AB Electrolux Sells Eureka Division to Chinese Company

[eurekaprince]

I get the sense that for about 25 years after AB Electrolux bought Eureka in 1974, most of Eureka's American design and manufacturing team stayed in place with minor management and supervisory changes being made by the European owners. Until the early 1990's when we started seeing more canisters made in Sweden added to the Eureka line-up, there was very little commonality between what Elux sold in Europe and what was sold in North America. Eureka's new vac designs in the 1980's may have reflected some design elements from Europe - with sleeker and lighter canisters (the Express and the Mighty Mite), and sleeker and lighter uprights (the Ultra and the Victory). So it is possible that some of the industrial designers were Swedes or influenced by Electrolux's design team in Sweden.

In the 1990's there was indeed more integration between Bloomington and Stockholm - vac designs were going in both directions. 110-volt Electrolux and Volta canisters were rebranded as Eurekas for sale in North America and 220-volt versions of Eureka uprights were rebadged as Electrolux and sold in Europe.

The death knell for Eureka happened when AB Electrolux re-acquired the rights to use their brandname once again in North America beginning in 2001. With their ability to save money by shrinking the Eureka division and just importing Electroluxes from Europe, the writing was on the wall. Upright manufacturing moved to Juarez Mexico and canisters were being imported from China and Europe. I really don't know how many American jobs were lost when Eureka's Bloomington plant closed. For all I know, those refugees from Bloomington ended up rescued by Tacony and other American companies.

The "Sanitaire by Electrolux" division remains a mystery. It remains to be see

 

[eurekaprince]

...it remains to be seen what will happen to Sanitaire. :-(

 

[kirbyloverdan]

No where in the history does it say Eureka was purchased by

Aerus LLC, formerly Electrolux Corp. USA, manufactures vacuum cleaners, carpet cleaners and air purifiers. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has over 500 independently owned franchises in the U.S. and Canada. Aerus is the successor to Electrolux USA, the iconic manufacturer of vacuum cleaners. However, the Electrolux name is now used in the U.S. by the Electrolux Group of Sweden, which also manufactures Eureka vacuum cleaners.
Aerus/Electrolux !!!

Electrolux was founded in 1924 by Gustaf Sahlin, a Swedish businessman who emigrated to the United States. Its tank vacuum quickly became an industry standard, and was very popular for many decades.

In 1968, Consolidated Foods Corporation (now known as Sara Lee Corporation) acquired Electrolux.

In 1989, Electrolux Corp. USA created Purelux the first residential under-the-sink water purification system combining ultraviolet (UV) light and activated carbon filtration. Actor Lloyd Bridges was the company's spokesperson.

In 2000, the North American rights to the Electrolux brand name were sold to Electrolux Group of Sweden, which was previously unaffiliated since 1968. The corporation that originally manufactured Electrolux vacuums has been known as Aerus since 2001.

 

[eurekaprince]

Sorry to have to complicate the recent history of the Eureka Company, but indeed I did find an article which states that Aerus moved their assembly to a Eureka-owned factory in El Paso, Texas in 2003.

The move from Bristol, Virginia seems to indeed have involved the signing of a contract between Aerus and AB Electrolux. Yikes! It's enough to make one go cross-eyed!

But I don't think that Midea of China bought the El Paso facility... it was not a strictly Eureka plant. But who knows?

If someone here at Vacuumland who lives in El Paso, Texas could tell us what vacuums are coming out of that plant now, that would be helpful!

Click the link below for the full article:



http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...d-distribution-to-el-paso-texas-74664747.html

 

[eurekaprince]

Here's another article about Eureka's agreement to assemble Aerus vacs in 2003. Just wonder how long this corporate relationship lasted. If it is still active today, maybe the Midea sale will affect Aerus?



http://www.businesswire.com/news/ho...-Company-Aerus-LLC-Establish-Supply-Agreement

 

[n0oxy]

european electrolux models

Kind of makes me wonder what the european designed electrolux models were like in the 1970's and 1980's. I would think they couldn't just import those models and sell them as Eureka models since the voltage is different, unless they just used a different motor that ran at the appropriate voltage. I could be wrong, but I think Tacony is actually making one of Aerus's vacuum models now, not sure which one.

 

[eurekaprince]

Hi Mike,

Indeed, that is what AB Electrolux did: they needed to install 110-volt motors and North American wiring and plugs on their European models. I imagine the vacs were shipped to Eureka's Bloomington / Kitchener factories without the electrical components (and with the Eureka branding on the vac), and the North American plant would install the correct motor and wiring and plug.

I'll give you one example I remember from Canada: In 1980, AB Electrolux bought the German vacmaker Progress. Not long after that, the Canadian department store Eaton's started selling an "Eaton Viking" Power Team vacuum made at Eureka's factory in Kitchener, Ontario which married a Progress canister from Germany with a Eureka Roto-Matic Power Nozzle from North America. We also saw some Progress stick vacs relabelled as Eureka in Canada.

Here is a link to a webpage that shows the Progress Model 93 that was brought in to North America by the Eureka Division of AB Electrolux. The photo shows a German power nozzle, but Eureka changed that to their tried-and-true Roto-Matic nozzle when they packaged them for sale in the Eaton's stores.

I seem to remember that the colour was changed from green to a nice cream/beige colour for the Canadian version.



http://staubsauger-progress.de/html/progress_93.html

 

[eurekaprince]

And this is the Progress "Minor GI" stick vac that we saw rebadged as Eureka in some vacuum specialty shops in Canada in the 1980's:



http://staubsauger-progress.de/html/minor_gi.html

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I know several people who loved that 'canned ham' cl

My late brother had one, aswell as a Hamilton Beach canister, a few Eurekas (they kept wearing out), and a Hoover Convertible.  I had an aunt (now deceased) who had a "Boss".. didn't last long, went back to a Hoover....


  Just saying....


 a lot of thses companies get sold, some improved, some dissolved,  etc..


  To quote Sonny and Cher, "History has turned a page, uhuh".


  I'm very fortunate to say that Tom Anderson and I were treated very royally, (no pun intended) here......

 

[gottahaveahoove]

We were everywhere

on the property.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

My partner

in crime.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

no bashing from me

nope.

 

[vacerator]

"computers"

have made life too complicated. It's time to moved on to other things. (as another twitter comment is posted with orange highlights).
Guess we'd all better get off of our computers. Talk about a hack. (who hates media but loves the attention from it)
We are great already!
Prove me wrong. You've got one term.
I wonder how November 2004 would have panned out had the spring 2006 CBS radio address telling us when we lost our jobs to go to our churches for help, as if money grew on bushes in church gardens.
Yeah, I know, I'm an idiot too, but I'm older, with more insurance. I've lived through more crap than a 35 year old who is still damp behind the ears has.
Maybe a few 70 year olds as well, but I never asked any bankruptcy court to bail me out. Ironic most of them were conservatives to boot.

 

[vacerator]

NoXy's post

regarding Electrolux buying Eureka specifically said that Electrolux had wanted to buy Eureka in 1968 when they sold the American divison. That tells me and I already knew that AB Electrolux of Sweden bought Eureka. One of the subsequent owners of Elecrolux USA back then was a food company. I think the one that owned Sara Lee at the time, but don't quote me on it.

 

[tig21er]

In 1968

Electrolux was purchased by Consolidated Foods which became known as Sara Lee. In 1971 Electrolux AB approached Sara Lee about buying Electrolux USA back and Sara Lee declined. Thus to return to the North American Market, they looked around and approached Eureka. Sara Lee took profits from the sales of Electrolux and grew to what it is today ,
Electrolux did have a leverage buy out try from some upper Management in Electrolux but failed. A buy out from Sara Lee finalized in 1999. The current management team came in and said the company was going to be #1. The sale to Electrolux AB of it's Trademark came after negotiations. Electrolux USA was to quit using Electrolux on their machines in 2003. The use of Electrolux on signage in smaller letters and stating formerly Electrolux used for 25 years.
Factory production did indeed go to El Paso but is now back at Bristol, Va. As Aerus grows they are filling up the capacity of their factory.

 

[kirbyloverdan]

Thank you John

For the true history of Aerus formerly Electrolux .

Make America Great Again . 20 more days ...

Dan

 

[tig21er]

I know

the whole story they told at the time but can not divulge it as it is confidential information and don't want sued.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

John,

You've given a perfect, concise, and true account.   It's great when people post the true facts.  So many times,  facts get mixed up, distorted, or just plain discarded.  Although I personally am not an Electrolux,Aerus, fan, I appreciate those who are.   I don't even eat Sara Lee productas, as a rule.


 Thanks,


 John L.

 

[vacerator]

Anyone familiar with

the "crimes against humanity" card game?
They have a post 2016 election bug out kit bag available. It's hilarious. It has a gas mask, a locket for loved ones photos who may not survive, an envelope containing various foreign currency, Canadian, British, Euro's, a genuine Mexican citizenship application, etc., etc.

 

[tig21er]

Why go

to outsource. The thing is economics. What I will bring up is true and false to give you an idea of what goes on in companies.
You have a 1 million square foot factory building. In side you have Plants A,B, C,D, E ,and F. Each plant area makes a different system. If the company loses sales in a product and decides to end production and has nothing to replace it. It reduces work force and has dormant space. Dormant space costs money. If the facility goes down to 3 plants money is lost big time. In the end the company moves out of the country causing huge layoffs and eventually files bankruptcy in the US and take away retirees Insurance. (This is not Aerus).Similar situation tho.
Aerus stayed in US ,went to smaller facility, as it started to grow they returned to bigger facility and fill up factory to where it pays for itself. The company is being driven by the market that is growing.