Bath and Kitchen Pro

Basco Celebrates 50 Years

On Aug. 1, 1955, G. William Rohde, founder and chairman, opened the doors to Basco. He started to sell shower doors east of the Denver area for California-based Hecker Manufacturing Co., with his brother-in-law, Elmer Kokenge. They adopted the name the company used for its manufacturing and sales facilities: Basco, which stands for Bathroom Accessory and Supply Company.

Here is part of Basco's timeline that covers its achievements over the years:

1955: G. William Rohde becomes the first president/general manager of Basco. The company operates from a 4,800-sq-ft. building in Norwood, Ohio.

1956: Montgomery Ward selects Basco as its exclusive supplier of shower doors for the company's catalog.

1963: Basco begins using safety tempered glass on all its shower doors and enclosures in response to request from Montgomery Ward.

1966: Basco introduces fiberglass shower stalls.

1970: Basco develops the first complete line of frameless shower enclosures, working with Lloyd Carey, design architect for Southern Extrusion.

1986: Basco introduces a line of tri-panel tub enclosures and shower entrances.

1988: Basco introduces curved bath enclosures.

1992: G. William Rohde is named chairman/ CEO, and George W. Rohde is appointed president/COO. The headquarters moves to Mason, Ohio.

1998: George W. Rohde is named president/CEO; G. William Rohde remains chairman.

2002: Basco unveils its Celesta line of luxury glass enclosures.

2004: Basco opens its 5,000-sq.-ft. training center.

During a tour of Basco's manufacturing facility, Arona Fall, team leader, custom line, showed visitors a Parts Pak that contains all of the fittings - anchors, screws, bottom guide, bumper inserts, jamb bumpers - needed for assembly of a specific Basco shower door model.

As part of its 50th anniversary festivities, Basco unveiled a new sign at its corporate headquarters in Mason, Ohio.

Guests attending Basco's 50th anniversary celebration enjoyed lunch under a tent just outside the headquarters office.