Innovation means different things to different people, but at A. O. Smith, it has been our lifeblood and the common thread that has allowed us to thrive for 150 years.
What began as a small Milwaukee-based machine shop in 1874 has evolved into a leading global water technology company committed to improving the lives of our customers by ensuring access to clean, safe, hot water. While our past may not have followed a linear path, one thing is clear — by applying skill, creativity and mechanical knowledge to technical problems, we found “a better way.”
Charles Jeremiah Smith establishes a small machine shop in Milwaukee in 1874.
In the late 1800s, business was good for a man skilled in metalwork, and our founder Charles Jeremiah Smith grew to become a major supplier of metal components for manufacturers of baby carriages and bicycles. Charles’ sons later joined the business and during the automotive revolution, grew it to become the leading supplier of steel car frames in the U.S. In 1921, A. O. Smith invented the “Mechanical Marvel,” the world’s first fully automated automobile frame assembly plant, capable of making 10,000 frames per day.
By the mid-1930s, Smith engineers perfected the process of fusing glass to steel, leading to a series of new, glass-lined products including beer kegs, brewing tanks and eventually residential water heaters.
In the decades that followed, the business continued to grow at breakneck speed, adding new locations and entering new industries. In each case, it brought along the A. O. Smith values: doing business with honesty and integrity in a workplace environment of mutual respect and dignity.
Henry Ford (left) and Arthur O. Smith test out a care made with an A. O. Smith frame.
From water heating to water technology
In 2011, A. O. Smith sold its electric motor business and embarked on a strategy to become a leading global water technology company. This vision for the future grew through acquisitions of commercial and residential water heater and boiler manufacturers and water treatment experts.
The company has also thrived thanks to partnerships like the one we’ve shared with the American Supply Association for the past several decades. We’ve worked together to map out and execute a mutual strategic vision that helps our industry and customers achieve success.
As the company continues to grow, so do our product line and technical expertise. From our new condensing gas tankless water heaters to energy-efficient heat pump water heaters, the A. O. Smith product portfolio serves customers across the board, ensuring a wide variety of solutions, fuel types and features.
Modernizing industry support
We also focus our investments on resources and technology that equip professionals with the comfort and confidence they need to install and service our products.
For years, A. O. Smith University has provided our customers, service providers and channel partners with the resources they need to grow their business, increase profitability and strengthen their presence in the marketplace. We offer hands-on, in-person classes, as well as online, on-the-go training from our state-of-the-art facility in Ashland City, Tennessee.
We’ve also developed new customer service and troubleshooting features. A QR code, placed on the rating plate of every unit coming off the production line, is designed to streamline and improve the customer service experience. When a contractor scans the code on the unit they’re servicing, they have immediate access to the user manual, warranty information and relevant support materials for that specific unit. We currently have millions of units installed in the field that have this QR code functionality already available.A. O. Smith continues to evolve to meet and exceed ever-changing conditions through the thoughtful application of innovation, creativity and problem-solving to help provide customers with the products and service they’ve come to expect. With a focus on new product development, technology upgrades, strategic acquisitions and partnerships, including ASA, A. O. Smith will continue to have a presence wherever water flows.
