Generations of Commitment
A timeline history of Van Doren Sales and its involvement with the evolving produce packing industry.
Humble Beginnings
Van Doren Sales, Inc. was founded in 1946 and was known at that time as the Van Doren Machine Shop. The company’s founder, Louis Van Doren, Sr. (1907-1975) worked diligently during this period to build the reputation of the company and was committed to the following premise that has since become our motto, “Quality Pays.”
Changing Industry Practices
Through the early days of Van Doren Equipment Co. Louis Van Doren Sr. was located across the street from American Fruit Growers which later became Skookum, INC. one of the largest and most successful fruit packing facilities in the area. By tackling the problem of stacking apple boxes higher than any individual person could, the Hi-Piler became the first Van Doren product distributed around the fruit community.
Early Automation
As the needs of the fruit industry grew, the need for solutions that could produce more output without adding labor was in high demand. The early days of machinery innovation came with increasing the output that a single employee could deliver. Through mechanized box dumpers, motorized brushes to clean fruit, and various conveyance solutions, operators were able to do much more. Van Doren Equipment Co. grew in response to this, and in 1954, Van Doren Sales, Inc. was established with the goal of creating more complete solutions for packing facilities.
Complete Solutions
Van Doren Sales Inc. begun to build a larger variety of machinery that could be configured in a custom layout to suit the needs and space available at different packing facilities. This was a revolutionary concept in the era where the Assembly Line format had been perfected in the wake of WWII.
Scaling-up Production
As farms and packing operations expanded, they started to purchase and build larger facilities. With one of the only business models that could tailor solutions to suit building needs, Van Doren Sales Inc. emerged as an innovation and solution provider across Washington State and beyond.
A Commitment to Quality
Throughout his life, Louis Van Doren Sr. prided himself and his company on the principles of quality over quantity. As machinery was released to customers, Louis and his team would often go back and see how the machinery could be improved for the sake of the customer. The attention to detail is still an important part of Van Doren Sales, and constructive design changes for the benefit of our customers are still very important.
Building our Capacity
Louis and the Van Doren team believed in the ability to service what we sell. By offering direct and rapid service to our customers, we help keep downtime limited and production running! Our over-the-counter sales team prides itself on making connections with our customers and providing a friendly and accommodating experience when anyone comes in for help.
Relocating the Shop
In the 1960’s customers waxed apples to help preserve them and add shine to their appearance. Van Doren Sales became a wax dealer for SC Johnson Wax. This was a very busy time to build brush beds and dryers for the waxing of apples.
Revolutionizing Food Longevity
Archie Van Doren, the “father of C.A.,” and brother of Louis Sr. went to Cornell University and was a central part of the team developing Controlled Atmospheric [C.A.] Storage. This revolutionized the length that some produce could be held for, and changed how profitable packing apples could be. The technology continued to advance, and apples could be held up to a year without risking degradation. This technological gain changed the practices of grocers and fresh produce packers across the world! His dedication to both agriculture and nature in this area changed the lives of many people, he is memorialized at Scout-A-Vista camp outside of Wenatchee WA.
The Second Generation
Louis Van Doren Jr., Carl Van Doren, and Carol Lynn Van Doren [left-to-right as pictured] entered the company in the 1960’s and continued the legacy of high quality machinery while advancing the capacity of the manufacturing company.
Mass Agriculture
As the practice of Controlled Atmospheric Storage grew in the agriculture industry, apples could now be packed year-round. This surge in availability led to a more stable pricing for the product, but also created a demand for the product all year. This change in supply of apples led to a revolution in packing technology: more produce needed to be packed, but packers still had the same amount of time to do it!
Implementation of Technology
As seasonal and regional agriculture began to globalize, the need to rapidly inspect the quality of massive amounts of produce became very important. Van Doren Sales begun searching for the best technology around the globe. Optical graders, internal scans, and even different types of spectrum analysis had been implemented by some companies to inspect the inside of produce without harming the product’s skin. After careful consideration, several companies set themselves apart from their competition by pushing more innovative technology, and creative solutions. Van Doren Sales established a partnership with Durand Wayland in the early 1980’s as they produced one of the early color sorter/sizer options on the market. Van Doren begun to offer some of the most advanced integrations into their packing solutions.
Expanding our Reach
As new technology entered the market, Van Doren Sales solutions were sought-out from a wider range of customers. Expanding first to Yakima, Washington; Van Doren Sales continued to seek out new ways to provide better and more rapid service, helping keep our customers running!
Hybrid Packing Lines
As the industry continued its technological development, Van Doren Sales begun to combine different concepts into packing line designs. These Hybrid lines allowed customers to plan for pre-sizing, sorting, grading, packing, and package accumulation all within the same facility. Van Doren’s position with many global packers has given them a unique insight and familiarity with a wide range of automation technology, as this concept continues to grow.
Still in the Family
In the early 1990’s Van Doren Sales brought in members of it’s third generation of family to learn the business. Bret Pittsinger, [son of Carol Lynn Van Doren] and Brian Green [son-in-law of Carl Van Doren] dedicated themselves to the company. 25 Years later, Brian Green retired from Van Doren and Bret Pittsinger is now the third generation of the Van Doren family to control the business. Through his time at Van Doren Sales, he has brought revolutionary technology and innovative solutions to packing both fruits and vegetables.
Regional Service
By 2019, Van Doren Sales established a sister-company in Canada [Van Doren North], and a regional service center on the East Coast in Grand Rapids, MI. This continued expansion allows Van Doren Sales to service machinery across all of North America!
Exploring Different Produce Solutions
Throughout its history, Van Doren Sales has specialized in machinery for tree fruits primarily. However, as the agriculture in Washington and across the hemisphere has changed and evolved, Van Doren has become involved with many different produce packers. Bringing their knowledge of integration and technology to other commodities ranging from berries and bell peppers through peaches, onions, and potatoes. Our knowledge as a company continues to grow.
Advancing Automation
As our company moves into the future, the use of automated technology to assist labor and increase output of our packing lines keeps us on the forefront of innovation. We consistently seek out new technologies and solutions to meet the needs of our current and future customers.
Van Doren Acquires AgJet May 2020
In order to advance the transparency of produce handling and traceability of crops, Van Doren Sales acquired one of the most complete data analytics companies that specialized in the produce industry. Together with Van Doren Sales data gathering programs, a combined solution gives customers the greatest access to information about their produce.
Data Integration
By providing a more complete solution to data points throughout the packing process, Van Doren Sales Data Analytics suite now gives controllers the ability to make more informed decisions regarding line efficiency and staffing.