The History of Urschel
The History of Urschel Laboratories, Inc.
Urschel history began with our founder, William Emmett Urschel, an inventor with a keen mechanical mind whose hobby and livelihood seemed one in the same. William created a number of inventions, but discovered his greatest triumph in the development of food processing equipment. His legacy lives on through his descendants, who are integral in the ongoing success of the company. The story of the company is intertwined with the Urschel family, its employees, and the growth of the food processing industry.
William instilled in his sons many of the philosophies present today in the company. Treat the employees with respect, honesty, and fairness. Pay them a wage that reflects the quality of work the company expects for their job. Give back and invest in the community, because not only do our employees work here, but they live here, too. These core philosophies have been passed down for generations, and Urschel prides itself on being a well-respected employer. Our reputation for treating employees well affords us the ability to hire only the best candidates for any given job. It is rare to see an employee leave the company for reasons other than retirement, and it is equally rare to see customers complaining about quality issues. As you will undoubtedly learn by reading this history, the company is primarily focused on food cutting equipment. By staying this course, we are able to provide our customers the highest quality machines, parts, and knives without worry of diluting our product line beyond size reduction equipment.
URSCHEL PRESIDENTS
William E. Urschel
1910 – 1948
Joe R. Urschel
1948 – 1983
Robert R. Urschel
1983 – 2013
Patrick C. Urschel
2013 – Present
1900’s
Urschel was founded in Valparaiso, Indiana, U.S.A., by William E. Urschel with his invention of the Gooseberry Snipper.
1920’s
The second generation of the Urschel family, Joe and Gerald Urschel, begin designing food cutting machinery.
1930’s
The first international sales representative from Canada, Chisholm Machinery Sales, is contracted through a handshake agreement.
1940’s
During World War II, Urschel assisted with the war effort. The company ceased making food processing machinery and manufactured shell loading & assembly equipment as well as parts for aircrafts.
1950’s
Kenneth Urschel younger brother of Joe and Gerald, utilizes his talents at the company by refining and improving strategic logistics, cost controls, inventory, and shipping procedures.
1960’s
Product test cutting area is designed where customers may visit to view test cuts of their products.
1970’s
Comitrol® Processor line grows and the third generation of the Urschel family, Dan, Bob, and Elena Urschel assume active roles managing the company.
1980’s
The Model M Dicer > Introduced to the meat/poultry industry for the dicing, strip cutting, and shredding of products through a wide range of temperatures.
1990’s
Urschel introduces four new machines. The Model VSC Segment Cutter, the Model RA-D, the TranSlicer® 2000 Cutter, and the QuantiCut® Dicer.
2000’s
The fourth generation of the Urschel family, Rick and Andy Urschel and Heather Lynch, joined the company. The DiversaCut 2110® Dicer is also introduced.
2010’s
Urschel celebrates 100 years of manufacturing precision food cutting equipment and completes construction of the new manufacturing/global headquarters.
2020’s
Urschel continues to grow and the company sees its largest expansion to date.