Dedication Year: 1992
Location: FPSD manufacturing plant in Madera, CA
Plaque Wording: Designated A Historic Landmark Of Agricultural Engineering - The Food Canning Industry Was Revolutionized In 1920, When The Continuous Rotary Pressure Sterilizer Was Introduced By Albert R. Thompson. Thompson Was Chief Engineer For The Anderson-Barngrover Co. Of San Jose, California, Now The FMC Corporation. The Sterilizer Cooked Canned Products Uniformly Under Pressure For Short Period At High Temperatures, Then Quickly Cooled Them Under Pressure To Prevent Swelling Or Bursting. It Operated Continuously At Speeds Of Up To 400 Cans Per Minute. Prior To Thompson's Development, Small Batches Of Cans Were Laboriously Loaded Into Metal Baskets And Sealed In Retorts For Lengthy Periods, Often With Inconsistent Results. The Sterilizer, Which Made High Quality, Safe, Nutritious And Wholesome Canned Foods Available To The American Public At Low Cost, Is Hereby Dedicated By The American Society Of Agricultural Engineers 1992