Caroma
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Bathroom fixtures |
| Founded | 1941 |
| Founder | Charles Rothauser |
| Headquarters | Norwood, Adelaide , Australia |
Area served | Australia, North America, United Kingdom |
| Products | Bathroom fixtures, kitchen sinks, tapware, baths, spas, toilets, basins, mixers, taps, showers, bathroom accessories |
| Parent | GWA International Limited |
| Website | www |
Caroma (also known as Caroma Dorf) is an Australian company specializing in the design and distribution of bathroom fixtures, established in 1941 by Charles Rothauser, who was originally from Hungary. Following the shutdown of its final manufacturing plant in 2017, Caroma now procures all its products from overseas third-party manufacturers.
As a division of GWA International Limited, Caroma was the innovator behind the world’s first two-button dual flush toilet mechanism. Within Australia, it manages its own distribution, while internationally it partners with distributors such as Sustainable Solutions International in North America and Sanlamere in the United Kingdom.
History
Caroma began operations in 1941 with a production facility located in Norwood, Adelaide. The company ended local manufacturing starting with the closure of its Wetherill Park factory in Sydney in 2014. The Norwood plant ceased operations on 24 February 2017, marking the conclusion of 76 years of domestic production. Currently, manufacturing is carried out in Malaysia, China, and various European countries.
Caroma Dorf companies
The Caroma Dorf group presents an extensive range of products for bathrooms, kitchens, and laundries under several brand names:
- Fowler – specializing in bathroom toilets and basins.
- Dorf – offering products for bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry areas.
- Clark – focused on kitchen sink solutions.
- Epure – Clark’s high-end kitchen sink collection.
- Radiant – kitchen and laundry product lines.
- Irwell – producer of tapware.
- Stylus – supplying baths, spas, toilets, basins, mixers, taps, showers, and bathroom accessories.
- Dux Hot Water
Innovations
- Introduced the world’s first two-button dual flush system in 1982
- Launched the pioneering 6/3L dual flush cistern
- Developed the 4.5/3L dual flush cistern featuring Smartflush technology
- First to receive a WELS 5 Star rating for toilet suites
- Achieved Australia’s inaugural WELS 6 Star rating for urinals
Awards
- Australian Design Award for Excellence in Australian Design, Housing & Building category (2009) – awarded to the Caroma Invisi Series II Toilet Suite
- Australian Design Award for Excellence in Sustainable Design (2007) – granted for the Caroma H2Zero Cube Urinal
- Australian Design Award for Excellence in Australian Design, Housing & Building category (2005) – received by the Smartflush Toilet Suite Range