Founded in 1908 in Ripon, Wisconsin, by Joe Barlow and John Seelig as Barlow & Seelig Manufacturing, Speed Queen began by improving hand-powered washers before introducing electric models in 1911. Renowned for commercial-grade durability and "stainless steel" innovations, the brand transitioned from wringer washers to automatic machines, becoming a leader in, and now owned by, Alliance Laundry Systems.