Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Did anyone here know about t.t.i. closing the north canton factory on oct 19th,

 a very sad day for Hoover. and the american workers, I must add that the writing has been on the wall for a long time.

any comments, and please be civil......

MOLE

Hiya Mike and Mole,

Mole forgive me for taking so long to reply but I've just been able to grab some "goof off" time today. 

In my heart of hearts I still want so very much to believe in magic.  Nonetheless, no matter how much I wanted to believe, not a one of the frogs I kissed turned into a beautiful princess.  But you know, tthere used to real magic in that name -- Hoover. To me that name brings to mind a long line of very innovative, efficient, well-designed and highly durable upright vacuum cleaners that not only convinced consumers to buy just them but to also bank on other product by the company like canister vacuums, steam irons and other small appliance and even a washing machine or two. 

Today I have very little sense of what Hoover "is".  I'm throwing in the following two links just to illustrate what appears to be a bad case of over-diversity.  http://www.hoover.com AND http://www.hoover.co.uk Maybe someone can tell me just what Hoover is.

My problem with TTI ( http://www.ttigroup.com/business/brands.php?PHPSESSID=7be90f04096ea6c37b1bc93ddcbf7814 ) is that its a corporation and a corporation's main job is to make money for its shareholders.  As long as that's done in a relatively legal fashion, nobody usually cares or asks questions.  This company has already got Dirt Devil and Vax, two brands that that only make the world a better place because they're cheap in price.  (Every home should have one.)  What will the company do for Hoover that they haven't done for them?

Part of the same NY Times article I mentioned in a separate post regarding the Halo, the voice-over in Hoover's new "Dogs" ad states, "Hoover understands that no mess is a small mess.  Hoover's patented WindTunnel technology picks up the dirt that other vacuums scatter back onto your carpert."  I swear this bold, new claim darn near bowls me over . . . not.

Yet if this is true then why is TTI messing around with two dirt scatterers? Will they turn Dirt Devil and Vax's pictures toward the wall?  I don't think so.

In any event TTI will probably put out about 41 million bucks over the next year to let the world learn of its latest, greatest revelation which may I mention is intentionally directed toward an age group between 25 and 38 years old.  So says Chris Gurreri, president of TTI Floor Care.  (There must be no rational sales pitches that work on folks over forty 'cause we're too smart.)  Mr. Gurreri has also said that TTI is attempting to "paint Hoover in a new light" to gain public attention.  This is  merely talk and certainly not a confidence-builder to me as it sounds kind of dumb.  Hoover already had plenty of attention and still does.  It's just that a lot of mediocher product has got dumped onto the market under its brand and has begun to cause usually trusting souls to think twice. 

If "Hoover" -- whatever that describes now -- would dump a few models and and doo-dads and set out at least a couple of new offerings that at least eluded to a look at quality maybe "Hoover" won't be just another name to be bought and sold until the day its finally run into the ground.  But that's so often a corporate fault.  Hoover began as organizaton with basically two things in mind -- to profit of course but to also make a good vacuum cleaner.  Smaller organizations are usually better at maintaining focus on the like.  The "biggies" usually only have time to devote to what sells whether its good or bad because they've got stock holders to keep happy.

Regards,

Venson

Hi all,

Sad as it is that Hoover's transitioning, I am giving TTI an A-plus as, per the link following, it is donating printed matter of a historical nature -- old Hoover Company sales manuals, photos, etc. -- to the Hoover Historical Center at Walsh University and the North Canton Heritage Society.  There's report that a large amount of the like has already been discarded but how can you kick about that when you know exactly what was chucked out?  TTI is at least making a very smart display of generosity AND good manners by the deed of giving old material like this to those it will possess real meaning for.

I placed a call to the Historical Center today and was informed by Ann Haines that a display regarding Hoover's long history in March 2008 is planned.

http://www.manufacturing.net/Memory-Of-Hoover-Plant.aspx

Best,

Venson

“Saving Hoover’s History”…

Caption:  Parachute Dept, Hoover Plant - 1943

Caption:  V-J Day parade float - 1945

Saving Hoover's History - (1) (2)

DIB

Hey DIB,

Thanks so much for the photos and the links to canton.rep.  The pic display tthere is really something.  I hope the effort to keep the pages of Hoover history open will not only inform or remind us of what was but will also inspire us to consider what could be -- even in an age of disposable appliances.

Best,

Venson

Hi DIB,

Fantastic pictures, thanks for sharing.  Very neat, as someone who was born a few decades too late (LOL), to see the way they did things back then.  I LOVED the pictures taken of the inside of the factory...the machines being assembled, what looked like the wooden handles being made (?), and the workers handling the aluminum bases.  I can only imagine what it would be like to go back in time and purchase a brand new Hoover 105 or 700.   Better yet, the 1910's clutch-equipped Senior or 972 commercial...

I agree with the others that while the physical presence of Hoover may be gone, the legacy will most certainly live on. 

Hi all,

Following is a link to a story released today.  The Hoover factory has been bought and may become a sitre for small business and residences.  Wonder who's going to live in them.  If it weren't so tragic, wouldn't it be a scream if it was turned into subsidized housing for the out of work locals?

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080129/oh_hoover_redevelopment.html?.v=1

To be fair . . . 

http://www.myfoxcleveland.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=5611801&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

Regards,

Venson

Hey everybody ... kind of stumbled with this thread, but good I did!

I work for a company in North Canton, Flower Factory, this company is a wholesale kind of business, well, we are taking over one of the buildings at the Hoover site, right now we are in the process of revamping the warehouse to move part of our operation there, so a lot of jobs will be available there soon.

Also, for what I know, what were the Hoover office building, it will be converted into a comercial center, with restaurants and stuff, so a lot more jobs will come into the area there too, kind the change they been doing in downtown Columbus, where a lot of vacant buildings and land were converted into comercial area.

Hopefully the same or more amount of jobs will come back to Canton in that area!

JC

Thanks JC.  That makes me feel better. So many communities are still suffering after a major business entity has removed itself or been removed.

Regards,

Venson