Bradley Corporation

In 1917, Harry Bradley (founder of Allen Bradley Corporation), sought a way to reduce the floor space required for a bank of sinks, and help workers wash their hands quicker so as not to waste all their break time standing in lines. By 1918, "washfountain" prototypes were created which allowed multiple users to wash up quickly. The idea was so successful, Harry Bradley patented the concept in 1919. When word spread of the revolutionary product, Bradley decided to sell the patent in order to concentrate on his own business. In 1920, The Bradley Washfountain Company opened for business with Gustav Grossenbach, Louis Schlesinger, and Howard A. Mullett as founding partners. In 1927, Howard A. Mullett assumed the secretary role, and in 1928 became president of Bradley. After moving through the sales ranks, his son, Howard G. Mullett became president in 1953. By 1980,grandson Donald H. Mullett assumed the president's role and today, is the company's CEO. In the fourth Mullett generation Don's three sons, Bryan, Erik, and Christopher hold key positions in the company. In 1997, The Mills Company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bradley and is located in two plants in Upper Sandusky and Marion, Ohio. These plants complete Bradley's "one stop shop" for the commercial washroom by manufacturing the industry's finest partition cubicles and solid plastic lockers. Today, Bradley annually sells more washfountains, showers, and accessories than the company did in all its first 50 years combined.