Norge

[huggybear]

A friend and I were discussing the Norge brand name, and what ever became of them. I know they made a variety of different appliances, but I haven't seen a new one in years.

What became of them? Gone out of business? Eaten up by another company?

For that matter, what about Easy?

 

[appnut]

Maytag acquired Norge in the 1980s. And now with Maytag eaten up by Whirlpool May, 2006, I think that's one of the names that may be a casualty of the acquisitoni.

 

[whirlcool]

I think we had a very long in depth thread about Norge this past spring or summer, didn't we?
Anyway, whenever I think of Norge, for some reason I think of the southwest side of Chicago. I must have seen a Norge in that part of town when I was growing up or something.

 

[angus]

Well the original parent company of Norge - Borg Warner was headquartered in Chicago and the Norge plant where their washers were made was in Herrin, outside of Chicago. Norge history also includes Borg Warner selling them to Fedders sometime in the mid to late 1960's

 

[paulg]

Give HOPE to NORGE!

Well, Maytag/Whirlpool have somehow managed to keep the ADMIRAL appliance name alive through Wards and later Home Depot - not that ADMIRAL was completely dead (but nearly so).
Perhaps new parent Whirlpool will see the sales pull of NORGE and start selling them... where?....
Hmmm. I think the rurals still are angry since cancelling the INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER appliance line. Yes. Sell to the rural market. Next to Crosley. Crosley and Norge work well together - like milk and cookies.
Hey - Electrolux is putting GIBSON now on "GREE" (say Chinese) airconditioners. Maybe the NORGE name can be glued onto the front of something. I've got it. Norge American-Made electric snowblowers. I'd buy one AND give one as a gift. I'm still ticked that SUNBEAM is out of that business. C'MON! Support Whirlpool and give them a reason to save NORGE!

 

[Cybrvanr]

I didn't know Sunbeam was out of business. I've been seeing mix-masters in Sears and other stores this Christmas. I thought Sunbeam got acquired by the big Hamilton-Beach-Proctor-Silex congolomerate. I couldn't tell where the Mixmaster were made, but H-B-P-S has been typically making their stuff in Mexico.

 

[goatfarmer]

He means Sunbeam out of the snow removal business.

Paul, the linked one is close to your 'hood.....

http://www.arlingtonheights.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=17020&PID=20430

 

[westyslantfront]

Here is a picture of my 1956 Norge Timeline. Been in the repair shop a while now but almost ready to come home.

Ross

 

[westyslantfront]

Here is the interior with the solid tub and Norge agitator.

 

[westyslantfront]

One more shot showing overflow rinse.

 

[paulg]

Thanks for the tip!

Hmmmm. Maybe I'll gamble a trek to Arlington Heights (not too far) and pick up the snowblower. My Sunbeam lawnmower (undergoing renovation) is getting mightly lonely. My gasoline TORO already has seen use this year.
I wouldn't mind any vintage NORGE in my household. Although Norge was common in Chicago at one time, it is hard to find now. In the last few years I've found only one NORGE fridge at a sale and that is it.
Where, oh where have the TIMELINES gone? Oh where, oh where can they be?

 

[rp2813]

The Chicagoland connection explains why my parents had so many (key term there, "so many") Norge machines when I was growing up. Both of my parents were born and raised in or near Chicago. So between the Norge and Wards brands, we had at least two washers and three dryers, the 50's dryer being a timeline model that I only remember as having a broken timer. I guess when its companion washer bit the dust (though not a timeline IIRC) my parents got rid of both machines and replaced them with a Wards Signature brand pair in late 1967. Between the racket the washer made while it did its shredding and the fumes the dryer made, they were the worst pair of machines ever to live in our household and I sincerely hope both of them went straight to the most ruthless crusher available.

On the flip side, my parents bought a Norge dryer sometime in the early 80's I'm guessing, and that one is well behaved and has never had a problem.