Make the best sinks and provide the best customer service -- This was the simple idea established by a father and son nearly a century ago that provided the foundation of our company, Elkay Manufacturing. Elkay has grown significantly from our beginnings as a sink manufacturing company on the north side of Chicago, yet our dedication to innovative products and exceptional customer service remains the same.
To meet the demands of a changing marketplace, over the years we have expanded from our base business to include the manufacture of faucets, water coolers and fountains. We then added a cabinetry division and achieved our goal of being a more complete supplier of kitchen products. Recently, we broadened our scope to address the emerging world market of water filtration products and now offer our customers the benefits of our extensive research.
Throughout our growth and expansion, Elkay has continued to recognize and respect the value and commitment that each employee brings to the company. Our employees are our most important asset and they are rewarded for their hard work with respect, job satisfaction, and increased opportunity.
We are now a family of companies that employ over 5,000 people in production and distribution facilities throughout North America and select international markets. As the Elkay family expands nationally and globally, our commitment stays the same: complete customer satisfaction, continuous improvement, and employee involvement.
We are in business forever.
The Elkay plumbing group began in 1920 with the formation of the Elkay Manufacturing Company by Leopold Katz and his son Louis. Throughout the years Elkay focused on developing and manufacturing the highest quality stainless steel sinks and faucets while committing to first-rate customer service. Elkay's innovative products and production techniques propelled the company to our current position as the world's largest manufacturer of stainless steel residential sinks.
As the nation's construction market boomed, so did the needs of Elkay's customers and Elkay responded by offering other products that would further meet the demands of our customers. Elkay began producing its own line of water coolers and acquired Cordley Temprite® and later, Halsey Taylor. Further acquisitions followed including the purchase of Revere sinks and expansions into the international market through the purchases of E.B. Técnica, the largest stainless steel producer in Mexico and Vinca, a Mexican manufacturer of composite sinks. Finally, Elkay expanded its faucet offering by acquiring Phylrich International, known for producing high style faucets and other powder room and bathroom fixtures.
Throughout the birth and growth of the Elkay plumbing products group, the leadership and vision of Elkay's founders has been maintained: provide better customer service, higher quality and more innovation than our competitors. The Elkay plumbing products group now serves wholesale plumbing, retail and specialty channels in the United States, Canada, Mexico and other selected international markets and continues to keep our values firmly in place as we grow.
