The roster of producers in those days numbered roughly 160 firms, including some of the more elite names in American manufacturing, both then and now, such as General Electric and General Motors. Today's water heater scene counts only five major producers in the United States. The Fortune 500 types, along with a host of lesser lights, rate little more than a footnote in the history of the business. The history of the American business offers many excellent examples of the enduring strengths of the independent, privately held enterprise.
State ranks among the most impressive.
Its steady rise to the top of the water heater industry came not merely as a result of attrition in the ranks of its competitors, but through the combination of a vigorous entrepreneurial vision and an abiding commitment to the welfare of its customers and employees. Now many times larger than it was during its formative years in the late 1940s, State is of course a far different company today. Nonetheless, it continues to reflect the values of a closely knit, family business. Initially based in Nashville, the company began producing electric water heaters in 1948, followed by gas water heater production in 1954. The momentous shift in product emphasis made State the last major startup in the domestic water heater market.