Teacher:
Sarah Warring & Elizabeth Perozek
The Hirzel Canning Co.
By Katelynn V. & Nikki V.
Our community is fortunate to have a major family oriented company that employs many people. The Hirzel Canning Company produces canned tomatoes and tomato products along with sauerkraut. “The late Carl R. Hirzel, a brew master by trade, founded Hirzel in 1923.” The company is now operated by the third and fourth generations of the Hirzel family. Steve Hirzel, President, agreed to be interviewed and to take some of Northwood Local's Middle School sixth grade students on a tour on the Hirzel Canning Company facility located at 441 Lemoyne Road in Northwood, Ohio.
“The Hirzel Canning Company has three processing plants located in Northwest Ohio with extensive greenhouse and farming operations producing some of the raw product requirements. In addition, over 30 independent growers supply fresh tomatoes.” A complete assortment of over 100 items is available in both retail and foodservice sizes, packed in metal cans, glass, plastic and flexible packaging.
When the harvest season arrives the tomatoes are hauled by truck to the plant facilities – there are approximately 40,000 pounds of fresh tomatoes to process from just one load. “Hirzel products are produced in various stainless steel processing systems and packaged in the most recent state-of-the-art containers to preserve their garden fresh taste.”
“A bulk aseptic storage facility for tomato concentrate is unique to the organization, one of less than six in the USA.” This aseptic storage preserves the wholesome taste of crushed tomatoes and allows for year round processing.
In a year, Hirzel ships about 3.8 million cases of their products to stores, restaurants and other prepared meal manufacturers. Although machines do much of the work in producing Hirzel products, people control the machines. For more information about the Hirzel Canning Company and their products, please visit their Web site at http://www.hirzel.com .
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