynamics state that absolute zero cannot be reached using only thermodynamic means....
. Kelvinator was among some two dozen home refrigerators introduced to the US market in 1916. In 1918 Kelvinator introduced the first refrigerator with any type of automatic control.
By 1923, the Kelvinator Company held 80 percent of the market for electric refrigerators. In 1926, the company acquired Leonard
Leonard (appliances)
The Leonard Company was founded in 1881 by Charles H. Leonard in Grand Rapids, Michigan.-Beginnings:The famous Leonard "Cleanable" Refrigerator came about after a mishap in the Leonard home: a pail of hot cooling lard was left inside an ice box on top of a cake of ice, resulting in melted ice, a...
, which had been founded in 1881. In 1928, George W. Mason
George W. Mason
George Walter Mason was an American industrialist. During his career Mason served as the Chairman and CEO of the Kelvinator Corporation , Chairman and CEO of the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation , and Chairman and CEO of American Motors Corporation .- Early life :George W. Mason was born in Valley...
assumed control of Kelvinator. Under his leadership the company lowered its costs while increasing market share
Market share
Market share is the percentage of a market accounted for by a specific entity. In a survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 67 percent responded that they found the "dollar market share" metric very useful, while 61% found "unit market share" very useful.Marketers need to be able to...
through 1936.
In 1926, Kelvinator Limited, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, was started in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. From simple merchandising of the products of the American factories it grew until it was producing much of its own equipment for the 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...
Market. In 1946 it was considered that the time was ripe for this Unit to expand and be self-contained in its manufacture of Kelvinator Equipment, and the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
manufacturing activities were moved to Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
and greatly expanded with a further 200,00 sq. ft. of floor space.
World War II
Between 1939 and 1945, the complete manufacturing facilities of the factories' group was turned over to the manufacturing of war-like stores.In England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Kelvinator of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
contributed to the field of testing aeroplane components at ultra-low temperatures, and instruments under high altitude conditions, research which was credited as saving the lives of many allied aircrews.
Merger with Nash Motors
On January 4, 1937, the company merged with Nash MotorsNash Motors
Also see: Kelvinator and American Motors CorporationNash Motors was an automobile manufacturer based in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in the United States from 1916 to 1938. From 1938 to 1954, Nash was the automotive division of the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation...
to form Nash-Kelvinator Corporation
Nash-Kelvinator Corporation
Nash-Kelvinator Corporation was the result of a merger between Nash Motors and Kelvinator Appliance Company. The union of these two companies was brought about as a result of a condition made by George W...
as part of a deal that placed Mason at the helm of the combined company. In 1952, it acquired the Altorfer Bros. Company
Altorfer Bros. Company
The Altorfer Bros. Company was a washing machine manufacturer founded by brothers A.W. and Silas Altorfer in Roanoke, Illinois in 1909.The brothers first created a power clothes washer after watching their sisters and mother hand-washing piles of clothes. It was basically a wooden tub mounted to a...
, which made home laundry equipment
Washing machine
A washing machine is a machine designed to wash laundry, such as clothing, towels and sheets...
under the ABC brand name.
Integration into American Motors
Nash-Kelvinator became a division of American MotorsAmerican Motors
American Motors Corporation was an American automobile company formed by the 1954 merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company. At the time, it was the largest corporate merger in U.S. history.George W...
(AMC) when Nash merged with Hudson in 1954. Kelvinator introduced the first auto-defrost model side-by-side refrigerator in the early 1950s. In the 1960s, Kelvinator refrigerators introduced "picture frame" doors on some models allowing owners to decorate their appliance to match décor of their kitchens.
Under the leadership of Roy D. Chapin Jr.
Roy D. Chapin Jr.
Roy Dikeman Chapin, Jr. was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Motors Corporation . Chapin's father, Roy D...
AMC sold off its Kelvinator operations in 1968. (AMC then purchased Jeep Corporation from Kaiser in 1970) Kelvinator joined White Consolidated Industries, a company that had also acquired the rights to Frigidaire
Frigidaire
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 in 1916. In 1918, William C...
(formerly owned by General Motors), Gibson
Gibson Appliance
Gibson was founded by Joshua Hall in Belding, Michigan, in 1877 as the Belding-Hall Company selling cabinets that housed blocks of ice . The area around Belding, Michigan, had a skilled workforce of Danish craftsman and a good supply of hardwoods including ash. The company was purchased by Frank...
, Tappan, and White-Westinghouse
White-Westinghouse
White-Westinghouse is an American home appliance brand currently used under license by trademark owner CBS Corporation. It was created in 1975 when White Consolidated Industries bought the Westinghouse Electric Corporation's appliance unit...
product lines. White Consolidated Industries was acquired 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...
of Sweden in the early 80's.
In the early 1990s, the name of the Dublin, Ohio
Dublin, Ohio
Dublin is a city in Franklin, Delaware, and Union counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 41,751 at the 2010 census. Dublin is a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. Approximately 57,000 people live within the Dublin school district....
based holding company changed to Frigidaire Company.
Legacy
In 2005, Carrier sold the Kelvinator division to National Refrigeration of Honea Path, South CarolinaHonea Path, South Carolina
Honea Path is a town in Abbeville and Anderson counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 3,504 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Honea Path is located at ....
. National Refrigeration continues to manufacture Kelvinator bunkers, dipping cabinets, blast chillers, reach-ins and low- and medium- temp merchandisers.
The Kelvinator brand still exists in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, with the support of Radio Victoria Fueguina S.A. (in Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of a main island Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego divided between Chile and Argentina with an area of , and a group of smaller islands including Cape...
, in the south). The factory is in this province.
Likewise, the Kelvinator brand of refrigerators has continuously been marketed in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
since 1960s until present by Concepcion Industries
Concepcion Industries
Concepcion Industries is a maker of electrical appliances such as air conditioning equipment and refrigerators. The company is based in the Philippines and was founded in the 1960s. The company is known for its several notable brands that include Carrier, Condura, and Kelvinator....
, a local maker of air conditioning equipment and refrigerators, including other notable brands: Carrier
Carrier
Carrier may refer to:- Science :* Carrier wave, a waveform suitable for modulation by an information-bearing signal* Charge carrier, an unbound particle carrying an electric charge* a mathematical Set over which an algebraic structure is defined...
and Condura.