A brief history of the Hoover company

The story of the Hoover Company dates back to 1907 when Murray Spangler invented a simple product that forever changed the way people cleaned. Mr. Spangler was working as a night janitor and was suffering with asthma. He needed to find a way to reduce and capture the dust that was all around him and causing asthmatic flare-ups as he swept.

Mr. Spangler only had minimal resources available at his disposal, so he gathered up a fan, a tin soap box, a broom handle, and a sateen pillowcase. He used these items to make a strange looking, and a bit unwieldy, device that worked to pull the dust out of the air. Mr. Spangler named his invention the “Suction Sweeper” and realizing that it could have great sales potential, immediate sought a patent.

Since Mr. Spangler would need financial backing to market his product, he contacted W.H. “Boss” Hoover, who owned a leather goods manufacturing shop. In 1908, Mr. Spangler sold Boss his patent in exchange for him staying on as a partner in the business. Soon, the two men had six employees assembling the “Suction Sweeper” at a rate of six units per day in a small area of the leather goods shop.

In an effort to sell the units, Boss placed a small ad in the Saturday Evening Post. The ad offered anyone who wrote in and requested a unit ten days of free use in their home. Rather than simply sending the vacuum directly to the customer, Boss chose reputable stores in certain cities where customers could go to purchase the cleaner. He offered store manages a commission from the sales, and extended them the opportunity to become a Hoover Vacuum Dealer. This was the beginning of the national dealer network, which to this day is still the main channel of distribution of Hoover vacuum cleaners.

From this point, Hoover continued to grow and expand. One of their most notable improvements was introduced in 1926, and was known as the “beater bar”. The company’s very memorable advertising slogan said it all: “It beats, as it sweeps, as it cleans.” This new technology coupled with strong suction easily removed loosened ground in dirt, while the bristles swept.

Since the inception of the beater bar, many other “firsts” were developed by the company. Hoover employs some of the best engineers in the world, who continue to develop ground-breaking and convenient features that make cleaning easier than ever before. The disposable paper vacuum cleaner bag, the headlight, the side mounted hose feature, and the machine being self-propelled are just a few of the innovations Hoover has brought to market.

Today, Hoover has become part of the Glenwillow, OH headquartered company TTI Floor Care North America. This has made Hoover a top leader in the floor care industry for both residential and commercial settings. Since the company’s beginning in 1908, Hoover has continued to be a trusted name that prides itself on providing top quality, reliable, technologically advanced products.