CWP (Cleveland Wood Products) - History

For nearly 70 years, CWP Technologies (formerly known as Cleveland Wood Products) has provided high value solutions to its customers in the vacuum cleaner industry through an array of capabilities: Engineering Design, Quality and Innovative Products, Global Manufacturing, Customer Service, and In-House Testing. World renown for its brushroll products, CWP Floorcare is the flagship brand for CWP Technologies while other products and brands (such as Carpet Daisy) continue to grow and develop.

The management staff at CWP combines product and process expertise, industry knowledge, a commitment toward customer satisfaction, and a desire to transform and grow in order to stay ahead of the competition. As an autonomous division of the Scott Fetzer Company we are privileged to be part of the Berkshire Hathaway Family Tree.

During the early 1930's, Carl Soros made a number of attempts to start a woodworking business on the Westside of Cleveland. Initial products focused on cabinetry for the emerging commercial and residential refrigeration market. But the Depression was a tough time for even industrial entrepreneurs like Soros, and his efforts resulted in a string of financial setbacks. Finally, with mounting personal debt, he risked everything to buy equipment and take on a contract to turn spindles and textile machinery components. His endeavors met with success, and in 1937 this enterprise became Cleveland Wood Products.

During WWII, the company added wooden baby carriages to its product line up, a move brought on by the need to conserve metal for the war effort. In these early years the firm started to manufacture the wooden dowels, or cylindrical centers, of brushrolls for vacuum cleaners. Northern Ohio had been a center of vacuum cleaner innovation and manufacturing for 25 years. The area was home not only to the Hoover Company, GE, Royal Appliance, and Filter Queen, but the inventive mind of Jim Kirby. Jim worked closely with the Scott & Fetzer Company to produce the Kirby Model C.

A high consumer demand drove a post war boom. From automobiles to vacuum cleaners, products providing comfort and convenience met with steady, growing demand for decades. Cleveland Wood Products grew and prospered. It became a critical member of a small community of companies that turned, coated, and inserted bristle in the wood for millions of vacuum brushrolls each year. By the late 1960's, the company emerged fully integrated into all aspects of the product.

In addition to growth and integration, Cleveland Wood Products became an increasingly important supplier to Kirby Vacuum. These developments set the stage for the company to be purchased in 1970 by Kirby's parent, the Scott Fetzer Company. Existing management was left intact, and the company continued its focus on brushrolls.

By 1987, change was overtaking the vacuum cleaner marketplace. Conservative vacuum cleaner manufacturers started to aggressively improve cleaning capability in order to gain market share. This was accomplished by introducing larger motors and new designs. But these changes also brought noise and vibration. It was during this period of tumultuous change that Cleveland Wood Products emerged as a technology leader. In response to industry issues, the engineering staff of CWP introduced the first ball bearing designs to handle larger motors and higher RPM. Soon after, the company introduced in-line, dynamic brushroll balancing, accomplished through proprietary software and instruments. As a result, CWP became the brushroll manufacturer of choice for much of the industry in the 1990's.

It was during this time that CWP began its industrial sewing operation. Initially brought in from a Scott Fetzer subsidiary in Colorado, the operation today employs dozens of people in the layout, cutting, and assembly of both woven and non-woven fabrics. The success of the sewing operations made clear to management that what truly made CWP special was machinery and mechanical know how, design and manufacturing expertise, and the drive to learn.

Today, as it has throughout its 65 year history, CWP is changing once again to meet global competition and shifting markets head on. By leveraging our resources and assets we are developing new products and services that require specialty materials, mass customization, and responsive relationships.