Mueller Co.

Last updated
Mueller Co.
Industry Water Infrastructure
Founded1857 (1857)
FounderHieronymus Mueller
Headquarters,
United States
Key people
Greg Rogowski (President)
Scott Hall (President and CEO of Mueller Water Products)
Revenue$783.3 Million (2014) [1]
$122.3 Million (2013) [1]
Parent Mueller Water Products, Inc.
Website www.muellercompany.com

Mueller Co. is a Chattanooga, Tennessee based industrial manufacturing group that manufactures fire hydrants, gate valves, and other water distribution products. Mueller Co. which moved to Chattanooga from Decatur, Illinois in 2010, is the largest supplier of potable water distribution products in North America. [2] Mueller Co. is a subsidiary of Mueller Water Products, Inc. A manufacturing facility remains in Decatur.

Contents

History

Early history

H. Mueller, Gun Shop building, circa 1859 1st-shop-W-Main-Decatur.jpg
H. Mueller, Gun Shop building, circa 1859

Mueller Co. was founded in 1857 by Hieronymus Mueller in Decatur, Illinois as "H. Mueller, Gun Shop". [3] Mueller closed the business briefly in 1858 to prospect for gold in Colorado, but returned to his business not long after, expanding it to include sewing machine and clock repairs and the sale of hunting and fishing equipment in addition to gunsmithing. [3] By 1880, the focus of Mueller's business shifted from manufacturing guns to manufacturing plumbing goods, and in 1885, Mueller changed the name of his business to "H. Mueller Manufacturing Co." and he moved the gun and sporting goods division of his company to a separate location. [3] By 1891, Mueller ran three separate businesses: a plumbing services shop, a plumbing goods manufacturing company, and a gun sporting goods store. [3] In 1896, Mueller's manufacturing business had grown so much, the family sold its gun and sporting goods business in order to focus entirely on producing plumbing goods. [3]

Expansion

Mueller Co.'s previous headquarters location in Decatur started as a two-story brick building constructed in 1895 and was gradually expanded to include a third story, another three-story office building and warehouse, a power plant, a soda fountain manufacturing plant, an engineering building, galvanizing facilities, and a gym, among others. By 1960, the campus consisted of more than a dozen buildings occupying six city blocks. [3] Around 1910, the youngest Mueller brother, Oscar, moved to New York in order to establish and run Mueller Manufacturing's Eastern Division manufacturing and sales office, resulting in a sharp increase in the business the company did in Canada. In 1912, Oscar Mueller moved again in order to establish a new manufacturing plant in Sarnia, Ontario under the name Mueller, Ltd. [3]

Mueller Manufacturing Co. building in Decatur, Illinois, following its expansion to three stories. H. Mueller Manufacturing Co. 1904.JPG
Mueller Manufacturing Co. building in Decatur, Illinois, following its expansion to three stories.

During World War I, the Mueller brothers formed Mueller Metals Company in order to address the shortage of brass rod munitions fuses, constructing a plant in Port Huron, Michigan. The plant went into production as the war was ending, and the Muellers took a large loss on the facility. In 1927, Oscar Mueller exchanged his interest in Mueller Co. for the Port Huron plant, converting it into an independent brass tubing and fitting manufacturing enterprise under the name of Mueller Brass Company, now known as Mueller Industries. [3]

Throughout the late 1920s, Mueller Co. opened additional sales and distribution offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, and Atlanta, though the Great Depression led to the closure of all of these offices. However, a production plant was opened in Los Angeles in 1933 in order to handle distribution for the company's still-growing market in the western United States. [3] The Los Angeles plant remained in operation until 1977, when it was replaced by a new facility in Brea, California. [3] Mueller Co. also acquired Columbia Iron Works, a Chattanooga, Tennessee-based manufacturer of hydrants and gate valves in 1933. [3]

Mueller Co. opened a plant to produce a full line of bathroom and kitchen fixtures in 1925, but the Depression caused a decline in demand for these goods, leading to the plant's closure in 1933. [3] It reopened as a Mueller Co.-owned munitions plant during World War II, manufacturing 37mm and 57mm shells and large naval ordinance. [3] During this time, Mueller developed an armor-piercing shell that was used in North Africa to defeat the Axis forces led by Erwin Rommel. [4] The plant closed at the end of the war, and the property was sold in 1948. [3]

In 1951, the company purchased a new site in Decatur and converted it to an iron and brass foundry. The iron foundry operation was phased out within a few years, and the facility is now one of the largest brass foundries in the world. [3] The central Decatur campus went through a major modernization beginning in 1961, bringing most of the facility's operations under a single roof. Many of the older buildings were either sold or demolished, but several of the oldest structures were kept and incorporated into the new plant building. [3] A new iron foundry opened in St. Jerome, Quebec under Mueller, Ltd. in 1966. [3] Mueller opened a plant in Clinton, South Carolina to manufacture butterfly valves in 1980, but ceased operation in 1996 after the acquisition of Henry Pratt Company. In 1996, Mueller opened a plant that produces gas distribution products in Brownsville, Texas. [3] The corporate headquarters of the company relocated from Decatur to Chattanooga, Tennessee in 2010. [3] [5]

Acquisitions and Mergers

In 1923, Mueller Co. acquired the National Casting Company and established the Mueller Iron Foundry Company. The iron foundry became part of Mueller Co. in 1928, and continued operation until the mid-1950s. [3] Mueller Co. acquired Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Columbia Iron Works, a manufacturer of fire hydrants and gate valves, in 1933, later changing the outfit's brand name to Mueller in 1955. [3] Mueller still manufactures gate valves at this location, but the fire hydrant manufacturing operation was moved to Albertville, Alabama in 1975, earning the town the moniker "Fire Hydrant Capital of the World" in 1991. [3] [6] In 1965, Mueller Co. bought the Los Angeles-based Adams Clamp Company and moved its production operations first to Decatur, Illinois, and later to its current location in Cleveland, Tennessee. [3] In 1988, Mueller Co. acquired Hersey-Sparling Meter Company, which began operating under its former name, Hersey Meters, until it was merged with Arkion Systems in 2009 and became known as Mueller Systems. [4] [7] In 1996, Henry Pratt Company, a manufacturer of butterfly and other specialty valves, and James Jones Company became subsidiaries of Mueller Co. [3] [4] Pratt subsequently acquired several companies between 2001 and 2003, including Hydro Gate and Milliken Valve, among others. [3] [4] The leak detection company, Echologics, and Hydro Guard, a brand of water line flushing systems, are Mueller Co.'s most recent acquisitions; they both became divisions of the company in 2011. [4] [8]

Brands and Subsidiaries

NameDescription
Echologics Echologics specializes in non-invasive acoustic detection of underground leaks and pipe condition assessment. [9] [10] It has conducted and completed projects in North America, Europe, Australia, South Africa, and Singapore that have mitigated the loss of millions of gallons of drinking water via leaking infrastructure. [9] In 2012, Mueller Service Co., which also provides assessment and remediation services for water utilities, was consolidated under the Echologics brand. [11]
Henry Pratt Company [12] The Henry Pratt Company develops, manufactures and sells valves, valve actuators and control systems for use in potable water, wastewater, power, industrial, and nuclear applications. The company was founded in 1901 as a metal fabricating shop, and it designed and developed the first rubber-seated butterfly valve in 1926. The company is headquartered in Aurora, Illinois, with manufacturing facilities in Aurora, Illinois, and Hammond, Indiana. [13]
Hydro Gate [14] Hydro Gate provides water control gates for multiple industries and applications including flood control, water treatment, irrigation, dam projects, and hydroelectricity. Its products include cast iron and fabricated slide or flap gates, rectangular butterfly gates, stop logs, wall thimbles, lifts, and accessories. [15]
Hydro-Guard [16] Hydro-Guard provides automatic, schedulable flushing systems for water distribution lines. [17]
James Jones Company [18] James Jones Company manufactures bronze wet barrel fire hydrants, and a variety of bronze water service valves and fittings for potable water distribution systems. The company was founded in the early 1890s by James Jones, and expanded from primarily manufacturing bronze valves to also manufacturing bronze fire hydrants in 1926. The company's administrative headquarters are located in Ontario, California, and it has ISO2001-compliant manufacturing facilities located in Illinois, Tennessee, and Alabama. [19]
Milliken Valve Co. [20] Milliken Valve Co. develops, manufacturers, and sells plug, check, and butterfly valves, as well as related water, wastewater, and industrial controls and actuators. [21] In 2011, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration awarded Milliken with its "Star" worksite designation, recognizing its implementation of an effective health and safety management system. [22]
Mueller Systems Mueller Systems is a manufacturer and distributor of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and automatic meter reading (AMR) technology, as well as residential, commercial and fire-line meters and related products. [23] Founded as Hawes and Hersey Company in 1859, Mueller Systems is the oldest manufacturer of water meters in the United States. [24]
U.S. Pipe Valve & Hydrant Division [25] U.S. Pipe Valve and Hydrant Division (USPVH) produces fire hydrants and gate valves, as well as a variety of other potable water flow control products for water distribution systems and fire protection. USPVH products are manufactured in the company's plants, which are ISO9001-certified and located in the United States. [26]

Research and development

In 2012, Mueller Co. expanded its research and development capabilities with the creation of the Mueller Co. Technology Center (MTC) in Chattanooga, Tennessee. [27] [28] The MTC combined existing R&D facilities in Chattanooga with operations that were relocated from a Rhode Island facility and from several manufacturing facilities. [27] The decision to consolidate Mueller's R&D activities in Chattanooga was intended to improve communications between researchers and manufacturers within the company. [28]

Technologies

Technologies developed and improved by Mueller Co. and its subsidiaries throughout its history are used in and have improved infrastructures around the world. United States Patent #251726A was issued to Hieronymus Mueller in 1892 for a water pressure regulator. [29] [30] In 1913, modified versions of this valve were used to keep ships from accidentally running into the gates of the Panama Canal. Today, as many as 95 valves based on Mueller's original design are still used to protect the canal's system of locks. [29] Pressure regulators are also considered vital components of plumbing and water infrastructure systems, as they are instrumental in protecting pipes from wear-and-tear caused by pressure fluctuations, preventing leaks caused by pressure that is too high, and protecting the drinking water supply by preventing contamination caused by untreated groundwater when pressure is too low. [29]

More recently, a technological collaboration between Mueller Co. subsidiaries, Mueller Systems and Echologics, has resulted in the development of the first continual, two-way, remote leak detection and monitoring system, called Mi.Echo. [31] Mi.Echo combines Mueller Systems' Mueller Infrastructure Network (Mi.Net), a two-way advanced metering infrastructure, with Echologics' compact, non-invasive, acoustic leak detection system, LeakFinderRT. [31] The largest installation of the system to date is by West Virginia American Water, which covers several towns stretching 10 miles down the Kanawha Valley River. [32]

2021 Mueller Co. Shooting

On June 15, 2021 at 2:22 AM, an employee at the Mueller Co. plant in Albertville, Alabama walked into the plant armed with a handgun and opened fire on an unknown number of people. At 2:30 AM, emergency services received the first call of the shooting. At approximately 2:32 AM, first responders began arriving on scene. By 2:35 AM, police had made entry into the plant searching for the shooter, and began evacuating employees. Authorities discovered 4 victims in different parts of the plant and immediately began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and other life saving measures on the victims. At 2:53 AM, an ambulance arrived and transported one victim to hospital, and another one half an hour later. The two other victims were fatally wounded and died on scene. Police initially thought that it was still an active shooter situation for half an hour before they realized the shooter was no longer in the plant. At approximately 6:00 AM, police located the suspect's body in neighboring Guntersville, Alabama, having died by suicide. The investigation is still ongoing and a motive for the attack has not been established. [33] [34] [35]

Sustainability

Mueller Co. uses a number of sustainable manufacturing and business practices. It is among the leading manufacturers in the use of the lost-foam casting process, which reduces the amount of required materials for casting and reduces the amount of waste and emissions generated by the casting process. [36] Mueller Co. has also been a member of the Lost Foam Casting Consortium at the University of Alabama Birmingham, which is involved in improvements to the technology and growth in markets for the process. [37] Mueller Co. offers all of its waterworks brass products in low-lead varieties., and the majority of the company's brass and iron castings contain recycled material from both post-consumer and industrial scrap. [36]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valve</span> Flow control device

A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fittings, but are usually discussed as a separate category. In an open valve, fluid flows in a direction from higher pressure to lower pressure. The word is derived from the Latin valva, the moving part of a door, in turn from volvere, to turn, roll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fire hydrant</span> Connection point by which firefighters can tap into a water supply

A fire hydrant, fireplug, firecock (archaic), hydrant riser or Johnny Pump is a connection point by which firefighters can tap into a water supply. It is a component of active fire protection. Underground fire hydrants have been used in Europe and Asia since at least the 18th century. Above-ground pillar-type hydrants are a 19th-century invention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tap (valve)</span> Valve controlling the release of a liquid or gas

A tap is a valve controlling the release of a fluid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crane Co.</span> American industrial manufacturer

Crane Co. is an American industrial products company based in Stamford, Connecticut. Founded by Richard Teller Crane in 1855, it became one of the leading manufacturers of bathroom fixtures in the United States, until 1990, when that division was sold off. In 1960 it began the process of becoming a holding company with a diverse portfolio. Its business segments are Aerospace & Electronics, Engineered Materials, Fluid Handling, and Controls. Industries served by these segments include chemical industries, commercial construction, food and beverage, general and commercial aviation, and power generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foundry</span> Factory that produces metal castings

A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal into a mold, and removing the mold material after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron. However, other metals, such as bronze, brass, steel, magnesium, and zinc, are also used to produce castings in foundries. In this process, parts of desired shapes and sizes can be formed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard T. Crane</span> American industrialist (1832–1912)

Richard Teller Crane I was the founder of R.T. Crane & Bro., a Chicago-based manufacturer, later Crane Co.

McWane, Inc. is one of the world's largest manufacturers of iron water works and plumbing products and one of America's largest privately owned companies. The company manufactures a host of different products including ductile iron pipe and fittings, cast iron soil pipe and fittings, heavy duty couplings, utility poles, network switches, monitoring equipment and related products. McWane is also a manufacturer of pressurized cylinders for the storage of propane and other gases through its Manchester Tank and Equipment Company division, as well as fire protection systems and extinguishers through its Amerex subsidiary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridgewater Iron Works</span> United States historic place

The Bridgewater Iron Works is a historic industrial site located on High Street in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, United States, along the banks of the Town River. Previously known as Lazell, Perkins and Company, by the mid-19th century, the Bridgewater Iron Manufacturing Company was one of the largest iron works in the United States, specializing in heavy castings and forgings. The property was later acquired by the Stanley Works, with the surrounding village still known to this day as Stanley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Foundry Society</span>

The American Foundry Society (AFS) is a professional, technical and trade association for foundries and the broader metal casting industry. The society promotes the interests of foundries to policymakers, provides training for foundry workers, and supports research and technological advancements in foundry science and manufacturing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EJ (company)</span> Company based in Michigan

EJ Group, formerly East Jordan Iron Works, is an American manufacturer of iron products, headquartered in East Jordan, Michigan. The company manufactures and distributes iron construction castings, fabricated products, composite products, water distribution solutions, and other infrastructure access products for water, sewer, drainage, telecommunications, and utility networks worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Cast Iron Pipe Company</span>

American Cast Iron Pipe Company is a manufacturer of ductile iron pipe, spiral-welded steel pipe, fire hydrants, and valves for the waterworks industry, and electric-resistance-welded steel pipe for the oil and natural gas industry. Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, American's diversified product line also includes static castings and high performance fire pumps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dixon Valve & Coupling Company</span> American manufacturer and supplier of hose fittings and accessories

Dixon Valve & Coupling Company, LLC is a manufacturer and supplier of hose fittings and accessories. The company, often referred to as just Dixon, offers products for fire protection, food processing, dairy processing, beverage and brewery operations, industrial manufacturing, mining, construction, chemical processing, petroleum processing and refining, oilfields, mobile tankers and agricultural operations. Dixon Valve, which was founded by H. W. Goodall in 1916, maintains manufacturing, warehouse, sales or service facilities in eleven U.S. states. It also has sales and service offices on five continents. Its international headquarters are in Chestertown, Maryland (USA).

Grinnell Mechanical Products, a brand of Tyco International Ltd., manufactures grooved piping and mechanical products. Grinnell Mechanical Products specializes in mechanical, fire, HVAC, commercial, mining, institutional and industrial applications. Grinnell grooved products are used in various industries because they are historically more efficient than flanged, welded, and threaded pipe joining methods. Key product lines include grooved couplings and fittings, G-PRESS systems, strainers, stainless steel systems, copper systems, and G-MINE PVC systems. Grinnell Mechanical Products offers mechanical services used for supporting engineering and design. These include 2D and 3D drawings for the mechanical room and design suggestions and easy to follow installation drawings with legends for each pump.

Echologics LLC is a Canadian engineering company based in Toronto that specializes in non-invasive acoustic detection of underground leaks and pipe condition assessment. It has completed projects in North America, Europe, Australia, South Africa, and Singapore that have minimized the loss of millions of gallons of drinking water via leaking infrastructure. Echologics and Mueller Systems are both part of Mueller Water Products' Mueller Technologies reporting segment.

Mueller Systems is a manufacturer and distributor of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and automatic meter reading (AMR) technology, as well as residential, commercial and fire-line meters and related products. It is a subsidiary of Mueller Water Products. Founded as Hawes and Hersey Company in 1859, Mueller Systems is the oldest manufacturer of water meters in the United States.

Mueller Water Products, Inc. (MWP) is a publicly traded company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. It is one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of fire hydrants, gate valves, and other water infrastructure products in North America. MWP is made up of two business units—Mueller Co. and Mueller Technologies—that oversee more than a dozen brands and affiliates, including Echologics and Mueller Systems.

Glenfield is a large industrial manufacturing company based in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland. At its height it was reckoned to be the largest company of its type in the Commonwealth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diehl Metall</span>

Diehl Metall is a corporate division of the Diehl Stiftung & Co. KG, a worldwide operating industrial group with its head office in Röthenbach an der Pegnitz near Nuremberg, Germany. The production units of Diehl Metall are situated at 13 locations in Europe, Asia, South America and the US. With 3,420 employees the company generated a turnover of €917 million in 2017. Diehl Metall produces semi-finished products, forgings and rolled products, high-precision stamped parts with plating technologies as well as Schempp+Decker press-fit zones and metal-plastic compound systems. The company provides material development and production, sheet metal forming and forging technology as well as plating, press-fit, overmolding and assembling technology completely in-house.

Henry Pratt Company is an American manufacturing company located in Aurora, Illinois.

Mueller Industries is an American manufacturing company that specializes in piping, industrial metals and climate machinery. It was founded in 1917 and is included on the Fortune 1000 list in 2022. The head office of the company is located in Memphis, Tennessee. Mueller Industries, Inc. is a multi-billion dollar revenue company that is publicly traded. The company has operations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, South Korea, the Middle East and Great Britain. The current CEO of the company is Gregory L. Christopher, appointed in 2009.

References

  1. 1 2 "Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014" . Retrieved 2014-12-01.
  2. "Company Overview". Mueller Co. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 "Locations of Mueller Co. Plants and Offices". Hieronymus Mueller Museum. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "History". Mueller Co. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
  5. Pare, Mike (2010-03-13). "Manufacturer Mueller moves HQ here". Chattanooga Times Free Press . Retrieved 2014-04-25.
  6. Maney, Kevin (May 20, 2005). "Claims to Fame". USA Today. Gannet Co. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  7. "Hersey Meters Becomes Part of Mueller Systems". Water & Wastes Digest. 2010-01-15. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
  8. "Mueller Co. Acquires Hydro-Guard Brand" (Press release). Mueller Co. 2011-09-12. Retrieved 2014-05-27.
  9. 1 2 James, Adam (2011-11-03). "The U.S. Wastes 7 Billion Gallons of Drinking Water a Day: Can Innovation Help Solve the Problem?". ThinkProgress . Retrieved 2012-08-19.
  10. Kenter, Peter (2011-06-24). "Mueller Water Products' Echologics unit detects leaks in water pipes". Daily Commercial News and Construction Record. Archived from the original on 2014-04-26. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
  11. "Mueller Service Co. Is Now Part of Echologics". Echologics. Retrieved 2012-12-10.
  12. "Home". henrypratt.com.
  13. "A History of Innovation, Development and Experience". Henry Pratt Company. Retrieved 2012-10-25.
  14. "Home". hydrogate.com.
  15. "Hydro Gate Line Card" (PDF). Hydro Gate. Retrieved 2012-10-25.
  16. "Home". hydro-guard.com.
  17. "Hydro-Guard by Mueller Co". Water & Wastes Digest. Retrieved 2014-05-27.
  18. "Home". joneswaterproducts.com.
  19. "Who We Are". James Jones Company. Retrieved 2012-10-25.
  20. "Home". millikenvalve.com.
  21. "About Milliken Valve". Milliken Valve Company. Retrieved 2012-10-25.
  22. "Milliken Valve, LLC. Is Awarded OSHA's Star Designation" (PDF) (Press release). Milliken Valve Company. 2011-03-11. Retrieved 2012-10-25.
  23. "About Us". Mueller Systems. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
  24. "Hersey, Sparling Meter Announce Merger Plan". Chicago Tribune . 1959-09-08.
  25. "Home". uspvh.com.
  26. "Who We Are". U.S. Pipe Valve & Hydrant. Retrieved 2012-10-25.
  27. 1 2 Pare, Mike (2012-09-20). "Mueller Co. moves research and development center to Chattanooga". Chattanooga Times Free Press . Retrieved 2014-04-25.
  28. 1 2 "Mueller Co. Expands Research & Development Capabilities" (Press release). Mueller Water Products. 2012-09-05. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
  29. 1 2 3 "Mueller Company". Journal of the American Water Works Association. 106 (8): 209. August 2014.
  30. A US 251726 A,Mueller, Hieronymus,"Water-Pressure regulator",published 1882-01-03
  31. 1 2 "Mi.Echo". Mueller Systems. Retrieved 2014-11-26.
  32. "Mueller Systems Selected by West Virginia American Water for Continuous Leak Detection Monitoring". Reuters. 2014-10-28. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2014-11-26.
  33. "Investigation continues into Albertville Mueller shooting". 21 June 2021.
  34. "2 dead, 2 injured in Mueller Co. Shooting in Alabama's 'Fire Hydrant Capital of the World'".
  35. "Albertville shooting: Police release names of victims, suspected gunman at Mueller plant".
  36. 1 2 "Going Green So You Can Too" (PDF). Mueller Co. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
  37. "Success Through Partnership: Lost Foam" (PDF). U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Industrial Technologies. September 1998. Retrieved 2014-04-25.