Hoover

The Hoover Company started out as an American floor care manufacturer based in North Canton, Ohio. It also established a major base in the United Kingdom and for most of the early-and-mid-20th century, it dominated the electric vacuum cleaner industry, to the point where the "hoover" brand name became synonymous for vacuum cleaners and vacuuming in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The Hoover Company in the United States was part of the Whirlpool Corporation but sold in 2006 to Techtronic Industries for $107 million. Hoover UK/Europe split from Hoover U.S. in 1993 and was acquired by Candy, a company based in Brugherio Italy. It currently uses the original Hoover logo with the slogan "Generation Future".
In addition to floorcare products Hoover is also an iconic domestic appliance brand in Europe particularly well known for its washing machines and tumble dryers in the UK and Ireland and, also had significant sales in many parts of Europe. Today, the Hoover Europe Brand, as part of the portfolio of brands owned by Candy Group, remains a major player in the European white goods and floor care sectors in a number of countries.

The first upright vacuum was invented in 1908 by a Canton, Ohio department store janitor and occasional inventor named James Murray Spangler. Spangler suffered from asthma attacks, and he suspected the carpet sweeper he was using at work was the cause of his ailment. He created a basic suction-sweeper, first by adapting his existing carpet-sweeper with an electric fan motor, then creating his own prototype from a soap box, electric motor, broom handle, and pillow case. After refining the design and being granted a patent, he set about producing the 'Electric Suction Sweeper' himself.

The products sold under the Hoover brand vary greatly from one market to the next. For example in the United States the Hoover brand is used exclusively to sell floorcare products produced by TTI. Meanwhile in the UK and much of Europe Hoover branding appears on Candy Group products including white goods such as washing machines, dishwashers and refrigerators as well as floorcare products. Current details of the product range available to consumers can be found by visiting the Hoover website for the market of interest

Click here for some Hoover products.