Our History
Over 100 Years of Innovation
Co-founded by brothers Alois and Edward Ruthman, Ruthman Companies began in the year 1912 as the “Ruthman Machinery Company.” Based in Cincinnati, the company serviced the steamboats that traveled the Ohio River.
In 1924, Alois conceived the first sealless centrifugal pump, coining the term ‘coolant pump’ to describe it. The brothers gave this new pump the name “Gusher,” giving birth to what is now Ruthman Companies’ flagship brand, Gusher Pumps.
Alois’ son Thomas R. Ruthman joined the family business in 1949 with a drive to create a worldwide presence and grow the business–both through organic growth and the acquisition of complementary pump technologies.
He brought Ruthman Companies to Europe in the 1980’s and Asia in the 1990’s. He expanded the Ruthman product line from the original centrifugal coolant pumps to include valves, positive displacement pumps, tube cutters and shimmy dies and other specialized equipment.
In the early 1990’s, Thomas R. Ruthman’s son, Thomas G. Ruthman, became the third generation of Ruthmans in the pump business. Under his leadership, the company has continued to thrive, upholding its reputation as a leader in the custom engineering of pumps for the most challenging applications.
Ruthman Companies values its history as a family company–not only in its ownership, but also among its divisions, where there are often multiple generations working together.
