Who Owns GrillPro Smokers? (Their Story & Beginnings)

Published by Timothy Woods

Last Updated On: March 23, 2023

GrillPro Smokers delivers perfectly succulent smoked meat every time! Onward Manufacturing Company Limited owns the brand.

They design and build high-performing, long-lasting products and deliver the most rewarding customer service.

Quick Summary

Onward Manufacturing upholds its values of never compromising quality or safety, their commitment to excellence, acting with integrity and honesty, and always being transparent.

If you want to know more about the company behind the incredible GrillPro Smokers’ Brand, please continue reading this article.

Onward Manufacturing Company Limited – Their Story

“In 1904, Theodore Adam Witzel founded the Rite-Away fountain pen company. It is here that they manufactured fountain pens and ink.

The manufacturing plant was located at the corner of King and Water streets in Berlin, Ontario.

In 1906, the company ceased making fountain pens and ink. It became the first in Canada to manufacture and sell hand vacuum sweepers and electric vacuum cleaners under the trade names of Onward and Triumph.” [1]

Onward Manufacturing is situated in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, and has +/- 400 employees spread across its different locations.

They generate over $113.17 million in total sales, and together there are 18 companies in the Onward Manufacturing Company Ltd. corporate family.

Interesting Facts About Onward Manufacturing Company Ltd.

Onward manufactures gas barbecue grills, and their products are sold under the GrillPro, BroilMate, Broil King, Broil King KEG, Huntington, and Sterling brands in North America.

The company supplies its products to over 40 countries worldwide.

• Their line of business also includes the manufacturing of non-electric and electric cooking equipment. Their grills are engineered, designed, manufactured, and assembled from raw materials and components, to beautifully finished barbecue grills in Canada.
• Onward was the very first grill company to embrace ISO quality standards and is committed to ensuring and continuously improving the quality of every component, product, process, and service.
• Onward produces most of its products in its own factories where attention to detail of the transformation of the processes and materials can be controlled and verified.
• The company manufactures its products in three main factories, and each specializes in certain products, components, and processes.

The three factories are situated in:

1. Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
2. Huntington, Indiana, USA
3. Dickson, Tennessee, USA

The company insources major components to its own factories and is the most vertically integrated grill manufacturer globally, producing and finishing its own steel, resin, and aluminum components.

Related: Pellet Grill Brands Made in the USA

Onward Manufacturing Company Limited – Timeline

The Onward company has come a long way from creating the Electric Vacuum Cleaner in 1904 to the impressive GrillPro Smokers many Americans use today.

Let’s take a look at their journey throughout the years [2];

1904 – 1906

• Electric Vacuum Cleaner – The Lightest & Most Powerful Electric Vacuum Cleaner Made.
• Manufactured by Onward Manufacturing Company, Berlin, - Canada.

1908

• The Sliding Furniture Shoe (replaced the old-fashioned castor).
• Made in all sizes & styles for all kinds of furniture.
• ONWARD – MFG – CO – BERLIN – ONT

1909

• Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Co.

1914 – 1939

By this time, the Onward Manufacturing Co. owned:

• Eureka Vacuum Cleaners
• Domestic Vacuum Cleaners
• Eden Electric Washing & Wringing Machines
• Onward Slides
• Onward Sliding Furniture Shoes

1946

• Onward Quality Cabinet Hardware by Onward Manufacturing Co. Limited, Kitchener, Ontario.

1949 – 1960

• Eureka Home Cleaning System
• Deepfreeze Refrigerators

1965

• Onward Hardware Limited, Kitchener Ontario – Produced furniture glides, backplates, furniture shoes, hinges, pulls, catches, and knobs.

1966 - 1974

• The New Eureka Super Roto-Matic Vacuum Cleaner
• Tawco Limited

1979

• Aqua-Char Charcoal Water Smokers

1980

• TA Barbecues – Appliances – Fireplaces

1984

• The ARKLA - Matic Grill

1986

• OMC – Onward Multi – Corp Inc.
• Weber
• Broil King – Great Barbecues

1989

• BroilMate
• Barbecue Genius

1990

• Shepherd
• Sterling

1997 – 2000

• Onward Cluthe

2002

• GrillPro – Advancing The Art Of Grilling

2006

• The Grill Company
• Grill Life

2009

• Broil King KEG

2010 – Present

The Onward Manufacturing Company Ltd. currently owns:

• GrillPro
• BroilMate
• Broil King
• Broil King KEG
• Huntington
• Sterling

GrillPro – Advancing The Art Of Grilling – Products

GrillPro has three smokers and a variety of high-quality grilling accessories. Let’s explore their products below [3]:

GrillPro Smokers

High-Quality Grilling Accessories

Other Smoker Products:

• 10 Best Offset Smokers on the Market
• 10 Best Portable Smokers

Conclusion

Onward Manufacturing is a fantastic company with fantastic products.

They have only improved over the years, and we look forward to seeing what exciting products they will come up with in the future.

References:

1. https://www.omcbbq.com/onward-story.html#:~:text=Onward.
2. https://careers.omcbbq.com/about/factories/
3. https://www.atbbq.com/grillpro#