The Journey of Clarke
The Clarke relationship with the cleaning industry began in 1916 when inventor and tinkerer Alex A. Clarke devised a sanding machine to speed up refinishing wood bar tables and school desk jobs. The sanding machine was so popular that Clarke soon began inventing related equipment. It soon had a whole line of floor sanding, vacuuming, and cleaning machines entering the market.
Clarke grew slowly and steadily throughout the 1920s and 1930s. The company had 30 employees and $400,000 in sales by 1942. Clarke expanded their product line to include floor polishers, vacuums, and hand tools in 1946. By now, Clarke had already surpassed the $4 million mark. Clarke kept up with the constant flow of inventions without a break. Clarke invented various novel methods for cleaning and maintaining floors in the 1950s. It invented the first battery-powered scrubber, the long-lasting rental sander, and the robust, all-purpose Clarke Floor Maintainer. It had $9 million in sales by the decade's end and soon established itself as the industry leader in commercial cleaning machines.
Clarke's achievement throughout this period was recognized by the industry. Soon after, it gained the attention of the rapidly growing Studebaker Company, which bought the company. Under this umbrella, Clarke continued to thrive into the 1960s with new inventions and product range expansions. Clarke established its headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, in 1988, where it remains until today. It has a comprehensive array of trustworthy, dependable cleaning equipment and other high-demand products. Clarke joined ALTO US Inc., one of the world's leading cleaning equipment manufacturers, in 1996, broadening Clarke's reach of invention and sales.
In 2004, Nilfisk-Advance, one of Europe's most respected cleaning equipment manufacturers, was looking to merge operations with key competitors in the industry to create a global brand. Nilfisk-Advance is a company that specializes in professional cleaning equipment and gives cleaning solutions to a wide range of sectors. They sell a range of equipment, including sweepers, scrubbers, vacuums, and pressure washers. Clarke's resources, values, and innovative attitude inspired Nilfisk to collaborate with Clarke and establish a legacy of industry leadership. Clarke continues to rule the janitorial industry with its commercial cleaning machines, including floor machines such as scrubbers, burnishers, and polishers; carpet cleaners; vacuum cleaners such as backpack vacuums, wet/dry vacuums, and HEPA vacuums; pressure washers; sweepers such as ride-on and walk-behind models; and more.
Clarke has long been a pioneer in new product development and innovation. The commitment to inventing sturdy, long-lasting products that make cleaning easier, faster, and more sustainable keeps Clarke's business legacy alive today.
