COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 3585

Refrigeration and Heating Equipment

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

30companies1895–1989founding years30still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedYork International Corp.FoundedYork International Corp.
1895
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedBrunswick Corporation
1907
FoundedFedders Corp.
1913
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedGEA AG
1920
FoundedBundy Corporation
1922
FoundedWelbilt Corp.FoundedWelbilt Corp.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedKubota Corporation
1930
FoundedThermo King Corporation
1938
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedMestek, Inc.
1946
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedZero Corporation
1952
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedToromont Industries, Ltd.FoundedToromont Industries, Ltd.
1961
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedLancer Corporation
1967
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedAAF-McQuay Incorporated
1982
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedAAON, Inc.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
FoundedScotsman Industries, Inc.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

York International Corp. →
Active · founded 1895
York International Corp.
York International Corp. →
Active · founded 1895
York International Corp.
Brunswick Corporation →
Active · founded 1907
Brunswick Corporation, the oldest and largest manufacturer of recreation and leisure-time products in the United…
Brunswick Corporation →
Active · founded 1907
Brunswick Corporation, the oldest and largest manufacturer of recreation and leisure-time products in the United…
Fedders Corp. →
Active · founded 1913
Fedders Corp.
Fedders Corp. →
Active · founded 1913
Fedders Corp.
GEA AG →
Active · founded 1920 · Germany
GEA AG is one of the world's leading suppliers for food and process engineering, and thermal engineering technology.
GEA AG →
Active · founded 1920 · Germany
GEA AG is one of the world's leading suppliers for food and process engineering, and thermal engineering technology.
Bundy Corporation →
Active · founded 1922
Bundy Corporation is a subsidiary of the London-based specialized engineering group TI Group plc and a world leader in…
Bundy Corporation →
Active · founded 1922
Bundy Corporation is a subsidiary of the London-based specialized engineering group TI Group plc and a world leader in…
Welbilt Corp. →
Active · founded 1929
Welbilt Corp., through its subsidiaries, is the largest manufacturer of cooking and warming equipment in North America.
Welbilt Corp. →
Active · founded 1929
Welbilt Corp., through its subsidiaries, is the largest manufacturer of cooking and warming equipment in North America.
Kubota Corporation →
Active · founded 1930 · Japan
Kubota Corporation prides itself on being flexible and adjusting as necessary to compete under changing economic…
Kubota Corporation →
Active · founded 1930 · Japan
Kubota Corporation prides itself on being flexible and adjusting as necessary to compete under changing economic…
Thermo King Corporation →
Active · founded 1938
Thermo King Corporation, a technological leader in mobile temperature control, revolutionized the eating habits of the…
Thermo King Corporation →
Active · founded 1938
Thermo King Corporation, a technological leader in mobile temperature control, revolutionized the eating habits of the…
Mestek, Inc. →
Active · founded 1946
Mestek, Inc., is a leading manufacturer of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems for industrial,…
Mestek, Inc. →
Active · founded 1946
Mestek, Inc., is a leading manufacturer of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems for industrial,…
Zero Corporation →
Active · founded 1952
Zero Corporation is a leading designer and manufacturer of enclosure, cooling, and other systems, primarily for the…
Zero Corporation →
Active · founded 1952
Zero Corporation is a leading designer and manufacturer of enclosure, cooling, and other systems, primarily for the…
Toromont Industries, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1961 · Canada
Toromont Industries, Ltd.
Toromont Industries, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1961 · Canada
Toromont Industries, Ltd.
Lancer Corporation →
Active · founded 1967
Lancer Corporation manufactures and designs soft-drink beverage dispensers and related food service equipment such as…
Lancer Corporation →
Active · founded 1967
Lancer Corporation manufactures and designs soft-drink beverage dispensers and related food service equipment such as…
AAF-McQuay Incorporated →
Active · founded 1982
A leading manufacturer of air conditioning and air filtration equipment, AAF-McQuay Incorporated comprises two separate…
AAF-McQuay Incorporated →
Active · founded 1982
A leading manufacturer of air conditioning and air filtration equipment, AAF-McQuay Incorporated comprises two separate…
AAON, Inc. →
Active · founded 1987
AAON, Inc.
AAON, Inc. →
Active · founded 1987
AAON, Inc.
Scotsman Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1989
Scotsman Industries, Inc.
Scotsman Industries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1989
Scotsman Industries, Inc.
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