About Us

Edwin Ruud: Inventor of the first automatic gas water heater

It's a time beyond recollection for most of us now. But before Edwin Ruud, hot running water on demand was a luxury unknown to even the most affluent Americans.  In 1889 Edwin Rudd was working for Westinghouse Corporation and he was awarded a patent for his design of an instantaneous water heater.  It was a cast iron, all copper heat exchanger with an actuator valve which turned on the burners when a water faucet was opened.

Ruud eventually bought the rights to his invention and in 1897 organized his own company to make water heaters. Other breakthroughs, large and small, followed over the years, as Ruud became a leading pioneer in water heating products for the home as well as for commercial and industrial applications. By the time Ruud departed the scene, his breakthrough innovation had changed the daily hygienic habits of every living American.

Ruud branded products are produced by Rheem Manufacturing Company, a privately held manufacturing company that began operation in 1927 as a supplier of packaging to the petroleum industry. In the 1930's, Rheem began manufacturing water heaters, and in 1947 began manufacturing warm air furnaces. In 1959, the company acquired Ruud Manufacturing Company, a pioneer in the industry with a well-regarded product line and a distribution network throughout North America. In subsequent years, Rheem entered the heating and air conditioning market and expanded in the late 1960's and 1970's with the rapid growth of the central air conditioning industry. In 1985, the company acquired Raypak, a leading producer of copper tube boilers used for swimming pool heating and commercial hot water supply and hydronic heating.

Today, Rheem is a leading North American producer of water heaters, central warm air furnaces and air conditioners, and swimming pool heaters and commercial boilers. The company's products are used for residential and commercial applications and operate on a variety of fuels.

Rheem is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Rheem has manufacturing facilities in Montgomery, Alabama; Fort Smith, Arkansas; Milledgeville, Georgia; and Oxnard, California. Rheem has two Canadian locations in Hamilton, Ontario and Mississauga, Ontario, and one Australian location in Mulgrave, Victoria. Rheem also has two manufacturing facilities in Mexico, one in Nuevo Laredo and one in Mexicali. All manufacturing facilities are ISO 9001 certified.

For information on other Ruud products visit our website at waterheating.ruud.com.