It started as an invention to control humidity in a New York printing plant in 1902 and turned into technology that forever changed the way people around the world live, work and play. July 17th marks the 110th anniversary of the invention of modern air conditioning by Dr. Willis H. Carrier, inventor and founder of Carrier.
On July 17, 1902, Carrier, a young research engineer just a year out of Cornell University, finalized the design to stabilize the humidity in the air so the dimensions of the paper at the Sackett & Wilhelms Lithography and Printing Company in Brooklyn, N.Y., would remain constant throughout the printing process.
Since then modern air conditioning has been applied to everything from malls to manufacturing facilities, buses to businesses and houses to hospitals.
“In the early 1900s, air conditioning was primarily an industrial application that enabled countless industries to thrive with candy-making companies, textile mills and theaters some of the most enthusiastic early adopters,” says Geraud Darnis, president & CEO, UTC Climate, Controls & Security. “Over the years, Carrier’s innovations looked to make possible what was previously impossible. Today our focus remains true to our heritage as we continually push the envelope to create energy efficient, environmentally responsible products for both commercial and residential applications in all areas of the world.”
A leading engineer of his time, Carrier filed more than 80 patents over the course of his career.
“At 25 years old, Willis Carrier’s foresight forever changed the world and paved the way for more than a century of once-impossible innovations,” Darnis said. “His genius created an entire industry essential to global productivity and personal comfort.”
To view Carrier’s new history website, visit www.WillisCarrier.com.
