Kohler timeline contains hundreds of interesting facts about Kohler Co. See how far we have come since the first enameled hogscalder.
A legacy in the making
Our company’s founder, John Michael Kohler, was an Austrian immigrant, a businessman and a visionary. In 1873 he purchased a foundry in rural Wisconsin that produced a variety of cast-iron and steel products.
Ten years later, Kohler took a product in his line, heated it to 1700°F and sprinkled it with enamel powder. Placing a picture of it in the center of his one-page catalog, he called it “a horse trough/hog scalder… when furnished with four legs will serve as a bathtub.” Kohler was in the plumbing business.
From those humble beginnings, our company has grown into a multifaceted global family of brands that lead the way to enhance our customers’ sense of gracious living.
How far have we come since the first enameled hog scalder?
