About American Standard

Our roots and our name are American, but our business is global. We're part of people's lives in more than 40 countries, from the air they breathe to the water they drink to their level of safety on the highway. We do that through three businesses: Air Conditioning Systems and Services, Bath & Kitchen Products and Vehicle Control Systems.

Each business is a market leader.

We're the world's leading producer of bathroom and kitchen fixtures and faucets, sold under such brands as American Standard® and Ideal Standard®, for consumer and commercial markets.

In air conditioning, sold under the Trane® and American Standard® brands, we're #1 globally in chiller equipment and #1 in the U.S. for commercial systems. Our residential systems are the premium brand in the U.S.

And we lead the world in electronic braking, stability, suspension and transmission control systems, sold under the WABCO® name, for heavy commercial vehicles. We are three businesses, multiple brands, millions of customers, but just one American Standard.

History

Before American Standard, there was the Standard Sanitary Manufacturing Company. It was founded in 1875, and merged with several other small plumbing manufacturers in 1899 to form the Standard Sanitary Manufacturing Company. Standard Sanitary pioneered many of the plumbing product improvements introduced in the early part of this century including the one-piece toilet, built-in tubs, combination faucets (which mix hot and cold water to deliver tempered water) and tarnish-proof, corrosion-proof chrome finishes for brass fittings. By 1929, Standard had become the world's largest producer of bathroom fixtures.

That same year, the Standard Sanitary Corporation merged with American Radiator Company to form the American Radiator and Standard Sanitary Corporation. The corporation adopted the name "American Standard" in 1967.

And in 2006 we’re celebrating one of our most successful years of innovation. We’ve introduced new products and innovations in all of our areas, leaving an indelible impression on the industry.

Product and Marketing Innovations
Here’s an abridged history of American Standard product and marketing innovations. It changes often. We’re very proud of that.

1883	Standard Manufacturing perfects the process of enameling cast iron to form a smooth easy-to-clean surface for bathtubs.
1904	Standard Manufacturing opens showrooms to augment its consumer and trade advertising.
1951	Sanistand, a woman's urinal, is placed in public restrooms across the country in a pilot program. It didn't last.
1968	Phil Donahue teams up with American Standard and a wholesaler to dedicate one of his local Dayton, OH shows to the topic of plumbing fixtures. TV's first frank toilet talk generated more than 2,000 phoned-in questions from viewers.
1980	American Standard patents its ceramic disc valving technology to keep faucets drip-free with smooth handle performance for a lifetime of use.
1987	Americast introduced as lightweight enameled alternative to cast iron for bathtubs and kitchen sinks.
1992	France-based Porcher, Inc. joins American Standard's family of plumbing products, opening up a new product collection of luxury European designs.
2000	The Jado brand of luxury faucets is acquired by American Standard.
2003	American Standard introduces the revolutionary Champion® Flushing System, a new flapper-free, 1.6 gpf gravity-fed toilet technology that flushes quickly and completely. It features a patented Flush Tower, a 3-inch flush valve, a 2 3/8 inch diameter siphon trapway and a 10 Year Worry-Free Warranty.
2004	American Standard introduces StayClean™ whirlpool systems with Antimicrobial Alphasan® that keeps piping clean. This revolutionary material uses silver's natural antimicrobial characteristics to help keep your whirlpool free of unseen microbes, like mold, mildew and bacteria.
2004	American Standard introduces the Selectronic™ System, the next generation of proximity commercial fittings. The same watertight miniature sensor works for all Selectronic products, reducing specification time, installation time, maintenance time and repair part inventory costs.
2004	American Standard introduces Scotchgard™ Protector on sinks to make cleaning easier. With Scotchgard Protector, it is easy to wipe away toothpaste, lotions, makeup and other grime from the sink.
2005	American Standard takes toilet technology to the next level with its FloWise™ 1.28 gpf High Efficiency Toilet (HET). It uses the revolutionary Champion® Flush Tower for a fast, powerful, quiet and virtually trouble-free flush using 20% less water than a traditional 1.6 gpf toilet.
2006	American Standard introduces The Speed Connect Drain. It’s a drain that has 1/3 the parts of a standard drain and installs in 1/3 the time.
2006	American Standard introduces Comfort Jets for whirlpools. The only whirlpool jets that are flush against the tub wall, so you can lay perfectly flat against the jet.
2006	American Standard introduces EverClean Anti-microbial Glaze. A china glaze fired into the surface that inhibits the growth of mold and odor causing bacteria.
2006	American Standard introduces EverClean Faucet Finish. A finish applied to all American Standard faucets, allowing the user to wipe the faucet clean in one-wipe.

Where Ingenuity Takes Shape

The Americas Bath and Kitchen group encompasses the United States, Canada and Mexico. The group employs about 8,400 associates, with headquarters in Piscataway, NJ, and 14 facilities through the US, Canada and Mexico. A research and development center was recently opened in Piscataway with state-of-the-art computer design and product modeling equipment, as well as an extensive product testing laboratory.

Americas Bath and Kitchen enjoys global design and innovation resources from the American Standard's Global Bath and Kitchen operation, with manufacturing and product development facilities through North America, Europe, South America, and Asia.