| |
Cook & Beals, Inc. corporation
papers were filed on November 19, 1964 but the business history
goes back to approximately 1959. That is when Max Cook, with the
financial assistance from J.D. Beals (both beekeepers) and Jim
Kuehl's labor formed a partnership and began manufacturing the
automatic uncapping machine. This machine for uncapping honey combs,
although with many changes, is still being manufactured today.
Max & Jim worked together for the next few years building and selling uncappers
and working on some ideas Max had for another piece of machinery--a machine to
separate the fine wax particles (created by the uncapping process) from the honey.
From this need, the Spin Float Honey Wax Separator was invented. The Separator
was awarded U.S. and Canadian patents in approximately 1965.
The Separator worked better when the mixture of honey and wax was warm, so they
invented the Heat Exchange Unit. All of this sounds very simple... but
far from it. Honey and beeswax are very unique products of nature. These special
handling problems, with honey production being a seasonal event, all experimenting
had to be done on a limited amount of product an a short time period. These two
pieces of machinery are treasured by honey producers all around the world.
Due to Max's failing health, he was forced to retire and Jim Kuehl purchased
Cook & Beals, Inc. on May 1, 1969. |
Cook & Beals,
Inc. continued to grow with the beekeeping industry in the U.S.
and the rest of the world. Cook & Beals has through the years
purchased and invented other pieces of machinery that fit in with
its high-quality line of Honey Extracting Equipment. The Honey
Comb Handler was awarded the U.S. patent in 1985 and in Canada
in 1986. The Honey Comb Handler is a machine to take more of the
labor out of a very labor-intensive industry. The latest patent
was awarded on August 16, 1988 on the Honey Moisture Removing System.
Cook and Beals, being a small business in a small community has
also done many things to survive; built cattle panels, boat trailers,
and has always done machine work and general repair work for
the local community of which blend together to make Cook & Beals,
Inc.
Pat Kuehl, the current President of Cook & Beals, Inc. returned
from the Navy in May of 1977. Pat was elected Vice President
in 1978; to the President of the corporation in 1986.
The original shop was 12ft by 24ft. The first move was
to a 30' x 60' house shell. Cook and Beals' present facilities
include 14,800 square feet of floor space in five buildings.
info@cooknbeals.com
|
