Places – Brownwood, Texas
“A Dynamite Legacy: Brownwood Turns 50! (1975-2025)
During Kohler’s Centennial Year, more than one celebration was underway including the groundbreaking of the new Brownwood, Texas plant. True to the saying, “Everything’s bigger in Texas,” this event was as grand as the milestone itself.
“We look forward to becoming a responsible neighbor and partner in this community.”
— Sam H. Davis, Group Vice President, Plumbing Products and Precision Controls
On May 23, 1973, the groundbreaking ceremony for Kohler’s Brownwood, Texas facility made a memorable impact—literally. Herbert V. Kohler, Jr., chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the company, headed the ceremonies at the 166-acre plant site by activating a small dynamite charge which turned over the first ceremonial spadeful of earth for the new structure. The dynamite charge, symbolizing traditional earth-turning, simultaneously broke ground and launched 1,200 red, white, and blue helium-filled balloons into the sky.
As part of the celebration, 100 of the balloons carried business reply cards. The person who returned the card from the farthest distance received a special prize: the Hydro-Whirl whirlpool bath attachment. Today, three of the original three-foot balloons, a number of reply cards and several hydro-whirls are preserved in the Kohler Archives in Kohler, Wisconsin.
Kohler had announced plans for the Brownwood facility in 1972. By 1975, a pilot program was underway to test equipment for vitreous china production. At this time the plant employed 14 local workers, along with transfers from other Kohler locations.
Growth came quickly. In 1979, the facility expanded by 200,000 square feet to support the manufacture of fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) bathing modules. Just three years later, in 1982, another 604,000 square feet were added to meet rising demand for vitreous china and plastic plumbing products.
Today, the Brownwood facility spans over one million square feet under a single roof, an enduring symbol of Kohler’s commitment to innovation, craftsmanship, and community partnership in Brownwood for more than five decades.
