Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on October 3, 1960.
Urschel’s Lab 50 Years Old
Public Gets Open House Invitation
By ROLLIE BERNHART
“If you would like to see how Urschel machinery is made, come to our 50th anniversary observance and open house Thursday, Oct. 6, from noon to 9 p.m.”
Speaking was Joseph Urschel, president of the world-famed food processing machinery manufacturing firm founded by William E. Urschel in a two-story wooden factory on south Napoleon street in 1910.
The firm now occupies one of the most modern plants of its kind on north Calumet avenue (Ind. 49), a completely integrated operation from drawing board to finishing machine. To maintain a strict quality control, no part or processing is purchased outside that can be accomplished in the company shops, it was noted.
Plan Tours
Thursday the plant will be open to conducted tours through the various manufacturing operations.
At the open house the general public will see metal melted and cast into shapes which will then be machine finished. Stainless steel will be fabricated into many kinds of parts. Raw stainless steel from the mills will be made into knives for use in the cutting units.
Another feature on the day’s itinerary will be cutting of potatoes on a slicer capable of slicing 15,000 pounds of potatoes per hour into corrugated or dip chips. Demonstrations will also be made of food products going through other completed units.
Public attending will be given illustrated booklets explaining various manufacturing processes, Urschel announced.
Expands Steadily
Since the day in 1910 that the elder Urschel (1880-1948) built a two-story wooden factory on south Napoleon street and began to manufacture his newly invented snipper which removed stem and blossom ends from gooseberries, Urschel Laboratories has steadily expanded into one of Valparaiso’s major industries.
From the outset 50 years ago the business was a success, and the building and machinery paid for themselves the initial year. Internationally, one canning firm in New Zealand purchased 34 of the ingenious “Little Gem” goose-berry snippers.
Prior to William Urschel’s advent into the food processing machinery field, he graduated from Valparaiso university’s School of Fine Arts, with additional studies at Chicago Art Institute.
Before beginning the invention of canning machinery, he earned his living at originating designs painted on chinaware by production line painters.
Obtains U.S. Patents
William Urschel obtained his engineering education through International Correspondence school, and through study of machine parts which he hammered apart in junk yards.
During his lifetime he obtained United States patents on various canning machinery, harvesting and cement laying machinery. Plants in different parts of the country manufactured machines under his patents through licensing agreements. He was one of the few inventors to have obtained a basic patent on a mechanical movement.
His wife, Mrs. Ruth Urschel, who now lives at 58 Napoleon, assisted in the firm as a bookkeeper and drill press operator.
Over the years several one, two and three story buildings were added to the original site until all available land was used and additional expansion could not be made.
In 1957 the operation was moved into a new single floor plant on north Calumet avenue, that was tailored to the firm’s specific requirements. In 1959 it was necessary to increase floor space by 50 percent. Plans are now being completed for extensive expansion in 1961.
Today in new and expanded modern facilities the firm is operated by William Urschel’s sons, Joseph, Gerald and Kenneth. The present operation concerns itself with a single objective, the design and manufacturing of food cutting machinery.
The food cutting machines operate at aircraft standards. Knives move through food products at speeds up to 130 miles per hour, and one unit will cut 48 tons per hour, it was noted.
Shipped Abroad
One machine makes one slice of pickle at a time at a rate of more than 500 slices per second. Another machine cuts little cubes of pickle for pickle relish at a million cubes per minute.
Pickles, potato chips, frozen french fries, meat pies, canned and frozen soups, fruit cocktail and innumerable other foods are prepared with Urschel food cutting machines. Every day almost everyone eats at least one food product prepared with this equipment.
In recent years this machinery has been shipped into 32 foreign countries. The critical high speed parts that make up these cutters are made in a well lighted air-conditioned machine shop with the latest type of machine tools. Expansion of manufacturing is presently limited only by the firm’s ability to find people capable of being trained to make the highly critical parts.