J.R. Anderson, designing innovative machines since 1966; especially for the cookie and snack food industry since 1981

Personal background of Joe Anderson

I began designing machines in the mid 1960’s, working in such diverse areas as fruit and vegetable harvesting and processing, automotive hardware, recreational vehicle hardware, high speed offset printing, high speed can making, and others. Joining the engineering staff of Werner Lehara (aka APV Baker, and now Baker Perkins) in 1981, I have exclusively provided the bakery and snack food industry with innovative machine designs and production solutions.

In 1987, I left the direct employ of APV Baker, and offered my services, as J.R. Anderson Consultant, directly to the baking industry, while continuing to provide design services to APV Baker on a contract basis for many years.

For a five year period, beginning in late ’95, I provided machine design and major project management services for Sasib UK, Sasib NA, and Sasib Italy.

Beginning in early 2001, I started the formal design process of a new depositor, now known as the JRAC Depositor, and changed the company’s name to JRAC Innovation LLC.

My wife Mary and I now live in northern lower MI, have two grown children, and five grandchildren.

Now at retirement age, I continue to provide design and consulting services, without the distraction of managing the direct manufacturing of machines.

History of JRAC Innovation LLC

I became an independent consultant in November, 1987, offering my services as J.R. Anderson Consultant. From that name evolved the initials JRAC.

In 2001, to better reflect the evolved diversity of the company (designing – manufacturing – consulting), the name JRAC Innovation was registered with the State of Michigan, as a limited liability company (LLC).

As a result of substantial losses, JRAC Innovation LLC ceased operation in 2008.

Personal note....I have had to accept the fact that I am a much better designer than a business manager!

Notable achievements within the food industry include:

• Awarded several patents, all related to the bakery machinery industry.
• Designer of wirecut dough extruders, dough depositors, and rotary molders, used around the world.
• Designer of customer-specific modifications to a wide array of bakery equipment, including extruders, depositors, cutters, sheeters, ovens, coolers, conveyors, and many others.
• Problem solving consultation has been provided for many machine-related cookie, cracker, and snack food production issues.!