Kelvinator, Inc.

1914 - 1958

Manufacturer of refrigerators, refrigeration equipment, electric ranges, clothes washers and dryers, and home freezers.

1914:  Company begins manufacturing association with Leonard Refrigerator Co.

1926:  Kelvinator merges with Leonard.

1955-1968:  Company is a division of American Motors Corp.

1958:  Division becomes Kelvinator-Leonard-A.B.C. with acquisition of Altofer Brothers Co. of Peoria, Illinois.

1968-1981:  Company becomes a division of White Consolidated Industries.

Comment by Website Contributor, Greg Andonian: "I was reading an article about how long household products should last and I remember we had a Leonard refrigerator. This thing was pink, yes PINK! I think it was from 1960, when I was born and my parents bought their first house in Detroit. It followed us when we moved to my grandparents flat in Detroit and then to the suburbs. When they had their kitchen remodeled in the '90's, the Leonard went into the basement, as it was replaced by a "new and improved" model. Well, the Leonard was over 40 years old and NEVER saw the inside of a repair shop or had a repairman work on it and all the seals were original. The "new and improved" model, don't remember who's it was, wasn't even six months old, before it had issues. My ma regretted the move, but had too much money invested to change. The Leonard ended up at my sisters' place and kept on chugging. It was a simple refrigerator/freezer, but it never let us down. Guess some things are better, when they're simpler. Just thought I'd share this, wish I had a picture to send."