Dirt Devil is a one of the top brand names in vacuum cleaners and floor care. The Dirt Devil hand vac was introduced in 1984, and that model was so successful that it allowed more products to be released under the Dirt Devil brand name.

The company began life in 1905, Cleveland Ohio as the P.A. Geier Company where Mr. Geier hand built metal vacuums in his garage. The company’s very first hand held vac was called the “Royal Prince” which was introduced in 1937.

In 1953, the P.A. Geier Company was bought by the Walter E. Schott Organization – an investment company – who renamed the company Royal Appliance Manufacturing. However, the company was dissolved in 1954 when it was purchased by a group of employees. Stan Erbor was head man, and under him the company thrived. In 1969 they moved to Ohio where the company expanded.

In 1981, Erbor died. A group of investors bought the company and took annual sales from around $5 million in 1981 to over $400 million in 2000. During this time, their vacuum cleaners were stocked in popular retail outlets like Wal-Mart.

Today, the Royal Appliance Manufacturing company is called TTI Floor Care North America (TTI stands for TechTronic Industries, a Hong Kong based firm), and they manufacture a range of uprights, sticks, hand-held vacuums, canister and carpet shampooers.