We look with pride upon the history and accomplishments of our Company.  Our Company name originates from George Augustus Bobrick, who founded it in 1906.  It was known as Bobrick Chemical Company, manufacturers of various commercial products (waxes, ammonia, etc.).  To promote the sales of liquid soap, Mr. Bobrick and his son, Arthur, designed and produced soap dispensers.  (The chemical business was sold outright in 1938.)

G.A. Bobrick conceived the idea of the first liquid soap dispenser and was awarded a U.S. Patent for it in 1908.  The Pullman Car Company later asked Bobrick to develop a soap dispenser for use in their railway passenger cars.  The result was the first basin-mounted “Pullman” dispenser, which brought Bobrick a second U.S. Patent in 1912.  These early inventions established Bobrick as a pioneer in soap dispensing equipment and set a new direction for our Company.

In 1961, the big breakthrough came with Bobrick’s introduction of a unique line of recessed stainless steel multi-purpose units.  An entirely new concept in washroom equipment, it combined various washroom accessories into a single space-saving cabinet.  Building owners and architects called the new line the most spectacular advancement in commercial washroom equipment in half a century.  The new units dramatically improved the appearance of the washroom, made more efficient use of space and reduced installation and maintenance costs.

In 1964, Bobrick International was established to sell and distribute Bobrick’s recessed and surface-mounted washroom accessories in Australia, Europe, Asia, Far East, Middle East, Central/South America, and Africa.

By 1966, the Company was celebrating its 60^th year in a new 32,000 square foot headquarters building in North Hollywood, California.  The number of product “firsts” was now growing by leaps and bounds.  So was the Company: Bobrick’s catalog jumped to 24 pages that year and included 250 washroom equipment products.

In 1970, William S. Louchheim became Chairman of the Board; Gordon S. Bodek was named President; and William S. Louchheim, Jr. who joined the Company in 1968, became Bobrick’s Treasurer.

In 1986, Bobrick introduced its AirCraft® recessed and surface-mounted warm air hand and hair dryers.  The AirCraft dryers included the industry’s first recessed automatic hand dryer and featured indestructible cast iron with vitreous enamel covers.

1993 was a big year.  Bobrick introduced the “ConturaSeries™” washroom accessories.  The “ConturaSeries™” provided an innovative alternative look to washroom accessories with its rounded front.  The second big event was the acquisition of “Thrislington Cubicles”, a toilet partition and retail fitting room manufacturer, adding a European style of toilet partition to the Bobrick product line. 

Also, in 1993, Mark Louchheim became the third generation of Louchheim’s to become president of Bobrick.  Sandy Louchheim became the president of Circa Information Technologies.

In 1995, the “ClassicSeries™” toilet compartments were introduced, adding a viable low-cost plastic laminate partition to the Bobrick product line.

In 1997, Bobrick introduced the “MatrixSeries™” offering an attractive design-integrated family of durable, surface-mounted plastic washroom accessories priced for low to moderate budgets.

In 2000, the innovatively styled “Eclipse” Warm Air Hand Dryers were added to Bobrick’s hand dryer product line.  The new dryers combined unique design, reliable performance, and durability.  Together with the addition of the new, low priced Cub Dryer, Bobrick becomes “The Dryer Company™.”

In 2001, Bobrick starts a new century with the introduction of a new concept in soap dispensers with the introduction of its SureFlo™ Soap Dispensing System and SureFlo™ Hand Soaps.  The new system links a single under-the-counter soap cartridge with multiple lavatory mounted soap dispensers.  The system can deliver up to 13,000 hand washes and includes a reservoir, which supplies 2,000 additional hand washes.  The new system allows building managers to take control of soap dispenser performance and costs for true value.

In 2002 Bobrick launched an integrated sales, marketing, advertising, and distribution initiative to become the number one manufacturer of plastic laminate and solid phenolic toilet partitions in North America.

In 2004 Bobrick introduced the SierraSeries™ Solid Color Reinforced Composite (SCRC) Toilet Partitions for the school market and other heavy-use and abuse, vandal-prone washrooms. ASTM testing confirms SCRC’s non-ghosting graffiti removal and scratch resistance is superior to other widely-marketed toilet partition materials and SCRC has a Class B interior finish fire rating.

In 2004 Bobrick introduced a line of surface-mounted recessed and Lever-Less Roll Paper Towel Dispensers. Lever-Less pull-towel dispensing prevents cross contamination in hygienic-sensitive washrooms. These units dispense universal roll paper towels.

Today, Bobrick serves U.S. customers from three locations: the Corporate Headquarters and main plant in North Hollywood, California, plus manufacturing, customer service facilities and distribution centers in Clifton Park, New York, and Jackson, Tennessee. In addition, there is the Koala Kare Products Division in Centennial, Colorado, the GAMCO Division in Durant, Oklahoma and the Canadian Headquarters and manufacturing plant in Toronto, Canada. Bobrick International has representatives in Europe, Australia, the Far East, Middle East, Africa, Central and South America, and the South Pacific Islands. Distribution centers have been added in the United Kingdom, continental Europe, and Australia to support these markets.