Leonard Valve officially began manufacturing thermostatic mixing valves in 1911, and was incorporated in 1913. The founder, Frederick C. Leonard, was a watch repairman and electrician, among his many talents. The story goes that Mr. Leonard would frequent barber shops for a clean shave. Trim after trim, he became disgruntled when the warm towel that was used to clean his face was either scorching hot or lukewarm, and thus began his quest to develop a device that could provide stable hot water temperatures. Mr. Leonard utilized a bi-metal coil as his thermostat to temper hot and cold water to attain a desired output. Thus, the first Leonard thermostatic mixing valve was created to temper water in barber shops. Leonard was also very concerned with the well being of the infirmed and the very young, and he thereafter used his mixing valve technology to control water temperature for critical hospital and health care facilities. Since this initial development by Mr. Leonard, his successors in the Wilcox family have been devoted to supplying quality mixing valves for numerous commercial applications. Leonard Valve has evolved using the same core principles and modern technologies that were the staple of the company when it was formed. Today we supply digital electronic valves, high/low master mixers, complete water tempering systems, emergency mixing valves, and shower valves, along with a myriad of other valve products to meet the stringent demands of today's commercial buildings. Today, Leonard Valve operates from two facilities in Cranston, Rhode Island, where we have a state-of-the-art machining facility with assembly departments that individually assemble and test each mixing valve and every valve system before shipment; and the second facility being a warehouse.