A. O. Smith Shifts Production and Begins Limited Manufacturing in Ashland City to Meet Customer Demand

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May 25, 2010, 01:55 ET

MILWAUKEE, May 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In the wake of the historic flooding that impacted its Ashland City, Tenn., facility, A. O. Smith Water Products Company has successfully shifted a significant portion of residential water heater production to its other North American operations.

The company also opened a temporary distribution center in Nashville last week to warehouse and ship residential and commercial water heater orders to its U. S. customers. The distribution center will serve customers until the clean-up of the Ashland City finished goods warehouse is complete.

"We remain focused on satisfying our water heater customers," Ajita G. Rajendra, president of A. O. Smith Water Products Company, said. "By transferring Ashland City's production to our other plants, we are confident we will be able to meet our customers' needs."

The clean-up activities at the Ashland City facility continue following the disastrous flood of the nearby Cumberland River earlier this month. Electric power has been partially restored to the 1.5 million square foot facility, and the plant has reopened one assembly line that is producing residential electric water heaters to meet customer demands.

"The team in Ashland City has done a remarkable job and is making tremendous progress in the clean-up effort," Rajendra said.

A. O. Smith Corporation, with 2009 sales of $2.0 billion, is a global leader applying innovative technology and energy-efficient solutions to products marketed worldwide. The company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heating equipment, offering a comprehensive product line featuring the best-known brands in North America and China. A. O. Smith is also one of the largest manufacturers of electric motors for residential and commercial applications in North America.

SOURCE A. O. Smith Corporation