Continuous Innovation in Oilseed Equipment for More than a Century
For 123 years, French Oil has been a leader in innovating and adopting new products for the benefit of the oilseed industry.
As a fourth-generation, family-owned company in Piqua, Ohio that custom designs and manufactures oilseed extraction equipment, industrial rubber mixers, hydraulic press systems, and polymer equipment, French Oil’s culture centers around the innovative spirit that formed our company in 1900.
In fact, our late founder, Alfred Willard French, once remarked about our business: “We have not confined ourselves to prevailing types of machines but have adopted radical departures for the benefit of the industry.”
Our Beginning
After earning his engineering degree from MIT, French worked in the National Linseed Oil Company and subsequently the National Lead Company of Brooklyn, New York, where he was exposed to various oilseed processing plants, including the WP Orr Linseed Oil Company in Piqua. With this experience, French quickly realized that he could design better equipment and improve the industry process.
As a result, in 1899 he founded the French Oil Cake Trimming Machine Company to improve the process equipment of the linseed oil industry. Soon after, French reconnected with his business contacts in Piqua, and founded his new company, as we now know it, French Oil Mill Machinery Co. on May 25, 1900.
Where We are Now
True to our founder’s inventive nature, French Oil features an Innovation Center development lab at our headquarters that offers a wide variety of testing services on both oilseed and synthetic rubber processing. Our team is constantly looking at the products within the oilseed industry and other industries we serve. If we did not develop it, we seek to improve the technology behind it.
We contribute our growth to innovation and continuous improvement, expansion into different geographic markets and industries, commitment to quality, dedicated employees, and a fair share of good luck. Given our longevity in oilseed processing, commitment to customers, and continuous improvement – not to mention products that are built to last – we’ve come a long way and have no signs of slowing down!
Contact French Oil to learn more about our products and how we can help your organization with our leading custom designed oilseed processing systems.