Altorfer Bros. Company
Encyclopedia
The Altorfer Bros. Company was a washing machine
manufacturer founded by brothers A.W. and Silas Altorfer in Roanoke, Illinois
in 1909.
The brothers first created a power clothes washer after watching their sisters and mother hand-washing piles of clothes. It was basically a wooden tub mounted to a bench with wooden "fingers" to wash the clothes, and attached to a gasoline engine. After two years, sales of the new power washer were in the thousands. They called the machine the Roanoke Power Machine.
The company became known as the ABC Washer Company and its appliances were sold under the ABC brand. The company built a new factory in Peoria, Illinois
, and the wooden tub was replaced with a metal tub. In 1926, ABC produced the first porcelain
-lined tub. In 1928, ABC took over the Federal Washing Machine Company of Chicago, Illinois, which was producing washing machines for the Insull utilities company founded by Samuel Insull
. ABC became Insull's supplier and made washing machines under the Fedelco brand exclusively for them.
In 1952, Altorfer Bros. Company was purchased by the Nash-Kelvinator company, and began manufacturing products under the Kelvinator
brand as well.
Washing machine
A washing machine is a machine designed to wash laundry, such as clothing, towels and sheets...
manufacturer founded by brothers A.W. and Silas Altorfer in Roanoke, Illinois
Roanoke, Illinois
Roanoke is a village in Woodford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,994 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-2004 Tornado:...
in 1909.
The brothers first created a power clothes washer after watching their sisters and mother hand-washing piles of clothes. It was basically a wooden tub mounted to a bench with wooden "fingers" to wash the clothes, and attached to a gasoline engine. After two years, sales of the new power washer were in the thousands. They called the machine the Roanoke Power Machine.
The company became known as the ABC Washer Company and its appliances were sold under the ABC brand. The company built a new factory in Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
, and the wooden tub was replaced with a metal tub. In 1926, ABC produced the first porcelain
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
-lined tub. In 1928, ABC took over the Federal Washing Machine Company of Chicago, Illinois, which was producing washing machines for the Insull utilities company founded by Samuel Insull
Samuel Insull
Samuel Insull was an Anglo-American innovator and investor based in Chicago who greatly contributed to creating an integrated electrical infrastructure in the United States. Insull was notable for purchasing utilities and railroads using holding companies, as well as the abuse of them...
. ABC became Insull's supplier and made washing machines under the Fedelco brand exclusively for them.
In 1952, Altorfer Bros. Company was purchased by the Nash-Kelvinator company, and began manufacturing products under the Kelvinator
Kelvinator
Kelvinator is an appliance brand. It takes its name from William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin, who developed the concept of absolute zero and for whom the Kelvin temperature scale is named...
brand as well.