Re-new Sweeper Company

[hooverbaby]

Does anyone know what happened to this company after 1950?
..only I have one of their spare parts catalogues from 1943, which has proved informative and interesting, as it illustrates a range of parts for different makes and models of cleaners.

Apparently, the company had been in business since 1916 and offered a range of services, including vacuum cleaner rebuilds and armature re-winding.

Stephen

http://tinyurl.com/ygsxo8x

 

[hooverbaby]

Here's another ad'

Rick, glad you like the ad'

Here's another one - 'Start a big profit making business in your basement'

It seems that during WWII, the sale of rebuilt machines was not allowed and that instead, the firm made its money selling parts for and repairing customers' existing machines. Re-New resumed the selling of rebuilt machines wholesale when hostilities ceased.

I've checked my catalogue and that also has 68 pages.

Stephen

http://tinyurl.com/yhf52y4

 

[collector2]

Hi Stephen:

If I remember correctly rebuilt machines were pretty much all that you could get during the war. Most plants were switched over from producing new appliances to producing items for the war effort making used machines and repairs a hot commodity. Either this companys plant (where they did the rebuilding) was also switched over or they were cashing in on the increased demand for repair parts.

Doug

 

[hooverbaby]

Hi Doug,

As far as I'm aware Re-New always specialised in the rebuilding of old cleaners and the supply of spare parts, some of which would have been new...but it doesn't look like they sold new cleaners.

I'm going off what it says on the first page of their 1943 catalogue, which states amongst other things that "due to circumstances beyond our control, we have discontinued the selling of re-built vacuum cleaners wholesale. We are in a position to render the following services:
1 Completely rebuild your old trade-in cleaners."

So it looks like they cashed in on the repair and reconditioning of customers' existing machines during the war..but not the resale of machines. There's also no mention of anything else that they built for the war effort.

I know that many large firms, such as Hoover, were engaged in making items for the military during WWII.

Stephen

 

[akabent]

Hi again, Stephen

WOW, that ad is interesting as well. My understanding has been the same as Doug's that rebuilt machines were the only machines pumped out by factories otherwise changed over to war production. However, your thought that replacement parts must have been in huge demand to keep existing machines runnin' makes perfect sense! Great vintage paper and many thanks for sharing!
Rick

 

[collector2]

LOL - I think I understand what went on there. In order to sell rebuilt cleaners they had to buy used cleaners to rebuild. As companys like Electrolux and Airway were no longer selling new machines due to the war effort they werent taking trade-ins so the supply of used machines had dried up. Leaving them with nothing to rebuild for sale.

At least that would be my take on it. What do you guys think?

Doug

 

[hooverbaby]

That's one possibility

Hi Doug,

What you say makes perfect sense i.e maybe Re-New used to rely on a source of trade-in cleaners from dealers and manufacturers, who took them in part-exchange for new machines, which they sold.

I was thinking that perhaps the government had imposed some sort of restrictions in what could be traded wholesale and that trade had therefore been limited to sales of machines to private individuals, along with repairs and sales of parts....but now I can see that the reason Re-New stopped selling cleaners wholesale was due to a lack of stuff to do-up!

The company made a point of saying that they wanted to buy old trade-in cleaners and that they could provide a list of prices that they would pay for various machines..which leads me to think that you're right about the shortage of trade-ins during the war.

Stephen