Johnson Controls Marks 140 Years of Building Innovation

Milestone highlights legacy of HVAC, fire safety, and smart building solutions.

Johnson Controls is commemorating its 140th anniversary, marking over a century of innovation in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, fire protection, and building automation technologies. Founded in 1885, the company introduced early milestones such as the first automatic sprinkler and room thermostat and now operates one of the world’s largest portfolios of HVAC equipment and controls.

The company supports critical infrastructure across sectors such as data centers, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and education. Its solutions span the entire building lifecycle—from equipment design and installation to service, upgrades, and replacements. Johnson Controls also maintains a strong intellectual property portfolio, with nearly 8,000 patents and significant investments in research and development over recent years.

In addition to the Johnson Controls brand, its Grinnell and York lines have histories exceeding 150 years. Today, the company emphasizes digital integration, utilizing IoT connectivity, artificial intelligence, and real-time analytics to improve building performance and efficiency for more than four million customers worldwide.

“This year marks a very special milestone for Johnson Controls, our 140th anniversary. And this anniversary is a chance for us to reflect on our journey,” said Johnson Controls CEO Joakim Weidemanis. “We are humbled by and grateful for those who came before us and feel the responsibility to forge ahead, accelerate solving our customers’ problems, and find new and better ways to advance technologies to make a difference.”

Looking forward, Johnson Controls aims to simplify its product and service offerings while expanding digital capabilities to help customers address challenges such as energy efficiency, climate resilience, and operational continuity.