Sloan Turns 120 and Oatey Turns 110 as Two Plumbing Pioneers Mark Milestones

Two of the most recognizable names in plumbing are celebrating big birthdays this fall. Sloan, the Franklin Park, Illinois, manufacturer of commercial plumbing systems, is marking its 120th anniversary, and Oatey, the family-owned Cleveland company, is celebrating 110 years. Together they are a reminder that the systems behind every restroom and drain line are the product of more than a century of steady engineering.

Sloan: 120 years since the Royal Flushometer

William E. Sloan founded the company in 1906 following his invention of the Royal Flushometer, which addressed the limitations of gravity-fed tank systems and set new performance standards for commercial restrooms during a period of rapid urbanization. Over twelve decades, Sloan has contributed to advances in sanitation, water conservation, touch-free operation, retrofit solutions, connected products, and integrated restroom design. Its line today includes flushometers, faucets, sink systems, soap dispensers, vitreous china fixtures, bottle fillers, and water coolers, serving commercial, industrial, and institutional markets worldwide. During World War II, the company temporarily redirected production to support the war effort.

President and CEO Graham Allen said the company’s focus has remained constant: “solving real-world challenges through thoughtful engineering and innovation.” He added that Sloan will keep building on its legacy with solutions that help shape the next century of commercial plumbing. The Mechanical Contractors Association of America, which counts Sloan as a member, called the anniversary a reflection of generations of ingenuity that shaped commercial plumbing as we know it today.

Oatey: 110 years and an eye on the next generation

L.R. Oatey founded the company in Cleveland in 1916, and its first product was roof flashing for venting plumbing pipes. Oatey opened its West 160th Street manufacturing facility in Cleveland in 1958 and now operates in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, and Europe, serving professional builders, contractors, engineers, and do-it-yourselfers. To mark the anniversary, Oatey is partnering on a Manufacturing Day event this October that introduces more than 600 Northeast Ohio high school students to careers in advanced manufacturing and STEM. CEO Neal Restivo credited generations of associates for making the milestone possible.

Why it matters to JFN

Every multifamily, student housing, hotel, and assisted living project we build relies on the kinds of products these companies helped invent and refine: flush valves in amenity and common-area restrooms, touch-free faucets and bottle fillers in lobbies and fitness centers, and the flashing that finishes each vent stack at the roof. Water conservation and connected products, the same themes Sloan highlights, come up more and more in our conversations with owners and general contractors who want lower operating costs and buildings they can monitor. And as a family-owned company ourselves, we appreciate Oatey’s focus on the next generation of tradespeople. A skilled workforce is what turns good products into reliable buildings.

Sources: Contractor Magazine, October 6, 2026; MCAA, October 2, 2026; Contractor Magazine, October 1, 2026