⭐ Badger Meter — Complete Historical Overview

Badger Meter began in 1905 as a small Milwaukee manufacturer of frost‑proof water meters and grew into a global leader in water‑flow measurement and smart metering.

⭐ Founding (1905)

Badger Meter was founded on March 8, 1905 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by Milwaukee businessmen, including John Leach, Herbert F. Zarse, and A.W. Tucker.

The company’s first innovation was a frost‑proof water meter with a soft cast‑iron bottom plate designed to rupture safely when frozen — a major advantage in Wisconsin’s harsh winters.

⭐ Early Growth (1905–1930s)

By 1910, Badger was selling 3,700 meters per year, each priced at $8.

Key developments:

- 1919: Moved to a new facility with its first foundry, enabling in‑house metal casting.

- 1920s: Added disc, turbine, and compound meters to the product line.

- 1925: Chicago ordered 400 meters per day, a massive contract that boosted national expansion. Within 13 years of its founding, Badger’s annual production had climbed to 10,000 meters and it had expanded into bronze as well as cast iron and had added disc, turbine, and compound water meters to its line.

⭐ Mid‑Century Expansion (1930s–1960s)

Badger Meter grew steadily through the Great Depression and WWII.

Highlights - 1937: Workforce exceeded 200 employees; strong sales in Central & South America.

- 1942: War production — 7 million fuses manufactured; workforce doubled to 550.

- 1950s: Diversification under James Wright, including a new non‑ferrous foundry (1954).

- 1958: Acquisition of Measure‑Rite Inc., adding propeller‑driven irrigation meters.

⭐ Technological Innovation (1960s–1990s)

Badger transitioned from purely mechanical meters to early electronic and remote‑reading systems.

Key innovations

- 1960: Introduced the Easy‑Read meter with improved dial clarity.

- 1963: Launched the Read‑O‑Matic, enabling remote meter reading — a precursor to AMR.

- 1966: Expanded into South America with a plant in Peru and a subsidiary in Ecuador. Badger’s efforts to establish itself in the industrial flow measurement industry in the 1960s began bearing fruit in the 1970s when sales of industrial flowmeters took off, doubling between 1973 and 1978 alone. It established a separate division for its industrial products in 1979 and enjoyed increased sales to chemical and food processors, concrete batching plants, and suppliers of auto lubrication systems.

⭐ Modern Era — Smart Metering & Digital Transformation (2000s–2026)

Badger Meter evolved into a smart water‑technology company, integrating sensors, analytics, and AMI systems.

Major developments an Publicly traded on the NYSE as BMI.

- 2025: Net sales reached $235.7 million in Q3; company valuation exceeded $5.18 billion.

- 2025: Acquired SmartCover Systems for $184 million, expanding into wastewater analytics.

- BlueEdge™ platform introduced — a full digital water‑management ecosystem.

⭐ Badger Meter now produces:

- Ultrasonic water meters

- Electromagnetic flow meters

- AMI/AMR systems

- Cellular endpoints

- Utility analytics software

This marks a shift from mechanical hardware to data‑driven water‑management solutions. Badger H/O is located at4545 West Brown Deer Road Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA The HWM.Museum has a range of Badger water meters in its collection.