Marel Stork processing company celebrates 70 years

Gainesville’s Marel Stork Poultry Processing has recently celebrated its 70th anniversary with a picnic attended by over 350 employees, North Georgia residents, industry members and elected officials.

The company started in 1944 as Gainesville Machine Co., specialising in welding fabrication and machining. Now, as Marel Stork, the focus is on poultry processing equipment and systems design, sales, manufacturing and distribution. Special guests Abit Massey of the Georgia Poultry Federation and Lt. Governor Casey Cagle praised the Company for their long history and commitment to the North Georgia community and offered best wishes for continued growth.

Marel purchased Stork Food Systems in 2008, making it the epicenter of Marel’s US market. “We had been working closely on a partnership level for many years,” said Einar Einarsson, president of Marel USA. “In 2008 the companies got together and since the facility in Gainesville was a part of Stork group and it came in the deal. It’s a good location because Gainesville is the poultry capital of the US and the US is our biggest market.”

The Gainesville location employs about 230 people in its 250,000-square-foot research, design and fabrication facility.

Kris Carroll, marketing manager for Marel Stork, said the company wanted to have as big a celebration as possible.

“It was especially nice to celebrate because the poultry industry, as a whole, has had a tough time these last couple of years. To be able to celebrate such longevity to one community and show we’re committed to being here was just a wonderful thing.”

A few milestones from the last 70 years include:

*1944 – Gainesville Machine Company is founded. The company is established as a metal working job shop, specialising in welding fabrication and machining.

*1952 – Southern Equipment, a sales company established to market the products manufactured by Gainesville Machine Company.

*1965 – Gainesville Machine Company is presented the Presidential Excellence in Exporting Award by United States President Lyndon B. Johnson on 9 March 1965.

*1971 – Gainesville Machine Company is sold to the Chickmaster Corporation, and its name changed to GAMCO in 1973. The same year, GAMCO moves into a new 113,000-square foot building, allowing 13 departments at seven locations to move into one modern building.

*1975 – Stork Acquisitions Corporation purchases GAMCO, and the name is changed to Stork Gamco.

*1980 – The company’s first computer, an IBM mainframe with MAPICS software, is installed.

*1997 – Ground is broken on the total renovation and expansion of the existing facility, official opening one year later.

*2008 – Stork Food Systems is purchased by Marel.