Follett Ice

Follett Products LLC
Company typeSubsidiary
Founded1948; 76 years ago (1948)
HeadquartersEaston, Pennsylvania and Gdańsk, Poland
Productsice machines, ice transport and storage, ice and beverage dispensers
ServicesFood service
ParentMiddleby Corporation
Websitehttp://www.follettice.com/

Follett Products LLC is a subsidiary of Middleby Corporation that manufactures nugget (Chewblet) ice makers for the healthcare, foodservice, hospitality, and supermarket industries as well as ice and water dispensers, and refrigerators and freezers for patient care. Headquartered in Easton, Pennsylvania, the company operates two manufacturing facilities in Easton, Pennsylvania and Gdańsk, Poland.

In 1948, following World War II, Roy Follett saw an opportunity to fill a need in ice storage. He founded Follett Corporation to "supply ice storage bins to meet the needs of the exploding foodservice industry," according to Thomas R. Cutler.[1]

Follett milestones include:

  • 1948 - Founded by Roy Follett in Garden City, New York
  • 1954 - Don Follett took over the company
  • 1967 - A new manufacturing plant opened in Easton, Pennsylvania
  • 1994 - Steve Follett, Roy Follet's grandson, assumed the CEO role
  • 2005 - A new manufacturing facility opens in Gdańsk, Poland
  • 2015 - A new manufacturing facility opens in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
  • 2016 - Follett Corporation is acquired by The Middleby Corporation and becomes Follett LLC, an independent operating company of Middleby[2]
  • 2019 - Steve Follett retires. He is succeeded by Korey Kohl, Middleby Group President overseeing the Middleby Beverage Group[3]

Today, Follett LLC still builds ice storage and transport systems, ice and water dispensers, ice and beverage dispensers, and medical-grade refrigerators and freezers for foodservice and healthcare markets. Follett products can be found in hospitals, restaurants, Major League Baseball stadiums and casinos around the country, and in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.[4]

  1. ^ Cutler, Thomas. "Follett Ice: Three years of Demand Driven Supply Chain Efficiency - Still Part of Continued Process Improvement". Automation.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-28. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
  2. ^ "The Middleby Corporation to Acquire Follett Corporation". Business Wire (Press release). 18 May 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  3. ^ "Middleby Announces Steve Follett Retirement, Korey Kohl Promotion". The Middleby Corporation. Archived from the original on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  4. ^ Toole, Scott (6 October 2009). "Follett Corporation is an industry leader in all things ice". Five Questions. Lehigh Valley Live. Retrieved 28 December 2011.