Heat and Control's founder celebrates 100th birthday

The Heat and Control family celebrated a special milestone on 1 June 2021, with the 100th birthday celebration of their founder — Andrew (Andy) Caridis — in Hayward, California.

Known as a family-oriented business owner, creative problem solver and trailblazer in the industrial food production community, Andy founded the food manufacturing company at the age of 30 after serving in WWII.

He began his career in engineering in the early 1950s when industrial consumer goods manufacturers began investing in new ideas and technologies around the automation of food production to make better products, increase volume, improve efficiencies, create new product categories and reach new markets.

Credited with or supervising over 130 patents over the course of 70 years, Andy has been integral in advancing the food sector of the global manufacturing industry and helped companies large and small grow, adapt and improve significantly.

Advancements in the production of French fry, snack foods and prepared foods can be directly connected to Andy’s creativity and passion to continually create something better and to always put product quality first.

Some 70 years later, there are almost 1700 people contributing to the success of his vision.

“This success is based on Andy’s hard work and ability to see the future and do the right thing,” said Tony Caridis, President of global food production giant — and Andy’s dream — Heat and Control.

Andy continues to be passionate about solving problems and finding better ways of doing things, and to this day is involved in R&D projects and supports various engineering teams within the company.

When it comes to celebrating his achievements, Andy replies with his characteristic boldness and humour: “The first 100 years was practice; the next 100 years is the real thing.”

Image credit: Heat and Control