Over 50 Years of Innovation & History
From a small supply company in North Salt Lake, Utah to one half of the world's largest residential watering company.
Orbit is North America's premier residential watering brand, and one half of the world's largest residential watering company. We design and build irrigation and smart watering solutions for homeowners, landscape professionals, and farmers. Our products are available in over 180 countries and in more than 15,000 retail stores across the United States.
But the story didn't start global. It started in Utah.
Our Roots
Built on a Simple Idea
In the 1950s, Max Ericksen founded a small plumbing and irrigation supply company in North Salt Lake. His family was among the first to recognize that survival in the American West depended on mastering water. That company became Pro-Mark, Inc. in 1971, and the Orbit brand was born a decade later.
What the Ericksen family built over the next four decades was more than a product catalog. It was a philosophy: watering should be simple, reliable, and within reach of every homeowner who wants a healthier yard without wasting a drop.
Our History
Five Decades of Firsts
Pro-Mark, Inc. Is Founded
Pro-Mark, Inc. was established in North Salt Lake, Utah, growing from a regional distributor of plumbing and irrigation supplies into one of the most recognized names in residential watering.
The Orbit Brand Is Born
With a growing product line and a reputation for quality, Orbit® sprinkler products were officially branded. It marked the beginning of a name that would eventually find its way into billions of yards around the world.
Standing on Our Own
Orbit was carved out as its own independent company, sharpening its focus on innovative, easy-to-use watering solutions for homeowners and professionals alike.
From the Faucet to the Yard
Orbit launched its hose end product line, giving homeowners a complete range of watering solutions, from the spigot to the sprinkler head, all under one trusted brand.
Expanding Into the Professional Market
The launch of the Hydro-Rain® brand extended Orbit's expertise into commercial irrigation, giving contractors and landscape professionals access to the same innovation and quality that had earned Orbit its residential reputation.
Outsmarting the Pests
The Yard Enforcer® launched as the industry's first motion-activated, humane pest deterrent system, proving that Orbit's innovation extends well beyond the sprinkler head.
Watering Gets Smart
Orbit introduced the B-hyve® Smart Irrigation Controller, bringing app-controlled, weather-responsive watering to the everyday homeowner. WeatherSense® technology has since helped save over 100 billion gallons of water, and the number grows every day.
Growing the Ecosystem and Redefining Precision
Orbit acquired the garden division of Bond Manufacturing, broadening the product portfolio and building the most complete watering ecosystem available to North American consumers. The same year, Orbit launched industry-first Adjustable Pressure Regulated Spray Sprinkler Bodies, engineered to deliver consistent coverage regardless of system pressure.
Joining a Global Leader
Orbit was acquired by Husqvarna Group and placed within the Gardena Division. Read more below.
Quality & Innovation
Certified, Protected, Proven
Our products are independently verified, our manufacturing is audited, and our innovations are protected.
EPA WaterSense® Certified
Orbit's B-hyve® smart controllers meet the EPA's WaterSense criteria for water efficiency, meaning independently verified, measurable water savings with every connected system.
ISO 9001 Certified
Our manufacturing quality is independently audited against the world's most recognized quality management standard. It's how we ensure that what leaves our facilities performs the way it should, every time.
100+ Active Patents
Our proprietary PVC-Lock® and Blu-Lock® fittings changed how contractors install irrigation systems, faster and cleaner, without toxic primers or glues. Every patent is built around one idea: making it easier to water smarter.
Part of a Global Leader
Stronger Together
In 2021, Orbit joined Husqvarna Group, a company founded in 1689 with more than 330 years of innovation behind it. We were placed within the Gardena Division alongside Gardena, Europe's #1 residential watering brand.
Gardena leads in Europe. Orbit leads in North America. Together, we are the global number one in residential watering.
That's not a corporate milestone. It's a foundation for what comes next: smarter technology, broader access, and a shared commitment to helping every person on the planet use water more wisely.
