An old black and white photo of two young white dudes washing their hands in a public restroom as they smile.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Bradley Corp., a designer and manufacturer of products and technologies – all created to improve the way the world washes. 

A century strong, Bradley has led the industry with a multitude of innovations that make building environments more hygienic, functional, efficient and safe. Its product offerings range from touchless handwashing technologies, showers, emergency safety fixtures, solid plastic lockers, partitions, and accessible washroom products and accessories. 

It all started with Bradley’s first multi-user handwashing fixture – the Washfountain – invented to increase worker productivity. Bradley was founded in 1921 by Howard A. Mullett after he and several partners bought the rights to the Washfountain from inventor Harry Bradley of the Allen-Bradley Corp. Bradley came up with the idea for the Washfountain after realizing the amount of time workers had to wait in line to wash their hands. He created the group handwashing concept to save time and keep workers on the shop floor.  

Today, headed by Chairman and CEO Bryan Mullett, the fifth Mullett generation to lead the company, Bradley has not wavered from its origin of product innovation. The company is a provider of product solutions that meet the needs of architects, specifiers, plumbing engineers and contractors worldwide. 

“From day one, Bradley has been driven by generations of talented people, innovative designs and a clear vision for the future,” said Mullett. “I am beyond proud of our employees and their accomplishments. Together, we’ve built a true family bond that grows stronger every year.”

As Mullett explained, Bradley was founded on the concept of removing touchpoints from the handwashing process, beginning with the Washfountain, which was activated by a foot pedal. 

“Bradley has always strived to make handwashing and drying easier – and more hygienic,” Mullett said. “Touchless handwashing has been relevant for a century but never more important than it is today as the world overcomes the CODVID-19 pandemic.”