But the Hoover company doesn’t just sell vacuums and floor cleaners. In the decades since its inception, the company has expanded its efforts to offer all kinds of other products and white goods. Nowadays, you wouldn’t have trouble finding Hoover-branded washing machines, dishwashers, or other appliances!
But how exactly did Hoover manage to become so influential? How did a small company from America go on to become so iconic that its name would be used as a common verb in British parlance? With the help of the Reliant tech experts, we’re going to take a little glimpse into the past. To find out the origins of the Hoover company, and to see just how it was able to become such a recognised name.
We’ll take you through the company’s various milestones, to trace a path from its humble origins to its current domination of the home goods market!
1908 – The Beginning Of Hoover
The 1800s – Early Vacuum Cleaners
The origin of the Hoover company is actually very interesting. The earliest point in the company’s history was around 1908, when Ohio-based janitor James Murray Spangler invented the world’s first upright vacuum cleaner.
The first ever vacuum cleaner was invented in 1860, by Daniel Hess. Early vacuum cleaners were effective, but incredibly bulky and unwieldy. Thus, they never took off. It would take a few more decades for the technology to become accessible.
At that point in time, vacuum cleaners did already exist. In fact, vacuum cleaners date back to around 1860, with the invention of the first-ever vacuum cleaner by Daniel Hess. Hess’ original vacuum cleaner was incredibly archaic and essentially swept the ground while producing very light suction thanks to two built-in suction cups. This first vacuum cleaner, like many of the others that came after, was incredibly bulky and unwieldy.
Many new vacuum cleaners were invented and produced in the years after Hess’ first patent in 1860. But none of them ever truly caught the public’s attention. They were heavy and required professional operation. This also meant that the use of them was reserved only for the most affluent households.
1908 – The World’s First Upright Vacuum Cleaner
The introduction of Spangler’s world-first upright vacuum cleaner would prove to be a milestone in the company’s history. Spangler’s first vacuum cleaner would prove to be incredibly influential and lead to the development of modern vacuum cleaners as we know them today.
Spangler first invented the upright vacuum as a result of his work as a janitor. Day in and day out, Spangler spent hours operating a bulky carpet sweeper, which aggravated his existing asthma symptoms.
The world’s first upright vacuum cleaner was invented by James Murray Spangler. Spangler created his new contraption with the aim of curbing the asthma symptoms that his carpet sweeper frequently exacerbated.
Hoping to find a way to keep dust from flying up into his face as he swept, Spangler got to work. He took a simple carpet sweeper model and attached a small fan that generated a low-pressure vacuum. This low-pressure vacuum created just enough suction to suck up dust from carpets without damaging them.
Connected to the fan was a pillowcase, which was then tied to the top of a broom handle. This pillowcase gathered up dust and debris so that it could be emptied later on.
The final component that Spangler added was a rotating brush at the front of the device. This was another first-of-its-kind innovation. Nowadays, rotating brushes are standard on modern vacuum cleaners!
1908 – Spangler’s Patented Vacuum Cleaner
In the same year that Spangler invented his upright vacuum cleaner, he patented it and began manufacturing models with the help of his son and daughter. While the device worked, and the invention of it would prove to be a milestone in the company’s history, it would take quite a few more years for Hoover vacuums to take off.
Spangler’s world-first upright vacuum was made by attaching a fan, a pillowcase, and a broom handle to a basic carpet sweeper. Though it was archaic and basic, it worked incredibly well!
Because Spangler’s early vacuum models were being manufactured by hand, by only three people, it took entire weeks just to create a small few. Thus, these helpful vacuum cleaners didn’t immediately prove to be a sales success.
1908 – The Hoover Family Joins In
Understanding the potential that his new upright vacuum cleaner had, Spangler decided to loan out some models to family and friends. Most notably, he sent one of the models out to his cousin, Susan Hoover. This would prove to be a fantastic move on Spangler’s part.
Susan Hoover immediately fell in love with the device. She found that it streamlined what was otherwise a massive chore, and freed up plenty of time in her daily life. Full of enthusiasm for the device, she showed it off to her husband William Henry Hoover, and her son Herbert William Hoover. The two worked at the family’s nearby leather goods manufacturer, and seeing the potential of the device, the Hoover family sought out to find a way to speed up manufacturing.
In 1908, Spangler sent one of his hand-manufactured vacuum cleaners to his cousin Susan Hoover. She immediately fell in love with the device and showed it to her husband. Seeing potential dollar signs, William Henry Hoover purchased the patent.
The Hoover family purchased the patent from Spangler and founded the Electric Suction Sweeper Company. Spangler was brought into the company to act as the production supervisor. This allowed him to play a hand in the production of the devices so that they could be made just right. It also allowed Spangler to receive royalties from sales of the device.
The 1910s – The Company Expands Further
1910 – The Hoover Name Is Established
Throughout the years following the creation of the Electric Suction Sweeper Company, production ramped up on the company’s premier product. Spangler also got to work on innovating the device, to find ways to improve it and make it more appealing to potential customers.
To help establish the company in the minds of potential customers, the name was also changed. In 1910, the company changed its official name to the Hoover Suction Sweeper Company. This was the first time that the Hoover name was directly applied to any products. The introduction of the Hoover name would, of course, prove to be an immensely significant moment.
1910 – Hoover Relies On Newspaper And Magazine Ads
Although the Hoover vacuum was remarkably effective, there just wasn’t enough interest from potential customers. Because vacuum cleaners had for half a century been bulky and expensive, there simply wasn’t any demand for even an upright model.
The Hoover company immediately noticed that interested customers just weren’t ready to splash the cash on a brand-new invention that hadn’t yet proven itself. So, to attract new customers, the company took to advertising in magazines and newspapers across the nation.
These adverts offered potential customers a 10-day free trial of the device. This allowed them to get first-hand experience with it, to understand what made it so effective. The adverts proved to be immediately successful. Soon, retailers all across the United States were sending out free trial models to hungry consumers. Many of those same free-trial users went on to purchase Hoover vacuums of their own. In no time, the company had already started to establish its name across the nation.
To help drive interest in Hoover vacuums, the company advertised a 10-day free-trial. This allowed potential customers to experience the device before purchasing. This proved immediately successful and drove massive sales.
Retailers across the nation also became full-time licensees of the Hoover brand. This allowed Hoover products to be sold across the nation. Across the following decade, Hoover would end up licensing its products to more than 5,000 vendors!
1915 – The Company Expands Further
Across much of the 1910s, Hoover expanded its operations massively. No longer were Hoover vacuums being manufactured by just a small team in rural Ohio. Now, with plants across the nation, the company was able to manufacture entire swathes of Hoover products to be sold across the United States.
Slowly, the company became more and more profitable, as more homes adopted the company’s electric vacuum cleaners.
1919 – The First UK Hoover Office
Hoover is a well-recognised name across the UK. As such, we simply had to take a look at its origins in the country. In 1919, the Hoover company officially entered the UK market with its first UK office. This established the company as an international powerhouse. Hoover vacuums weren’t just selling well in the United States, they were also proving more and more popular overseas and across the world.
Hoover established the Hoover European Appliances Group with aims of conquering the European market. This would prove to be a worthwhile investment because the company would prove incredibly successful in the European market!
Hoover also established individual subsidiary companies dedicated to focusing on international markets. For instance, the Hoover European Appliances Group was established to focus on the European market.
The 1920s and Beyond – Further Success And Further Expansion
1923 – Hoover Surpasses Sales Records
By the early 1920s, the Hoover company had already expanded to markets all across the globe. Within the space of just a decade, Hoover had gone from being a humble manufacturer to a globally recognised household name.
By 1923, the company had made records upon cracking the $23 million mark. The company had already generated a massive profit, and as it expanded further internationally, it was truly showing no signs of slowing down!
1926 – The Introduction Of The Beater Bar
Over the 1920s, Hoover vacuums would be continually iterated on and improved. The company even set up its very own research and development branch to find new ways to innovate existing products.
In 1926, the company introduced the “Beater Bar”. This small addition to the Hoover vacuum was designed to lightly beat the carpet as the user vacuumed. This would cause dust and debris to be knocked upward, so that it would be easier to catch!
1926 – The World’s First Handheld Cleaner
Ever keen to innovate and satiate the demand of consumers, Hoover released the world’s first handheld cleaner in 1926. This cleaner made use of a lengthy cable, so users could simply plug it in and then angle it wherever they needed.
Handheld cleaners are now very much the Hoover company’s bread and butter. However, it wasn’t until 1926 that the company released the world’s first-ever handheld cleaner. These early cleaners proved immediately successful.
These handheld cleaners were released under the “Dustette” name, and quickly proved very popular. They allowed users to not only clean their floors but all kinds of surfaces. The lightweight construction of the device also made it light and easy to operate, so it was fantastic for all kinds of users.
These handheld vacuums were of such high quality that some of them still operate perfectly to this day!
1932 – The Hoover Headlight
While Hoover vacuums continued to sell well across the world, many customers noted that they were missing patches of dust and debris because of poor illumination within the home. To help counteract this issue, Hoover introduced vacuum models with optional headlight attachments.
These headlights would illuminate the floor as the user vacuumed so that they could more easily see what they were targeting with the device.
The headlight attachment proved immediately very popular!
1936 – The Model 150 Vacuum
In 1936 Bosch released the Model 150 vacuum cleaner. This would prove to be an incredibly influential model and saw a number of first-of-their-kind innovations being introduced. For one, the model came with an indicator that warned users when the bag needed to be emptied. This helped to save users heaps of cash, as there was no longer any risk of the bag overflowing or bursting.
The model also came equipped with a magnesium body. This material was notably lightweight, so it gave the new model a much lighter feel. It also came packaged with a two-speed motor, as the name suggests, this motor could alternate between two distinct spin speeds, to create different levels of suction. This allowed users to adjust the experience to suit different cleaning tasks.
1941 – World War II Halts Production
Much like many companies that operated across the 20th century, Hoover ceased production of all of its vacuum cleaners for the duration of World War II. In the period from 1941 to 1945, the company instead dedicated its production facilities to assisting with the war effort. For four years, Hoover was a leading manufacturer of weapons and arms for war.
When the war came to a close, the company very quickly jumped back into the production of vacuum cleaners. Luckily, demand for such devices did not wane as a result of the war. Instead, with many people seeking to rebuild their lives after the war, vacuum sales quickly rose back to their pre-war levels!
1947 – The First Hoover Washing Machine
Although in the United States Hoover was solely focused on manufacturing vacuum cleaners, in the UK, it had already begun expanding its product offerings to include washing machines.
Within the UK, the Hoover name was becoming more and more popular. Within the market, the company expanded its product offerings. This included manufacturing Hoover washing machines that came with built-in hand wringers!
In 1947, the company released its first-ever washing machine. This particular model was very unique, and quite unlike the Hoover washing machines we know and love today. It featured a deep basin filled with water. A rotating disc caused the water to move, to generate currents. This in turn creates motion amongst your clothes, forcing them through the water!
This model also came with a hand-cranked wringer. Users simply had to feed their freshly washed clothing through the wringer to squeeze out all of the water from the fabrics. This model of washing machine was sold for more than 10 years before eventually being discontinued.
The 1950s – Further Improvements
1950 – A Total Redesign
Hoping to reinvigorate interest in Hoover vacuums, the company set about updating the design of its flagship models. In 1950, the Hoover Model 29 was released, and it came with a striking red colour. This was far removed from the dull grey colours that previous models had used up until then. This shade of red is still very much associated with the brand’s identity to this day.
The modernisation of Hoover’s vacuums proved quickly successful. The company had managed to bring itself into a new decade. One that was brimming with hope for the future.
1950 – The End Of Door-To-Door Sales
The 1950s brought with it a very different market from the one that Hoover had previously been used to. Up until that decade, the company had relied on door-to-door sales in order to raise awareness of its products and drive profits. However, with more housewives now adopting jobs that took them out of the home, and with more advertising avenues available, the company decided to slow down its door-to-door efforts.
With shopping centres popping up across the world, and more and more households having access to cars, it became much more lucrative for the company to target in-person shoppers. The company very slowly phased out its door-to-door sales strategy, and soon licensed its products to even more retailers. By 1954, the company had brokered licensing deals with more than 30,000 vendors.
1963 – Hoover Sales Take Over In The UK
Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Hoover company entered something of a turbulent time. During those few years, the company largely struggled to turn a profit and had lost a large degree of its market share.
For instance, in 1953, the company had only a 9 percent market share, and domestic sales in the US were only around $51.7 million.
Market research also illuminated something very interesting about the company. Something that would come to define much of the company’s identity to this day. In 1963, it was found that more than 55 percent of the company’s profits were coming from the UK. Compared to the domestic market in the United States, the UK market was actively keeping the Hoover name afloat!
”Hoover” is now used as a commonly accepted term for all vacuum cleaner products within the UK. This has helped the company to establish a very firm presence across the UK. One that has yet to be shaken!
During the 1950s, sales of Hoover vacuums exploded massively in the UK. Households across the nation were adopting Hoover vacuums into their homes en masse. Until that point, most households in the UK did not have vacuum cleaners of any kind. This naturally led to consumers across the UK using the “Hoover” name to refer to all vacuum cleaners and even the activity of “Hoovering” itself.
Even to this day, with more companies than ever manufacturing their own vacuum models, Brits still refer to them under the generic “Hoover” name.
This has all naturally led the Hoover company to have a consistently strong presence in the country. Even to this day, Hoover still generates much of its profits from UK-based sales.
1965 – Expanding The Product Offering
Throughout the latter half of the 1960s, the Hoover company sought to improve its domestic sales. To do this, it took inspiration from its UK-based operations. The company diversified its product offering by also selling hairdryers, irons, toasters, and other popular home products.
In the UK, the company continued to produce a number of washing machine models. With time, these models came to more closely resemble the washing machines that we recognise to this day.
Over the rest of the 1960s, and across the 1970s, Hoover expanded its product offering further and further. While it initially drew quite healthy profits, it didn’t prove quite enough to turn the company around domestically. By 1974, the company’s domestic profits had dropped dramatically. Though Hoover’s appliances were of a high quality they just weren’t competing against the already established brands.
As such, in 1977, the company gave up on selling other appliances in the domestic market. Instead, the company refocused its efforts back onto its core product: vacuums.
1993 – Moving Into The Present
The 1990s – A Time Of Change
The 1990s would prove to be another turbulent decade for the Hoover company. The company’s identity within the US is almost entirely defined by its vacuum products. During this decade, sales occasionally dwindled, as a direct result of greater market competition. The powerful Dyson company proved to be a major thorn in the company’s side during this time. Dyson quickly cornered the vacuuming market. Not just in the United States, but also in the UK too.
1993 – Hoover European Separates From Hoover North America
Arguably one of the most defining moments in the Hoover company’s recent history was the separation between Hoover European Appliances Group and Hoover North America. Seeing as both the domestic and European markets were so vastly different, it made sense for the company to separate its operations in such a way.
This split would prove to be most significant in 1995, however, when the Hover European Appliances Group was purchased by the Candy Group. Candy Group is one of Italy’s leading appliance and electronics manufacturers. With the purchase of the European Hoover brand, Candy earned the right to use the Hoover branding amongst its products!
In 1993, Hoover European Appliances Group separated from the larger Hoover North America. It would later be purchased by the Candy Group. The Candy Group now uses the Hoover name to brand its washing machines and fridges!
Nowadays, as a direct result of the Candy Group acquisition, the Hoover name is actually attached to a number of appliances as well as vacuum cleaners. For instance, Candy Group products like refrigerators, washing machines, and dishwashers are often branded with the Hoover name.
Unlike many other competing companies, Hoover does not have much of an established history in creating home appliances.
Hoover Moving Into The Future
As the Hoover company moves into the future, it’s likely that the company’s offerings will continue to differ depending on the market. For instance, within the US market, it’s likely that the company will continue to focus solely on vacuums and floor cleaners. This general focus allows the company to improve its product offerings.
Hoover vacuums nowadays have a number of advanced technologies, to make them even more effortless to use. For instance, the company now produces a number of cordless handheld models that give users unlimited range when it comes to cleaning. It’s likely that Hoover vacuums will continue to be iterated on and improved over the coming years so that they can be a more natural fit in the smart homes of today.
With homes getting more interconnected, and appliances getting smarter, it’s likely that Hoover products will continue to improve in the coming years. The company’s dominance over the UK market is also likely to continue, despite strong competition!
Within the European market, Hoover is still proving very successful. With many people in the UK still using “Hoover” to refer to all vacuum cleaner models, it’s likely that the company’s presence in the vacuum industry will continue, despite having been overtaken by companies like Dyson. Hoover’s various appliances will also be improved as we enter an age of interconnectivity and smart appliances. For instance, Hoover fridge freezers and Hoover dishwashers now come with smart features built-in!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hoover Still A British Company?
It’s actually a very common misconception that Hoover is a British company. Hoover was actually founded in Ohio in the United States. When Hoover vacuums were first sold in the UK, they immediately proved successful, because they were one of very few options. They proved so successful in fact, that the term “Hoover” is used in the UK to refer to all vacuum cleaning products!
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