The Brand Story
Dometic: From a Student Invention to Cool Air on the Open Road
In 1922 two young Swedish inventors, Baltzar von Platen and Carl Munters, worked out a new way to make cold. Their absorption refrigerator used a source of heat, rather than a mechanical compressor, to drive the cooling cycle. That idea is the seed of the company whose air conditioners now sit on the roofs of recreational vehicles and in the engine rooms of boats across North America.
Chapter 1 · 1922 to 1925
Electrolux buys the idea
The inventors patented their cooling cabinet in 1923, and a Swedish company called Arctic acquired the manufacturing rights. In 1925 the refrigerator was shown at an exhibition in Stockholm, where it caught the eye of Axel Wenner-Gren, the founder of Electrolux. That same year Electrolux bought Arctic and began producing absorption refrigerators in volume. Decades later, that same quiet cooling technology would carry the company into caravans, campers and boats.
Chapter 2 · 1968 to 2001
The leisure division gets a name
By the late 1960s Electrolux had grouped its leisure appliances into a division called Dometic, and in 1968 it set up Dometic Corporation in the United States. The American business grew through acquisitions. In 1985 Electrolux bought Duo-Therm, a U.S. maker of air conditioners for recreational vehicles, giving Dometic the rooftop cooling expertise that still defines its RV lineup. In 2001 Electrolux sold its leisure businesses to the private equity firm EQT, and Dometic began its life as an independent company.
Chapter 3 · 2003 to today
Afloat and on the road
In 2003 Dometic bought TME, a maker of air conditioning and refrigeration for pleasure boats, deepening its marine climate business. More acquisitions followed in RV, marine and outdoor equipment, and in November 2015 Dometic listed its shares on Nasdaq Stockholm. Today the company is headquartered in Solna, just outside Stockholm, employs about 7,000 people and sells in roughly 100 countries across the RV, marine, outdoor and hospitality markets.
The Lineup
What Dometic builds today
Dometic's catalog covers food and beverage, climate, power and control products for mobile living. In climate, that means rooftop and under-cabinet air conditioners and heat pumps for recreational vehicles and air conditioning for boats. HVAC365 carries a selection from its RV and marine climate lines:
- FreshJet rooftop air conditioners: low-profile RV units such as the FreshJet 5 at 13,500 BTU, plus air distribution boxes for wall-thermostat, non-ducted installations.
- 48V FreshJet heat pump: a low-profile rooftop heat pump designed to run from a 48-volt battery system and charged with R-32 refrigerant, so the air conditioner can run from the coach's battery bank rather than a generator or shore power.
- CoolCat under-cabinet heat pumps: 10,500 BTU units that hide inside a bench or cabinet and push air through ducts, keeping the roof clear.
- Marine air conditioning: retrofit kits such as a 6,000 BTU, 230V self-contained unit for replacing tired cabin air conditioners on boats.
All of these sit within our broader air conditioners collection.
At a Glance
Dometic by the numbers
- Technology roots
- 1922, absorption refrigeration
- Inventors
- Baltzar von Platen and Carl Munters
- U.S. company formed
- 1968
- Independent from Electrolux
- 2001
- Stock listing
- Nasdaq Stockholm, 2015
- Headquarters
- Solna, Sweden
- Employees
- About 7,000
- Markets
- RV, marine, outdoor, hospitality
Questions
Frequently asked questions about Dometic
Who owns Dometic?
Dometic Group is a publicly traded company listed on Nasdaq Stockholm since November 2015. It became independent from Electrolux in 2001, when Electrolux sold its leisure businesses to EQT.
Where is Dometic headquartered?
Dometic is headquartered in Solna, Sweden, near Stockholm, and sells its products in about 100 countries.
How did Dometic start making RV air conditioners?
Electrolux, Dometic's former parent, acquired Duo-Therm, a U.S. maker of RV air conditioners, in 1985. That business became the foundation of Dometic's RV climate products, which still include rooftop and under-cabinet units.
What is the difference between FreshJet and CoolCat?
FreshJet units mount on the RV roof, while CoolCat units install under a bench or cabinet and distribute air through ducts, leaving the roof clear.
Does Dometic make marine air conditioners?
Yes. Dometic builds air conditioning for boats, a business it expanded in 2003 by acquiring TME, a maker of pleasure boat air conditioning and refrigeration.
