Overview[edit]

Vollrath manufactures equipment and supplies for the commercial foodservice industry. Their equipment offering includes mixers, slicers, induction ranges, countertop griddles and charbroilers, warmers, merchandisers, mobile serving units, merchandising carts and kiosks. Their supply offering ('smallwares') includes steam table pans, cookware, kitchen utensils, tabletop accessories, and buffet serving ware. Vollrath operates six manufacturing plants with locations in Wisconsin,New York and China and has been a leader in commercial induction cooktop technology. Vollrath is a global company with sales, service and warehouse support in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and China. They also have a large OEM arm, which produces custom stainless steel pieces for various applications. Vollrath offers food preparation, cooking and serving products. They sell their products through two-tier distribution.

The Vollrath Company was started in 1874 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin by Jacob J. Vollrath. Jacob sold his products from a cart and quickly expanded his business. Vollrath devoted its production facilities to military products during the wars and produced a Polio-Pak during the polio epidemic. It was among the first manufacturing companies in America to integrate computer technology. Today, the company is family-owned with Terry J. Kohler, the great-great grandson of Jacob Vollrath, serving on the company’s board of directors.

History[edit]

Start up - 1900[edit]

Jacob Vollrath began building farm implements, steam engines, cast iron ranges and cooking utensils in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He manufactured porcelain enameled pots, pans, plates, cups and other kitchenware by coating cast iron with ceramic glaze. In 1874 it was reported that J.J. Vollrath & Sons was constructing a factory for the production of porcelain hollow ware and cast iron fences.^[1] In 1874 he formed the Sheboygan Cast Steel Co. and constructed a plant in Sheboygan to do general foundry work while his son Andrew was in Germany learning porcelain enamelling. The Sheboygan Cast Steel Company produced railroad frogs and small cast parts for the furniture industry. The company expanded into manufacturing cooking ranges and agricultural implements.

In 1876, Andrew returned from Germany and production of enameled ware began. After making a few enameled cast iron utensils, Jacob went from one community to the next with a cart selling his stock. By 1881, Jacob employed 40 men and grossed $50,000 per year. The company flourished and was incorporated in 1884 under the name of Jacob J. Vollrath Manufacturing Company.^[2]

In 1883 Vollrath exhibited iron ware at the Chicago World’s Fair.^[3]

By 1886, Jacob’s business had expanded so much that his facility covered an entire block. He purchased 30 acres (120,000 m²) of land along Lake Michigan for a home and a park. The 16-acre (65,000 m²) which became Vollrath Park was later donated to the city by his heirs in 1917. In 1887, the Vollrath facility was one of the largest plants in the country devoted to enameled ware.

Jacob’s second son, Carl, originated and patented “Speckled” enamel in 1889, which became common. Sheet steel stamped ware was added to the product line in 1892, which increased the range of items considerably. A catalog from that era shows the addition of coffee boilers, dippers, ladles, cake and pie pans, bowls and cups. Already manufacturing enameled cast iron sinks, stove reservoirs, refrigerator tanks, and water cooler tanks, Vollrath added bathtubs to the product line in 1895, although they weren't included in a catalog. At the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, Vollrath garnered the Grand Prize for enameled iron ware. Jacob died in May 1898, passing the company on to his children.

1901-1929 Growth[edit]

In 1900 the company discontinued the manufacture of plumbing goods in order to devote its energies entirely to the cooking utensil field. The management at that time believed that concentration on one product would result in a better quality product. The company continued to grow, opening the first branch office in Chicago in 1900. A New York branch was built circa 1903, and a San Francisco office was built circa 1909. In 1904 Vollrath earned top honors for “Excellence in the Production of Colored and Plain, Stamped Steel and Cast Iron Enameled Wares” at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis.

In February 1908, the need for a shorter company name was realized and a new corporation, the Vollrath Company, was organized. To ensure that Vollrath enameled ware maintained its high quality, a new plant was designed. In 1910 construction of the new facility began at 18th and Michigan Ave in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, which is the current site of the corporate offices and stainless steel manufacturing plant. A City ordinance was passed in 1909 to allow the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company to build a spur track along city streets to the new plant.^[4] A complete unit for the economical handling of the product was built, where each department housed in surroundings designed for that particular process. The plans were for a massive plant including an 83000 s.f. Warehouse, a 38000 s.f. Enameling Building, a 10000 s.f. Pickling Shop and a two story 9000 s.f. Mill and Mixing Building. The construction was planned to take several years.^[5] To fund the construction, the capitalization of the company was increased from $100,000 to $300,000.^[6]

Expansion continued at the Vollrath facility during the late 1910s and throughout the 1920s. In 1912 an 80000 sf addition was constructed.^[7] Razing of the original foundry site on North Sixth street was begun in 1916.^[8] The entire site had been sold to C. Reiss Coal with agreement the Vollrath would clear the site.^[9] In 1918 new additions were added to the south end of the finishing and enameling shops. In 1919 the office building and gate lodge (then known as the watchman’s house) were constructed; in 1920 the power house was built. In 1922 the carton shed was added onto the building that was known as hay storage and the machine shop and annealing room were added in 1923.

In 1919 steam table pans and equipment were first featured in the Vollrath catalog. The pans were sold only to bona fide steam table manufacturers and were produced in sixteen sizes. The heaviest, a meat panel, weighing in at a hefty 35 pounds, featured the meat platter as an integral part of the pan. Vollrath Ware was approved by the Good Housekeeping Institute, and earned the distinction of being a “Star Product” in 1919.

In 1928, Vollrath was still expanding physically and increasing the product range. It made another addition to its warehouse and there were over 800 items in the catalog. Jean C. Vollrath became president of the Vollrath Company in 1932 after the death of his father. The Board Chairman was Walter J. Kohler, Sr., Jacob’s grandson who served as governor of Wisconsin from 1929 to 1931.