World Dryer Corporation is an American manufacturer of hand dryers and related products. Established in 1950 as a subsidiary of Beatrice Foods, it has also been a subsidiary of the Carrier Corporation. In 2017, World Dryer joined the Zurn Industries brand of Rexnord Corp. It is based in Berkeley, Illinois.
History
World Dryer was founded in 1950 by inventor George Clemens, with the intention of inventing and selling a new hand dryer that could compete against paper towels. Three years later, Clemens patented a new hand dryer design, called the Model A. The original version of the Model A featured a wall-mounted assembly, a cast-iron cover, push-button operation, and a swivel nozzle.[3]
Beginning in 1955, World Dryer began manufacturing and exporting units internationally via a partnership with UK-based Warner Howard Limited (later taken over by Caerphilly-based Personnel Hygiene Services). In 1968, World Dryer introduced a version of the Model A with a recessed assembly rather than a wall-mounted version. This version, called the Model RA, was modified slightly in 1990 to ensure compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, and was further modified in 2005 with a squashed nozzle (Q Nozzle). Other available options on the Model A include a steel cover rather than a cast iron one (DA) and a fixed non-swivel nozzle (A5).