a. o. smith corporation is one of the world's leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heaters and boilers, offering a comprehensive product line featuring the best-known brands in north america, china, and india. the company was founded in 1874 in milwaukee, wisconsin where today the company is headquartered. a. o. smith employs approximately 16,100 men and women at operations in the united states, canada, mexico, china, india, the united kingdom, the netherlands, and turkey, which has the global reach to serve customers worldwide. the company also has sales and distribution in more than 60 countries around the world. as a global leader a. o. smith and its employees pride themselves on applying innovative technology and energy-efficient solutions to products marketed worldwide. the company's goal is to be a leading global water technology company, and the focus is on building this platform through new product development, global expansion, strategic acquisitions and p