Caroma

Caroma (Caroma Dorf) is an Australian designer and distributor of bathroom products. Caroma was established in 1941 by Hungarian-born Charles Rothauser, and since closing its last factory in 2017 now sources all products from third-party overseas manufacturers[1]. Caroma is a subsidiary of GWA International Limited, and introduced the world's first two-button dual flush toilet system. The company self-distributes within Australia and abroad sells through distributors such as Sustainable Solutions International in North America and Sanlamere in the United Kingdom.

Caroma

Owner	GWA International
Country	Australia
Introduced	1941
Website	https://www.caroma.com.au/

The company was established in 1941 with a factory at Norwood, an inner eastern suburb of Adelaide. The company announced its intention to close down manufacturing in Australia on 8 October 2014. The factory at Wetherill Park in Sydney closed in 2014.[2] It finally closed the Norwood factory on 24 February 2017. Manufacture now occurs in Malaysia, China and Europe.[1]

Caroma Dorf companies

The Caroma Dorf group of companies offers a range of bathroom, kitchen and laundry products from a number of brands.

• Fowler – range of toilets and basins for bathrooms.[3]
• Dorf – Offers a range of products for bathrooms, kitchens and laundries.[4]
• Clark – Clark has a range of kitchen sinks.[5]
• Epure – Epure is Clark's expensive range which offers a variety of kitchen sinks.[6]
• Radiant – products for kitchen and laundries.[7]
• Irwell – A range of tapware products.[8]
• Stylus – Best known for its baths and spas, Stylus also offers a range of cheap toilets, basins, mixers, taps, showers and bathroom accessories.[9]
• Dux Hot Water[10]

Innovations

• The first in the world to introduce the two-button dual flush system in 1982[11][12]
• The first in the world to introduce the 6/3L dual flush cistern[13]
• The first to introduce the 4.5/3L dual flush cistern through Smartflush technology[14]
• The first company to gain a WELS 5 Star rating for toilet suites[14]
• The first company to achieve an Australian WELS 6 Star rating for urinals[15][16]

Awards

• Australian Design Award for Excellence in Australian Design in the Housing & Building category (2009) – Caroma Invisi Series II Toilet Suite[17]
• Australian Design Awards for Excellence in Sustainable Design (2007) -Caroma H2Zero Cube Urinal[18]
• Australian Design Award for Excellence in Australian Design in the Housing and Building category (2005)- Smartflush Toilet Suite Range[19]

References

1. Castello, Renato (24 February 2017). "Bathroom manufacturer Caroma will close the doors of its Adelaide factory ending 76 years of manufacturing tradition". The Advertiser. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
2. Foster, Sophie (8 October 2014). "Caroma and Dorf owner GWA slashes 164 jobs as it shuts two factories". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
3. Official Fowler website
4. "Bathroom Products and Inspiration – Dorf". dorf.com.au.
5. "Clark Kitchen Sinks, Kitchen Taps, Kitchen Accessories and Laundry Tubs. Since 1941". clark.com.au.
6. "Kitchen Sinks – Epure". clark.com.au. Archived from the original on 10 April 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
7. "Bathroom products from Stylus. Quality Toilets, Basins, Baths, Spas and Taps". radiantstainless.com.au.
8. "Bathroom products from Stylus. Quality Toilets, Basins, Baths, Spas and Taps". irwell.com.au.
9. Official Stylus website
10. "Dux Hot Water". dux.com.au.
11. "Australia Innovates – Powerhouse Museum". powerhousemuseum.com.
12. "Toilet cistern and seat, dual flush volume 'Uniset', plastic/metal, Caroma Industries Pty Ltd, South Australia, 1982–1992". powerhousemuseum.com.
13. "DuoSet dual flush toilet cistern". powerhousemuseum.com.
14. "Sectioned Caroma 'Smartflush' toilet suite". powerhousemuseum.com.
15. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 November 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
16. http://ag.gov.au/portal/govgazonline.nsf/6094A74B9E1BF38CCA257199001FA3DA/$file/S111.pdf%5B%5D
17. "Caroma Invisi Series II Toilet Suite".
18. "Caroma H2Zero Cube Urinal".
19. Smartflush Toilet Suite Range Archived 6 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine