Vollrath Celebrates 140 Years

The Vollrath Company is celebrating the 140^th anniversary of its founding.

In 1874, Jacob J. Vollrath established the Sheboygan Cast Steel Co. in Sheboygan, Wis., to produce items including railroad frogs (a common crossing rail), cooking ranges and agricultural implements. Two years later, his eldest son, Andrew, returned from Germany where he’d studied the art of porcelain enameling. The company began manufacturing and selling enameled cast-iron utensils. It was incorporated as the Jacob J. Vollrath Mfg. Co. in 1884. In 1910, construction began on a new facility; it remains the current site of the corporate office and stainless manufacturing plant.

Today, Vollrath manufactures smallwares, equipment and frozen-treat machines; 80% of its foodservice products are made in the U.S. The company is marking the fifth year of an aggressive growth strategy that has nearly doubled its employee ranks and comprised six acquisitions, including Polar Ware/Stoelting in May 2012.

“We are proud of our rich heritage and the exceptional people who have outperformed over the last 140 years to position us where we are today as one of the leading foodservice manufacturers,” said Pres./CEO Paul Bartelt. The company celebrated on Sept. 18 with an employee luncheon at the company’s new distribution center in Sheboygan.