To celebrate the Fourth of July, we thought we would reflect on our history in honor of the holiday. True Manufacturing has been handcrafted in America since 1945 when the Trulaske family developed a commercial refrigeration company out of their St. Louis home. Using that same entrepreneurial spirit, we launched True Residential in 2008. Today, we continue to be an American-made, American-born company—and are proud of it. While you can view our entire history here, below is a snapshot timeline of True Residential throughout the years. Happy Fourth of July and we hope you enjoy our story—it’s a true American tale.
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1945 Bob Trulaske, along with his father, Frank, and later his brother Art, collaborate to develop a refrigeration company in their Lenox Avenue home. Within the year, they began manufacturing wrapped rail roll-top bottle coolers for beer and beverages in a multi-story warehouse on Pine Street in downtown St. Louis. |
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1948
7UP Company approves True Roll Top Bottle Coolers, beginning a successful, long-standing partnership with True Manufacturing.
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1954 True Manufacturing sells its first coolers to the Caribbean and Central Americanmarkets, establishing the beginning of True’s international sales efforts. |
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1957
True introduces its first upright GDM model, GDM-40-30, utilizing state-of-the-art fan motor technology and revolutionary triple pane glass design. True is approved by the Pepsi-Cola Company.
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1961 True’s first logo appears (far left); True is approved by the Coca-Cola Company. |
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1982
True introduces its first upright reach-in, the T Series, and expands its Glass Door Merchandiser line to include Glass End Merchandisers.
2005
True earns the prestigious honor of being voted Overall Best in Class in the United States. True celebrates 60 years of excellence.
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2008 True Residential officially launches first generation product line in the California Market. |
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2012
New 24 Series product line introduced. True Residential announces new Undercounter Refrigerators and Wine Cabinets.
2014–2017
True Residential introduces the TruLumina LED lighting system in 14 designer colors. In 2015, the brand launches the True 42 and the Clear Ice Machine. The following year saw the launch of the True 48 and the Undercounter Freezers. 2017 welcomed in True’s ever-popular 30″ columns.
2018
In 2018, True Residential’s fully fleshed-out roster of designs include everything from wine cabinets, to beverage dispensers, full-size refrigerators, undercounter units, and so much more. By mid-year, Chef Wylie Dufresne outfits his own personal kitchen with True’s Clear Ice Machine, True Dual Zone Wine Cabinet, and True’s 42″ Fridge, increasing the brand’s notoriety. The introduction of the Build Your True component to the company brought in another range of consumers interested in creating their own from the brand’s new custom finishes—Cobalt Blue, Matte White, Stainless Steel, and Matte Black included, and hardware option colors that range from Pewter to Copper and Brass. By spring, True Residential had introduced a new 48″-glass door, full-size refrigerator following the brand’s introduction of an industry first—transformative 60″ and 90″ Joining Kits to unite any two or three of the brand’s 30″ columns.
2019
By 2019, True Residential has launched their entire repertoire of indoor/undercounter units in the Build Your True program of custom finishes and hardware, allowing for any True Residential unit to now be completely customizable in the programs options that were previously only available for full-sized units. This spring, True Residential unveiled two new eye-catching hues—a vivid emerald and a striking ultra matte black. On schedule to officially launch late this summer: a 36” Refrigerator and a 30” Beverage Column. American-made, a True story.
