In 1910, Emil Price and William Pfister began a modest corporation constructing and distributing generators to farmers without the benefit of electrical service. Their first plumbing product was a garden faucet and the success of this faucet led Price and Pfister to recognize that they had a thriving market on their hands.
In the 1920’s, the Price Pfister line of products broadened to include a variety of faucets, nozzles, and valves for inside as well as outside use. It wasn't until the 1930’s that the company introduced the best-selling “Make-A-Shower” fixture that could convert any bathtub into a shower.
Before World War II began in 1941, Isadore Familian purchased the company and produced military items during the war. Immediately following WWII, Price Pfister turned its attention to residential accommodations and presented color-coordinated fixtures to match the favorite bath tile colors of the era.
In the 1950’s, Price Pfister designed and produced fixtures to emulate more “atomic age” shapes, including objects such as rocket fins and broad curves. In 1960, the company moved into a newer larger facility in Pacoima, California. Price Pfister continued to grow its line of products, including the groundbreaking Flowmatic Shower Handle that provided fingertip control of water temperature and volume.
In 1969, Norris Industries Inc. purchased the company, and in 1971 opened what was then the biggest foundry in the United States. One year later, the company was producing 1,500 faucets a day and was running warehouses in Texas and Georgia. It wasn’t until 1974 when Peter Gold, who began his career as a salesman with Price Pfister in 1956, was voted in as president, and the company continued its course of origination by introducing clear faucet handles.
In the 1980's the company began to concentrate on the rising “do-it-yourself” market. Price Pfister introduced their Society Finishes line of faucets and by the late 80’s, the aftermarket retail accounted for 60% of the company’s sales totals. By 1987, the company had increased its sales from $50 million to $117 million, was producing over 55,000 faucets a day, and went public on NASDAQ.
In 1988, Emhart purchased Price Pfister for $215 million, and was later on sold for $2.8 billion to Black & Decker a year later.
The new millennium brought out great innovations for Price Pfister. In 2004, Price Pfister presented the Catalina pullout faucet, the manufacturer's premiere faucet for use in the bathroom. Customers now have the option of extracting the 55-inch stainless steel braided hose for washing hair or continue to use it like a normal bathroom faucet. The faucet features an aerator that gives either a spray or a standard stream of temperature controlled water. In 2005, Price Pfister began to recover some of the shelf space that it previously lost at some retail outlets such as Home Depot.
In almost 100 years, Price Pfister, Inc. has become one of the stellar manufacturers of plumbing fixtures and faucets in the United States. Price Pfister continues to offer products which are both stylish and ground breaking and fashionable under their current owner, Black & Decker. |
