World Dryer was founded in 1948 by inventor George Clemens, with the intention of inventing and selling a new hand dryer that could compete against paper towels, was better for the environment, more sanitary, and required less frequent maintenance. Three years later, Clemens patented a new hand dryer design, called the Model A. The original version of the Model A featured a wall-mounted assembly, a cast-iron cover, push-button operation, and a swivel nozzle. The Model A quickly became the industry-standard electric hand dryer, and established World Dryer as the premier manufacturer of electric hand dryers. Beginning in 1955, World Dryer began manufacturing and exporting units internationally via a partnership with UK-based Warner Howard Limited. In 1968, World Dryer introduced a version of the Model A with a recessed assembly rather than a wall-mounted version. This version, called the Model RA, was modified slightly in 1990 to ensure compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, and was further modified in 2005 with a squashed nozzle. Other available options on the Model A include a steel cover rather than a cast iron one, a fixed non-swivel nozzle, and, starting in 1987, automatic sensor-activated operation. In 1974, World Dryer was acquired by Beatrice Foods Co., and underwent a rebranding later that year, which saw the introduction of the current dark red "globe" logo. In 1985, Beatrice Foods Co. spun off World Dryer as an independent company. Model As manufactured during Beatrice Foods Co.'s ownership of World Dryer from the mid-1970s to mid-1980s include the byline "A Division of Beatrice Foods Co" on their front labels. In 2000, World Dryer acquired NOVA, and its series of electric hand dryers, which World Dryer continued to sell alongside the Model A as a lower-cost alternative. Beginning in 2005, World Dryer introduced several new models to compete against faster, more modern models, notably the Dyson Airblade and the Xlerator from Excel Dryer, the latter of which had, by this time, overtaken the World Dryer Model A as the industry standard. The first of these was the AirMax, which is externally identical to the Model A, but is fitted with a larger and more powerful motor, drying a user’s hands in 15 seconds. This was followed up by the Airforce in 2007, the speed-adjustable SMARTdri in 2010, the ADA-compliant SLIMdri in 2011, and the hands-in VMax in 2013.
