The Frigidaire brand would not have become part of General Motors had it not been for Billy Durant, who purchased the fledgling Guardian Frigerator Co. in 1915 from inventor Alfred Mellowes with $56,366.50 of his own money.
Mellowes was attempting to rid the world of the icebox with hand-built, electrified cabinets — with little luck. But GM quickly repaid Durant when it became apparent that automotive-style assembly lines could make refrigerators at a fast clip. GM made the Frigidaire business part of its Delco-Light subsidiary and moved it to Dayton, Ohio.
Frigidaire initially lost money but by 1926 had contributed $15 million to GM's net earnings. The cost to build a refrigerator had dropped from $750 in 1921 to $96 in 1933.
Frigidaire expanded its business to include air conditioning, electric ranges and self-cleaning ovens. For those who could not pay cash, General Motors Acceptance Corp. provided financing.
For World War II, Frigidaire changed its assembly lines to build .50-caliber machine guns and B-29 propeller assemblies.
After the war, Frigidaire expanded its home appliance business to feed America's consumer craze. New products included clothes washers and dryers, dishwashers and food-waste disposers.
In 1953, Frigidaire began building air-conditioning compressors for GM automobiles.