Industry | Technology |
---|---|
Founded | 1864 |
Headquarters | , |
Key people | Julian Baseley (MD) |
Products | Vacuum cleaners, Sweepers, Steamers, Polishers, Consumables |
Website | www |
Ewbank is a brand of cleaning products founded in the United Kingdom in 1864. Originally owned by Entwisle and Kenyon Ltd, then by Earlex Ltd.
In 1864, Ewbank was founded in Accrington, Lancashire, by John Ramsbottom and George Hacking. Originally the company produced water meters. [1] They were joined by John Haworth, James Entwisle, and James Kenyon. When the founders retired, the company was renamed Entwisle and Kenyon Limited. [1] Around 1875, Entwisle & Kenyon began manufacturing washing machines and mangles. [2]
In 1882 Richard Walton Kenyon visited the U.S. to source wooden blocks for mangles, and came across a carpet sweeper factory in Chicago. Recognizing the potential for the product in the UK market, [2] Kenyon designed a carpet sweeper for Ewbank. It went on sale in 1889, [2] and became the leading product of its kind in the UK, where carpet sweeping became commonly known as "ewbanking". [2] The name 'Ewbank' orginated from the Ewbank area of Accrington, where the factory was located. [3] Several models of sweepers were produced, such as the 'Standard' and 'Parlour Queen', as well as miniature versions designed specifically for children. [2]
Following World War II Ewbank established itself as a major manufacturer of floor-care products, with a presence both in the UK and internationally. [2] [4] While the initial models used metal casing, by the mid 1970's the sweepers were made from Novodur. [5]
By the mid-1970s Ewbank was owned by Prestige. [5] In 2003, the company was acquired by Earlex Ltd. [2] In November 2013 Ewbank became independent once again and has since established subsidiary companies in the US and Hong Kong.[ citation needed ]
The company has expanded it's product line to include carpet cleaners, vacuum cleaners, floor scrubbers, steam cleaners, and polishers.
A vacuum cleaner, also known simply as a vacuum, is a device that uses suction, and often agitation, in order to remove dirt and other debris from carpets and hard floors.
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A carpet sweeper is a mechanical device for the cleaning of carpets. They were popular before the introduction of the vacuum cleaner and have been largely superseded by them. However, they continue to be used in many home and commercial applications because they are lightweight and quiet, enabling users to quickly clean small messes up from the floor without disturbing patrons, patients, babies and pets, and because they do not require electricity to operate.
Numatic International Ltd is a British manufacturer primarily producing domestic, commercial and industrial cleaning and maintenance equipment distributed worldwide. It is one of the major producers of vacuum cleaners in the United Kingdom, producing the Henry domestic vacuum cleaner and its related models, which also shares a canister design with the "smiling face" appearance and human name.
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Bissell Inc., also known as Bissell Homecare, is an American privately owned vacuum cleaner and floor care product manufacturing corporation headquartered in Walker, Michigan in Greater Grand Rapids. The company is the number one manufacturer of floor care products in North America in terms of sales, with 20% marketshare.
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