Pfister (firm)
Parent Assa Abloy | | |
Website | pfisterfaucets.com |
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Pfister, formerly called Price Pfister until 2010, is an American manufacturer of bathroom and lavatory
History
Price Pfister was founded by Emil Price and William Pfister in Los Angeles[1] in 1910,[2] when the company introduced its first product, a garden faucet. Over the next decade, Price Pfister’s product line expanded to include other types of faucets, valves and hose nozzles for indoor sinks and bathtubs. Aside from producing plumbing fixtures, during World War I and World War II, Price Pfister produced military items such as aircraft fittings and hand grenade shells.
In 1941, the firm was purchased by Isadore Familian.[3] During the postwar housing boom in the late 1940s, Price Pfister began to specialize in residential products. The company became a household name after the widespread popularity of their Crown Jewel faucet line in 1950. From 1960-1970, Price Pfister accelerated in growth, starting with the construction of a 25 acres (100,000 m2) manufacturing plant in Pacoima, California, which became the largest foundry West of the Mississippi. In 1969, Price Pfister was acquired by Norris Industries, Inc.[3]
Price Pfister is still remembered for its tagline playing off the distinctive company name: "Price Pfister, the Pfabulous Pfaucet with the Pfunny name". By 1987, Price Pfister had gained 14% of the U.S. faucet market. Two years later, Price Pfister was acquired by the
Pacoima plant closure
In January 1996, Price Pfister agreed to a $2.4 million settlement in a California lawsuit against their manufacturing method
In 1996, Price Pfister shut down its
In March 1997, Price Pfister moved more of its manufacturing operations from the Pacoima plant over to Mexicali, Mexico, laying off approximately 300 U.S. workers. Many of the former workers protested the layoffs outside the plant, and later called for a boycotting of Price Pfister while protesting a nearby Home Depot, a home improvement store that sold Price Pfister products.[8][9]
The Pacoima plant closed down completely in 1997. In 2005, Lowe's planned to build a home improvement store on the lot of the former plant. LA Weekly writer Steven Mikulan said that the move was ironic: the plant used to serve as a hub where U.S.-made Price Pfister products were shipped out from, and the place would instead now be selling those items received from elsewhere. The plant was once the city's largest employer and left the area with severe amounts of pollution. After its closing a survey found that 28% of nearby residents had chronic respiratory problems.[10]
Spectrum Brands Holdings
Joining Kwikset security hardware in 1999, Price Pfister and Kwikset formed the Black and Decker Hardware and Home Improvement Group, based in Lake Forest, California. Following the 2010 Stanley acquisition of Black and Decker,[11] Price Pfister became part of the Stanley Black and Decker Hardware and Home Improvement Group. Following the merger, Price Pfister changed its name to simply Pfister.
On October 9, 2012, The Wall Street Journal reported that Stanley Black & Decker had agreed to sell its Hardware and Home Improvement Group, including Pfister, to Spectrum Brands Holdings. The acquisition was completed on December 17, 2012, for $1.4 billion.[12]
Sale to Assa Abloy
In 2021, Spectrum Brands agreed to sell its Hardware and Home Improvement (HHI) division to Assa Abloy.[13] The deal closed in June 2023.[14]
Products
Pfister's retail bath and kitchen fixtures are available in major hardware and home improvement stores and showrooms throughout North America. Pfister products' price range generally is somewhat lower than those of competitors such as
References
- ^ "Price Pfister, Inc. History". Funding Universe. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
- ^ a b http://www.pricepfister.com/about/timeline.aspx Price Pfister History
- ^ a b McLennan, Dennis (June 15, 2002). "Isadore Familian, 90; Philanthropist, Jewish Community Leader". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ a b c Adamson, Deborah (Nov 22, 1996). "HUNGER STRIKE STARTS : LAID-OFF WORKERS PROTEST JOB LOSS AT PRICE PFISTER". Los Angeles Daily News.
- ^ a b c d e f Stavro, Barry (Oct 1, 1996). "Pacoima May Lose Fixture as Factory Shifts Jobs South". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Hayes, Dade (Dec 1, 1996). "Laid-Off Price Pfister Worker Ends Hunger Strike After Collapse". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Somerville, Sean (Nov 23, 1996). "B&D moving jobs to Mexico 200 slots in Calif. cut earlier this year". The Baltimore Sun.
- ^ Sandoval, Greg (Mar 24, 1997). "300 Protest Terms of Price Pfister Layoffs". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Hayes, Dade (Apr 4, 1997). "Laid-Off Employees Plan National Boycott". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Mikulan, Steven (Sep 22, 2005). "Pacoima's Lot". LA Weekly.
- ^ "Stanley Works buying Black & Decker". MarketWatch. 2009-11-02. Retrieved 2014-04-24.
- ^ "Spectrum Brands Holdings Completes Acquisition of Stanley Black & Decker's Hardware & Home Improvement Group - Yahoo! Finance". Archived from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
- ^ "ASSA ABLOY to acquire Hardware and Home Improvement ("HHI") division of Spectrum Brands". Assa Abloy. 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
- ^ "Assa Abloy closes on Spectrum deal, divestitures". Security InfoWatch. 2023-06-23. Retrieved 2023-09-18.