COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 3631

Household Cooking Equipment

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

16companies1883–1989founding years16still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedVorwerk & Co.FoundedVorwerk & Co.
1883
FoundedHamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Inc.FoundedHamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Inc.
1901
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedThermos CompanyFoundedThermos Company
1907
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedAktiebolaget ElectroluxFoundedAktiebolaget Electrolux
1919
FoundedMaytag CorporationFoundedMaytag Corporation
1925
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
FoundedSharp CorporationFoundedSharp Corporation
1935
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedMoulinex S.A.FoundedMoulinex S.A.
1953
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
FoundedSunbeam-Oster Co., Inc.FoundedSunbeam-Oster Co., Inc.
1989
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Vorwerk & Co. →
Active · founded 1883 · Germany
For more than 100 years, Vorwerk & Co.
Vorwerk & Co. →
Active · founded 1883 · Germany
For more than 100 years, Vorwerk & Co.
Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Inc. →
Active · founded 1901
Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Inc.
Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Inc. →
Active · founded 1901
Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Inc.
Thermos Company →
Active · founded 1907
Although Thermos Company may be best known for its line of vacuum-insulated bottles and lunch boxes, the Illinois-based…
Thermos Company →
Active · founded 1907
Although Thermos Company may be best known for its line of vacuum-insulated bottles and lunch boxes, the Illinois-based…
Aktiebolaget Electrolux →
Active · founded 1919 · Sweden
To the average consumer, the name Electrolux says two things: vacuum cleaners and refrigerators.
Aktiebolaget Electrolux →
Active · founded 1919 · Sweden
To the average consumer, the name Electrolux says two things: vacuum cleaners and refrigerators.
Maytag Corporation →
Active · founded 1925
Maytag Corporation is one of the leading appliance manufacturers in the United States.
Maytag Corporation →
Active · founded 1925
Maytag Corporation is one of the leading appliance manufacturers in the United States.
Sharp Corporation →
Active · founded 1935 · Japan
The Sharp Corporation is one of the largest and oldest Japanese consumer goods manufacturers.
Sharp Corporation →
Active · founded 1935 · Japan
The Sharp Corporation is one of the largest and oldest Japanese consumer goods manufacturers.
Moulinex S.A. →
Active · founded 1953 · France
Moulinex S.A., the once proud leader of the European small household appliance market, has seen troubled times for most…
Moulinex S.A. →
Active · founded 1953 · France
Moulinex S.A., the once proud leader of the European small household appliance market, has seen troubled times for most…
Sunbeam-Oster Co., Inc. →
Active · founded 1989
Sunbeam and Oster are consumer brand names recognizable from coast to coast, and by all generations of Americans.
Sunbeam-Oster Co., Inc. →
Active · founded 1989
Sunbeam and Oster are consumer brand names recognizable from coast to coast, and by all generations of Americans.
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