Kirby Company

The Kirby Company is a Vacuum cleaner manufacturer based in Cleveland, Ohio; USA. The Company is a division of The Scott Fretzer Company and was established in the year 1914. It is a member of the Direct Selling Association.

Company History
In 1906 Jim Kirby developed his first vacuum, 'The Domestic Cyclone' which used water for dirt separation. In 1914 he designed 'The Ezee' which was a none electric vacuum that operated off of a manual bellows system. That same year George Scott establishes 'The George H. Scott Machine Shop'. The next year it becomes 'The Scott and Fretzer Machine Shop' when Carl J. Fretzer becomes business partners with George Scott. By 1919 Jim Kirby has created 'The Vac-u-ette', another none electric vacuum that uses pushing and thus the turning of the wheel to power the suction. It even has a filter in the bag. By 1920 the company began using 'Direct Selling' where in individual salesmen marketed the products door to door. 'The Vacuette Electric' is released some time between 1925 and 1928. Kirby continues to innovate with nozzles, filters, moth repellent gas, and other innovations till by 1934 a vacuum is at last released with his name; The Kirby Model C. More Kirby vacuums would follow and then, the Second World War broke out and the Scott Fretzer Company stopped producing Kirby Vacuums and began to focus on wartime production in the area of Gun Sights and Torpedoes. After the war production of Kirby brand vacuums picks up again and the Kirby Company as a division of the Scott Fretzer Company matured in the sense of having it's own identity even though it's existed in documentation since 1914. In 1972 The Kirby Company expanded it's manufacturing to Austin, Texas; USA and as of today is the largest source of revenue for the Scott Fretzer Company and continues to sell it's products door to door.

Website
www.kirby.com