AERUS/ELECTROLUX HISTORY

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.

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.

Company History[edit]

Aerus LLC was formed in 1924 as Electrolux Corporation USA.

In 1924, Gustaf Sahlin came to America to set up Electrolux Corp USA to import and sell the new tank type vacuum cleaner in America. The machine was the revolutionary Lux Model V made by AB Electro-Lux of Sweden and invented by Axel Wenner-Gren.^[1] People did not know what the new contraption was at first, but when showed how well it cleaned in their home, they were sold. In 1929, a shipment of Model XI cleaners sank, forcing Electrolux Corp. to build machines in the US. In 1931, the White Sewing Machine Company in Cleveland, OH was contracted to build the Model XII,^[2] however this was not a permanent move as Electrolux Corp wanted its own factory. In 1933, Electrolux Corp. set up a new factory in Old Greenwich, Conn. With Electrolux Corp in good shape and making its own products, AB Electrolux divested its stock to focus on refrigerator production and made itself a minority shareholder. From then on the two companies sold different products. The American products were never sold in Europe and the European Products were never sold in America.^[3]

In 1937, the now American-Owned Electrolux Corp debuted the Electrolux Model XXX (30). It was the first American-only Electrolux. The Model XXX was sold from 1937-1954, making it the longest made vacuum and in that time span over 14 million where sold. A Model XXX is currently on display at the Smithsonian and it is considered one of the top 100 U.S. inventions of all time.^[4] During World War II, Electrolux Corp halted vacuum production to focus on the war effort. The company made electric motors and control systems for the Army and Navy.^[5]

In 1952, the company debuted the Electrolux Model LX, the first vacuum that would know when it is full and also the first vacuum to use a self-sealing bag.^[6] That same style bag is still in use on some of the new Aerus - Lux model canister vacuums today. This machine would lay the foundation for every other North American Electrolux vacuum produced.

In 1968, AB Electrolux sold its minority shares to Consolidated Foods, which then bought enough stock to make it the majority shareholder. From the late '60s to the late '90s Electrolux Corp was a subsidiary to Consolidated Foods. In 1970, Electrolux Corp opened up its Bristol, VA manufacturing center^[7] which eventually replaced the much older Old Greenwich factory. As of 2014 it is still the main factory.

In 1998, Consolidated Foods (now Sara Lee) sold Electrolux Corp to a firm owned by Joe Urso (who still owns the company.) The company was then renamed Electrolux LLC. In 2000, the company sold certain name rights back to AB Electrolux which would go into effect in 2004. In 2001, the company began to transition into the new name: Aerus. In early 2004, the rights to the name "Electrolux" on products in North America ended. 2003 was the last year the company sold products that had the word "Electrolux" on them; however, Aerus LLC still holds certain rights to the Electrolux name and to the word "Lux." Electrolux LLC was formally renamed Aerus LLC.^[8] After 2003, all products that used to be sold by Electrolux Corp/LLC will either have the "Aerus" or "Lux" brand name on them.

Aerus currently makes and sells high-quality canister vacuums, upright vacuums, central vacuum systems, air purification systems and water purification systems.^[9]