page_title: Rheem Manufacturing Company
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Rheem Manufacturing Company / History
caption_attribution_description: English: A Rheem Bennett brand displacement meter at Deer Hollow Farm, Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, California.
context_page_description: Rheem Manufacturing Company is an American privately held manufacturer that produces residential and commercial water heaters and boilers, as well as heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment. The company also produces and sells products under the Ruud brand name. It is a subsidiary of Paloma Industries. What became Rheem started in 1925 as a supplier of packaging to the petroleum industry, and is currently headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States. The company is one of the largest manufacturers of both water heating and HVAC equipment in the United States, and also produces and markets products in Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bahrain, China, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Iraq, Kuwait, Mexico, New Zealand, Perú, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UAE, and Ukraine.
context_section_description: The company is named for its founders, brothers Richard "R. S." Rheem and Donald "D. L." Rheem. They were the sons of William S. Rheem (1862–1919), former Standard Oil Company of California president who led the construction of a major oil refinery for the company in Richmond, California. The brothers initially began manufacturing galvanized steel drums in 1925 as a co-partnership with Pacific Galvanizing Company in Emeryville, California. A third brother, William "W.K." Rheem, helped finance the company at its start. The Rheem Manufacturing Company was subsequently organized on January 22, 1930, buying out Pacific Galvanizing. Rheem also acquired the Republic Steel package company, which also had a plant in Richmond. Republic Steel made boilers and tanks, which allowed Rheem to enter the business of water heating. The company acquired the John Wood Manufacturing Company of California, which produced automatic gas storage water heaters, in 1931. The company expanded overseas to Australia in 1936, building a plant in Sydney. The Australian operation began making steel shipping containers, including drums, in 1937 and water heaters in 1939.
  In 1941, the company became the largest manufacturer of automatic water heaters in the United States. During World War II, much of the company's efforts went towards wartime production, including building ships and aircraft parts. In 1954, Rheem brought the introduction of "glass-lining", which coated the interior of a water heater tank with porcelain to extend the life of the tank. One of the most significant events came in 1956 with the introduction of "Rheemaire" central air conditioning and heater systems for homes. This eventually became one of the company's primary business areas. In 1959, Rheem purchased the Ruud Manufacturing Company.
  In 1968 a plant was opened in Bergum (Burgum in Frisian) in the Netherlands by (among others) Mr. P. Toonstra. The plant was successful but had to close its doors by the end of 1983.
  A very popular product was the "Rembrandt van Rheem". A semi-HR combination for hot water and central heating. Rheem Bergum was also sponsor for years for one of the local soccer clubs. Carrying the same name as the company. Rheem Bergum also sponsored Rheem Racers, based in Utrecht. This was an ice-hockey-club. Unfortunately, there is little to find on the internet about the plant.
  One can still find articles and pictures of the soccer-club which was later simply called "v.v. Bergum"
  Rheem in Bergum carried the same logo as is still in use today by Rheem. These facts are known because the editor of this part (me) worked at Rheem in the '80s.
  Beginning in August 1970, Rheem began producing Heat pumps and HVAC units for residential applications, based in Fort Smith, Arkansas. In 1983, Rheem introduced the Richmond Water Heaters brand, aimed at hardware stores and home-improvement centers. In 1984, Rheem was acquired by Pace Industries, Inc. The company discontinued containers in 1985, ending 60 years making steel drums and other containers. In the same year, the company acquired Raypak, Inc., which expanded the business into swimming pool heaters as well as commercial boilers. In 1988 Rheem was acquired by Paloma Industries, Ltd., a privately held Japanese company with headquarters in Nagoya, Japan, which wished to expand globally.
  Rheem was the first residential HVAC company to begin using scroll compressors throughout their lineup in 1994, and all air conditioners and heat pumps continue to use Copeland Scroll Compressors. The company was also first to introduce a 14 SEER remote condensing unit in 1997. In 1998, the company began supplying the Home Depot with a line of GE branded water heaters. In 2009, Rheem and Ruud were the first to sell a Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater, which was more than twice as efficient as similar electric water heaters. Also in the same year, Rheem and Ruud central air conditioners were reported to have the fewest percentage of units requiring repair among all major HVAC brands according to Consumer Reports.
  Rheem's market share of the centra
caption: Rheem Bennett Displacement Meter at Deer Hollow Farm at Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve in California
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