Kohler Co. began as a manufacturer of cast-iron farm equipment in 1873, during the worst agricultural depression of the 19th century. Founder John Michael Kohler was determined to move the company forward by diversifying product offerings amidst the uncertainty.
He took the company from cast-iron farm implements to fine enameled bath wares, appealing to people moving from rural farm communities to growing metropolitan areas. The company became stronger than ever in the early 1900s, persevering through multiple foundry fires leading up to the construction of the factories in the Village of Kohler.
Great Innovation Amid the Great Depression
Into the 1920s, Kohler Co. continued to grow rapidly, building new pottery and brass foundry buildings in Kohler, opening showrooms with distributor partners around the world, and entering the power business by developing the world’s first engine-powered automatic electrical generators. Then, the Great Depression hit in 1929.
The stock market crashed, unemployment in the U.S. reached nearly 25% and most industries were in a panic to survive. Kohler Co., being privately held and coming off of decades of growth, was positioned for stability and stayed steady on its course, shifting production to products that would be crucial to the economic rebound. Hospitals, community housing developments and commercial properties built under President Roosevelt’s New Deal were supplied by Kohler.
Amidst the Great Depression, Kohler Co. invested to secure its spot among the world’s most innovative, forward-thinking and stable businesses of the time by constructing an entire Kohler of Kohler exposition building at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1933. Kohler not only exhibited at the fair, it provided generators and plumbing fixtures to many of the other major exhibitors like Ford Motor Company.
Pivot in Production During Wartime
The U.S. officially entered World War II in December of 1941. Kohler Co. was prepared to move quickly in support of wartime efforts. Production lines were shifted within six months from plumbing products to torpedo tubes, shells, fuses, aircraft valves and fittings, and aircraft piston rings. During the war, the company produced tens of millions of military support materials. But with some ingenuity, Kohler didn’t leave its plumbing customers and distributors partners waiting. Brass and other finishing materials were reserved for only war-effort manufacturing, so Kohler Co. innovated to produce “Win-the-War” fittings of cast iron, coated with baked black plastic in place of the usual chrome finish.
The U.S. officially entered World War II in December of 1941. Kohler Co. was prepared to move quickly in support of wartime efforts. Production lines were shifted within six months from plumbing products to torpedo tubes, shells, fuses, aircraft valves and fittings, and aircraft piston rings. During the war, the company produced tens of millions of military support materials. But with some ingenuity, Kohler didn’t leave its plumbing customers and distributors partners waiting. Brass and other finishing materials were reserved for only war-effort manufacturing, so Kohler Co. innovated to produce “Win-the-War” fittings of cast iron, coated with baked black plastic in place of the usual chrome finish.
Kohler Co. was honored with an Army-Navy “E Award” for “Excellence in Production” during WWII. The prestigious award was given to only five percent of the more than 85,000 companies involved in producing wartime materials. Women entering the workforce were essential in helping Kohler achieve this honor and positioning the company to grow in the post-war economic boom.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Kohler was investing in innovation–crafting new colors and leading the way in water saving technology. When U.S. unemployment surged to 8% in the early 1970s, Kohler remained committed to innovation. During the recession, the company invested in the technologically advanced Herman automated molding line in the iron foundry, which can make one mold every 30 seconds. To date, more than 20 million cast-iron products have run through the production line.
Economic and political unrest during the 1980s and ‘90s was highlighted by global events like the fall of the Berlin Wall, protests at Tiananmen Square in China, wars in the Middle East, agricultural recessions throughout the developing world, and the fight against apartheid in Africa. During these times of uncertainty, Kohler stayed focused on global partnerships and opportunities for expansion to remain stable and diversified.
Sterling, Hytec, Ann Sacks, Robern and Mira were just a few of the acquisitions and partnerships made during this time to build Kohler’s presence around the world. There were also the developments of Destination Kohler properties, the introduction of Kohler golf and the opening of the first Kohler Waters Spa. Global Kitchen & Bath manufacturing expanded with plants in Mexico, China and eventually India. KOHLER Power expanded throughout the world as well, with additions of SDMO, Lombardini, Uninterruptible Power Supplies, Ltd., and Clarke Energy most recently.
Global Growth as a Global Citizen
With associates, facilities and products on all seven continents (yes, even Antarctica), Kohler Co. has risen to the challenge as a global organization to provide relief and support wherever needed, while proactively working to tackle some of the world’s most intense and immediate issues related to water accessibility and safe water for all.
After the attacks in New York City on 9/11, Kohler brought its custom-designed portable showering trailer to provide relief to first responders at ground zero. Reacting with prompt support after devastating natural disasters in Haiti, Puerto Rico, on the U.S. Gulf Coast and East Coast, Kohler worked with Water Mission, a global nonprofit, to help people access safe water after hurricanes destroyed their communities. Innovations like the KOHLER Clarity portable filtration system help the company work toward safe water for all around the world.
Commitment into the Future
Today, as Kohler Co. and the entire world are fighting through the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on industries, Kohler associates around the world are applying their courage and expertise to help keep workplaces, communities and families safe.
From the manufacturing floor to distribution centers and offices, Kohler has introduced aggressive measures to minimize the spread of the virus and protect associates.
Associates are helping healthcare workers on the front lines of this crisis by assembling and distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) to medical facilities in communities around the world. This crisis has also helped Kohler Co. look differently and more directly at virtual and e-commerce solutions for customers, as well as develop coordinated global advertising and social media initiatives around the globe. Adapting to the situation, thousands of Kohler associates shifted from in-person to digital workforces in a matter of days.
There certainly will be more challenges in the future and Kohler Co. will be tested by adversity again. Regardless of those challenges, Kohler Co. aims not only to persevere as a company through a measured approach, stability, and a talented workforce, but also contribute with innovation and problem-solving to the greater good of others who are facing similar issues. The strength gained during each challenge met provides the confidence needed to face and overcome adversity in the future.