Bissell Inc.
Company typePrivate corporation
GenreHome care
Founded1876; 148 years ago (1876)
FounderMelville Bissell
HeadquartersWalker, Michigan
Key people
Mark J. Bissell, President
ProductsVacuum cleaners (Standard and Robotic), Carpet cleaners, Shop Vacs, Floor Cleaners
RevenueUS$800 million (2017)
Number of employees
2,500
Websitewww.bissell.com
Footnotes / references
[1][2]

Bissell Inc., also known as Bissell Homecare, is an American privately owned vacuum cleaner and floor care product manufacturing corporation headquartered in Walker, Michigan in Greater Grand Rapids.[3][4] The company is the number one manufacturer of floor care products in North America in terms of sales, with 20% marketshare.[5]

History

Melville Bissell developed an early carpet sweeping machine to aid in cleaning the crockery shop he and his wife Anna owned and operated. The device was patented as the Bissell Carpet Sweeper in 1876. In 1883, Bissell built the company's first manufacturing plant in Grand Rapids.[6] By the 1890s the company had an international presence and was producing 1000 sweepers per day.[7]

Melville Bissell died in 1889 and his wife Anna took over as leader of the company. She served as the company president from 1889 - 1919 and chair of the board from 1919 - 1934.[8]

Over the years the company expanded from manufacturing only mechanical sweepers to producing vacuum cleaners and carpet shampooers.[6]

Today

In 2004, the company acquired a license for the Woolite trademark for all carpet and upholstery cleaning formulas for $62 million. It has also moved into the pet-care industry, manufacturing attachments and solutions designed specifically for cleaning up pet hair and stains. Whereas other competitors saw sales decline by numerous percentage points during the economic downturn, Bissell's sales remained steady.[2] In 2009, they outpaced Hoover to take the number one position for floor-care sales in North America.[5] Their top-selling carpet shampooer is Bissell ProHeat 2x Revolution Pet Pro[9] which is the market leader as of 2020.

It was the title sponsor for the Bissell Pro Cycling Team.[10] Bissell also has a pet foundation.[11] With every purchase, it donates some percentage to the foundation to save pets, and grant money and assistance to various animal non-profits in all 50 states.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Bissell Inc". Funding Universe. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  2. ^ a b Schroder, Gary (April 17, 2009). "Bissell launches Smart Details line of brooms, brushes and dusters". The Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  3. ^ "Street Map." (Archive) City of Walker. Retrieved on December 25, 2012. The headquarters of Bissell Inc. are at B4, labeled as "Bissell"
  4. ^ "Contact Us]". Bissell Inc. Retrieved October 18, 2020. 2345 Walker Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49544.
  5. ^ a b Crawley, Nancy (January 31, 2010). "Success of Bissell is model for succeeding in Michigan, instead of abandoning state". The Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  6. ^ a b "Our History". Bissell. Archived from the original on 22 November 2010. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  7. ^ Schorman, Rob (April 2008). "Claude Hopkins, Earnest Calkins, Bissell Carpet Sweepers and the Birth of Modern Advertising". Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. 7 (2): 181–219. doi:10.1017/S1537781400001869. S2CID 162713702. Archived from the original on 2010-09-06.
  8. ^ "History of the Bissell Carpet Sweeper". Kent County Michigan Genweb Project. Archived from the original on 14 July 2010. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  9. ^ "Bissell ProHeat 2x Revolution Pet Pro Reviews". Carpet Cleaner Guides. Shelly Marcus. 18 August 2020.
  10. ^ Rogers, Neal (February 11, 2008). "Road Warriors: Bissell takes on title-sponsor role". VeloNews. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  11. ^ "Bissell Pet Foundation". Bissell Pet Foundation.
  12. ^ "Our Work in Action".

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