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Kohler Company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Kohler Company is a manufacturing company in Kohler, Wisconsin best known for its plumbing products. Kohler also manufactures furniture, cabinetry, tile, engines, and generators.
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Kohler was founded in 1873 by Austrian immigrant John Michael Kohler with the purchase of the Sheboygan Union Iron and Steel Foundry. Early products included cast iron and steel farm implements, castings for furniture factories, and ornamental iron pieces including cemetery crosses and settees. A breakthrough came for the company when, in 1883, John Michael applied enamel to a cast iron horse trough to create the company's first bathtub. From this point on, the company has been primarily in the plumbing business, and became well known for plumbing fixtures. In 1888 the then Kohler Water Works developed the original trademarked Bubbler. The idea took off and other companies developed similar products under the generic term "drinking fountain." The colloquial word Bubbler is still used in several regions of the United States.
Former Wisconsin Governor Walter J. Kohler, Sr. was President of Kohler Company as was his son former Wisconsin Governor Walter J. Kohler, Jr.. Today, the president of Kohler is Herbert V. Kohler, Jr. (born February 20, 1939), grandson of the founder.
In 1998, Kohler made a plan to buy back any outstanding shares not owned by the family. All family members had to exchange their common shares for share with limited rights, those that could not be sold. Since Kohler is not a publically traded company, the amount of shares floating were minimal. Kohler offered $55,400 per share, but some shareholders challenged this valuation and sued.
The IRS also decided challenge this valuation by prosecuting the estate of Frederick Kohler who had recently died holding 975 shares. The value of 489, was due in tax. Kohler won the lawsuit against the IRS. [1]
Kohler's sinks, toilets, brass faucets, and bathtubs are available in American hardware and home improvement stores. To this day, Kohler still makes traditional cast iron bathtubs, and are one of very few United States manufacturers to do so. Besides residential products, Kohler manufactures a commercial line of bathroom fixtures. In addition, the company does a fair amount of artistic custom work, such as hand-painted sinks and toilets.
Kohler also makes small engines, which account for about 25% of revenue.
More recently, the company has been expanding in the areas of furniture, cabinetry, and tile in the consumer market, and engines and generators for industry. These other consumer products have not yet achieved the market presence of the plumbing products. However, the industrial products have become well recognized in eastern Wisconsin.
Kohler company displays many of its products at the Kohler Design Center in the city of Kohler.
Kohler also has a Hospitality and Real Estate Group, which owns a golf resort in Kohler called BlackWolf Run. In addition, The American Club is the only AAA 5-Diamond hotel and resort in the entire Midwest. The Whistling Straits golf course complex is associated with the resort. Whistling Straits hosted the PGA Championship in 2004.
The Kohler Company is affiliated with the not-for-profit John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The John Michael Kohler Arts Center is notable for the Arts/Industry program, the primary component of which is a residency program at Kohler Company. Artists have the opportunity to spend two to six months creating works of art utilizing the industrial materials and equipment.
The John Michael Kohler Arts Center also features five artist-designed washrooms created in the Kohler Company factory.