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| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Outdoor recreation |
| Founded | 1900; 126 years ago (1900) |
| Founder | William Coffin Coleman |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois ,U.S. |
Key people | Jim Pisani (CEO) |
| Products | Camping equipment |
Number of employees | 4,000 (est.)[1] |
| Parent | Newell Brands |
| Subsidiaries | Esky (under Coleman Australia) |
| Website | www |
The Coleman Company, Inc. is an American manufacturer ofoutdoor recreation products, best known for itscamping gear includinglanterns,portable stoves,sleeping bags,chairs, andcoolers. Founded in 1902 and currently headquartered inChicago, the company employs approximately 4,000 people. Coleman is now a subsidiary ofNewell Brands and has facilities inWichita, Kansas, and inTexas.
The company was founded byWilliam Coffin Coleman, who began selling gasoline pressure lamps in 1902 in Wichita. In 1905, the company provided a demonstration for the1905 Cooper vs. Fairmount football game (nowSterling College andWichita State University).
By the 1910s, Coleman lanterns were being distributed by the U.S. government to support agricultural production during World War I. In World War II, the company developed the Model 520, a compact, multi-fuel burner designed for military use.[2]
Throughout the mid-20th century, Coleman expanded into various home and utility products. By the 1990s, the company refocused on its core outdoor recreation offers.[2]
Coleman gas lamps were provided to play the firstnight football game west of theMississippi River.[3] In 1996, the company acquiredCampingaz, a French company.[4]
In September 2004,Jarden acquired American Household, which was the privately held parent company of Coleman as well as other brands likeSunbeam Products, for $745.6 million in cash.[5][6]
In December 2015, Newell Brands acquired the Coleman brand through the acquisition of Jarden for $13.2 billion.[7][8]
Throughout its history, Coleman has produced a wide variety of equipment primarily aimed at thecamping and recreational markets. TheColeman Lantern is a series ofpressure lamps that were originally made to burngasoline. Current models useColeman fuel (white gas) orpropane and use one or twogas mantles to produce an intense white light.
In the past, the company also produced a range of cooking stoves and domestic irons. Today, Coleman manufacturescamp stoves (Coleman produced the original "G.I. Pocket Stove"),sleeping bags,coolers,hot tubs,generators,watches,sandals,tents,dog toys, andbackpacks, among other things. They also make a line of small boats, includingcanoes,pontoon boats, andjohnboats. In the past they soldpop-up travel trailers, Skiroulesnowmobiles and theHobie Cat brand ofsailboats. The company produces backyardbarbecue grills, sold atCanadian Tire.[9]
A separate company, Coleman Heating and Air Conditioning, sells home heating and air conditioning units. Coleman Heating and Air Conditioning is owned byJohnson Controls, and uses the Coleman name and logo under license.[10]
Coleman also producesATVs andminibikes under the Coleman Powersports brand.[11]
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