Witte Company Celebrates 80th Anniversary

Process equipment manufacturer The Witte Co., Washington, NJ, is celebrating its 80th anniversary as a pioneer in the development of vibratory fluid bed dryers, coolers, classifiers, screeners, and other machinery.

Founded by Richard Witte in New York City in 1938 to meet demand for dependable material handling machinery, the company developed proprietary vibration technology for conveying and screening, quickly earning a reputation for skilled engineering and responsive customer service. Soon after, under the direction of Eugene Witte, the family-owned and operated company introduced the concept of vibratory fluid bed drying and cooling that continues to form the foundation of every vibrating fluidized bed dryer or cooler manufactured to this day.

As the plastics industry grew in the 1960s, Witte realized there was an immediate need for machinery to classify plastic pellets by size and shape. This prompted the launch of the Witte 200 Series. Built in many different sizes and configurations, these classifiers have become standard equipment for plastics companies around the world. Under the direction of Richard Witte II, the company introduced the concept of a fluid bed dryer with integral baghouse dust collector to allow products with particle sizes <250 µm to be processed in a fluidized bed. Today, this Witte signature design has become the preeminent solution for drying and cooling fine powders that cannot be efficiently processed by conventional fluid bed systems.

To meet demand from around the world, the company moved its headquarters to its current location in Washington, New Jersey. Today, the facility encompasses 45,000 sq ft for engineering, manufacturing, and assembly with an on-site test laboratory.

Now headed by fourth generation president Tyson Witte, the company recently expanded its facilities to meet demand and continues to stand firm in its commitment to engineering innovation and customer satisfaction. “To carry on what began as my great-grandfather's idea to design and build reliable equipment and provide expert support is a humbling experience,” says Witte. “We've adapted to the needs of our customers and to trends in the market along the way, but our core values will always stay the same.”

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