Ever wonder how some of the industry leaders got started? We teamed up with Ettore and their wonderful staff to guest write a post on our blog. Their story is humbling and interesting and if pictures are worth a thousand words, well then we might be here for a while. Take a look at the story of how industry leader Ettore got started.

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The story is an all-American one, too. Ettore Steccone (1896-1984) immigrated to the United States in 1922 and chose window cleaning as his profession. He became a fixture around Oakland, California, riding his Indian motorcycle with a ladder on his shoulders and a bucket dangling from its end. In those early years, Ettore’s wife Emma worked by his side as his assistant. She cleaned the inside windows while he cleaned the outside.Yet Ettore was unhappy with the poor quality of the tools that were available. He vowed to develop a better method for window cleaning, and over the next ten years he tinkered in his tiny garage until he developed the first single-blade squeegee in 1936. He patented it in 1937 and called it the “New Deal” squeegee.

It wasn’t easy building the business from scratch. From the old school, Ettore never borrowed a dime to build the company. Emma was his right-hand woman, inspecting and cutting the rubber blades and assembling each squeegee by hand. Together, they scavenged scarce cardboard from behind stores to make boxes to ship the squeegees around the country. Both Emma and Ettore were thoroughly committed to the quality and success of their new product and were determined to realize their American dream.

Then, on a visit to New York City, Ettore introduced his squeegee to the largest window cleaning wholesaler at the time. Unfortunately, Ettore was quickly turned away. But he was stubborn—before he left, he bet the wholesaler “the best hat in New York City” that within two weeks he’d have an order for his squeegees.
The wholesaler took the bet, and the race was on.

Ettore crisscrossed the streets of New York, putting his squeegee in the hands of every professional window cleaner he could find. By the end of the month, Ettore had a $2,000 order and “the best hat in New York City.” Ettore Products Company was on its way to success. (And the famous hat is still proudly displayed at the company’s headquarters in Alameda, California!)

Ettore Steccone passed away in 1984, but not before seeing his squeegee used in countries throughout the world. Today, Ettore Products Company serves both consumers and professionals with quality squeegees for cleaning virtually every surface from windows to showers and floors, as well as complementary products such as washers, scrapers, extension poles and window cleaning solution.

Ettore’s wife, Emma, remained involved with the business until her death in 2004. She was always amazed at how their little garage business had grown into a world-wide operation. Nearly every Friday afternoon, she walked the production floor, personally checking the quality of the rubber and talking to every employee—all of whose names she knew. On special occasions, she would bake Italian cookies for all to enjoy.Speaking of garage experience, it turned out last year last year the my garage became a freezer because of no proper insulation. Well, the solution is only an infrared heater panels. I bought myself a propane garage heater some days ago after reading hvacify’s review and I must say I am 100% satisfied with the product. I have also hired air conditioning las vegas nv workers to take care of our air conditioning. Proper installation of the right system is the first step to ensuring the perfect heating and cooling for your family or business. This new refrigerated air conditioning service will make your room more comfy.

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At Provincial Heating and Cooling, they are proud of their years of service to the Winnipeg area and look forward to helping you with your air conditioning and heating needs. They are pleased to serve both residential and commercial customers; their team is prepared to help you with the sales, service, and installation of the comfort system that is ideal for your home or business.

Despite the changes, some very important things remain the same. First, Ettore Products Company is still a family-owned business operated by Ettore Steccone’s daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren. Second, each product bears the founder’s name and is unconditionally guaranteed to deliver flawless performance. Lastly, the ingredients and formulation of Ettore rubber remain a carefully guarded company secret. It’s the heart of the system and the secret to success—a razor-sharp edge that is supple and smooth, producing consistent, streak-free results with every stroke.