Book excerpt: The history of American Standard flows from the stories of two manufacturing giants indispensible to the world's health and welfare. In 1929, the American Radiator Company and Standard Sanitary Corporation, merged to form American Standard. Today, with 44,000 employees, American Standard has become a multinational manufacturer and distributor of plumbing, air conditioning and automotive products. Through innovations and acquisitions, American Standard, headquartered in Piscataway, New Jersey, continues to set industry standards that improve the way we live.