This year, we’re highlighting Sloan, General Pipe Cleaners, Megapro, Haws, Bemis, Plumberex, and Prier Brass. There is more than just domestic manufacturing roots in common between these brands. Each one came into the market with a unique product solution that turned part of the plumbing industry upside down.
In 1906, William Elvis Sloan invented the first of its kind, the Royal Flushometer, replacing the tank and chain design that preceded it. Later, they were one of the first in the touchless electronic space with the introduction of the Optima in 1980. Sloan’s diaphragm-based Royal Flushometers are still available and, in fact, the industry leader in Flushometers nationwide.
Abe Silverman opened General Wire Spring Company in 1930. As a young and growing manufacturer of metal springs, Abe saw an opportunity to make quality drain cleaning cables for local plumbers. His signature contribution to our industry in the 1940s was the patented process of wrapping spring wire tightly around braided wire core, vastly boosting strength, kinking resistance, and flexibility that he branded “Flexicore”. In the decades that followed, General Pipe Cleaners was at the forefront of handheld cable machines, water jetters, and integrated sewer camera and audio inspection technologies.
Hermann Fruhm is an avid tinkerer. When he sees an opportunity to make something better, he’s downright dogged about seeing it through. When his multi-bit screwdriver exploded mid-project on him in the 1980s, Hermann got to work designing something better. Incorporated in 1994, Megapro patented the original 15-in-1 screwdriver, offering better bit retention, spinning grips, and superior build quality. Now, over 30 years later, Megapro offers several different multi-bit screwdrivers for every type of job.
The Bemis Manufacturing Company traces its roots all the way back to 1901. Originally a manufacturer of wooden children’s wagons, by 1935, Bemis was producing toilet seats for the nearby Kohler Company. While they are known for toilet seats to the public, Bemis is famous in the plastic manufacturing space for its injection molding prowess, specifically its pioneering co-injection molding process in which virgin resin is injected with scrap plastic.
American craftsmanship has been at the heart of Haws' manufacturing since its origins in 1906. Luther Haws was a self-employed master plumber and sheet metal contractor in Berkeley, California. While working as the city sanitation inspector, Luther observed children drinking from a shared tin cup at a public school. This unsanitary arrangement inspired him to invent the world’s first drinking faucet, using available parts. In the 1950s, Haws introduced emergency drench showers and safety eyewashes. In 1990, they moved into tempering equipment.
In the 1980s, America began to wake up to the needs of Americans with disabilities. In the plumbing world, it wasn’t just the challenges of too-small stalls for wheelchair bound people; it was the legitimate risk of burning their legs on exposed under-sink pipes. Late in the '80s, Plumberex was formed to address this issue, manufacturing easy-to-use, aesthetically pleasing, pre-fit under-sink products to insulate exposed piping. In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted, formalizing the requirement to protect individuals with disabilities and greatly expanding the need for the products that Plumberex manufactures.
German emigrant Anton Prier arrived in the United States more than 140 years ago. He built a foundry to create heavy-duty brass products. Today, Prier continues to manufacture a wide range of hydrants, sill faucets, drainage products, and specialty valves, including hot and cold outdoor faucets and frost-free outdoor faucets. Prier is committed to giving back, using a portion of the revenue from all sales to support worthy causes, including educational and plumbing infrastructure needs worldwide.
The Part Works is a wholly woman-owned Plumbing Specialty Wholesaler specializing in the Facility Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) market. We help our customers make informed decisions about the right plumbing choices for their specific needs.
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