1882
The Origins
In 1882, the “Warren” part of today’s Kysor Warren organization started in Atlanta, Georgia, as Shannen Refrigerator and Butcher Supply Company. H. J. Shannen developed a two-cycle refrigeration system, patented the idea, and began manufacturing meat coolers. The refrigerators were an instant success but production was slow and output was limited to only one or two coolers a month.
1890 - 1950
New and constant inventions
In 1909, Virgil P. Warren and his father acquired the small manufacturing company. Virgil was an entrepreneur and led the commercial refrigeration industry with constant inventions, improving the use for ice as a refrigerant and then, in the 1920’s, adapting early methods of electric refrigeration.
In 1922, the company was renamed The Warren Company. By then, the company’s product line had been greatly expanded to include meat coolers, refrigerated counters, candy refrigerators, soft drink boxes, and grocery coolers. In 1950, development of color in display cases was introduced. It was through The Warren Company, working with a color research expert and an interior decorator firm, that the revolutionary COLORAMICS color system came into use.
1960 - 1970
Kysor Industrial Corporation
In the 1960s, Warren engineers pioneered the new concept of supplying refrigeration for food stores which enabled only two systems in a machine room to furnish refrigeration for all refrigerated cases and storage coolers, both medium and low temperature. In 1972, Warren was instrumental in the development and refinement of the Unequal Parallel Compressor System, which permitted a system's capacity to constantly match fixture loads. To this day this method remains the industry standard.
Kysor Industrial Corporation acquired The Warren Company in 1969, and other companies. The Warren Company was then renamed as the Warren/Sherer Division of Kysor Industrial Corporation. These acquisitions provided Warren/Sherer the first commercially successful open multi-deck frozen food case. Warren/Sherer followed this in 1973 with its introduction of a patented Air Defrost System which combined the vital protection for frozen foods against “product shock” with improved stability and unmatched energy savings, far exceeding the efficiency of gas or electric defrost systems.
1980 - 1990
Arrival in Georgia and expansion
In 1984, Warren/Sherer purchased a spec building in Columbus, Georgia and opened a new plant there. In 1988, the Series 2500 was introduced, setting a new case design standard in the industry. In 1989, Kysor Industrial replaced the Warren/Sherer name and logo with Kysor Warren. A change of ownership and acquisition led Kysor Warren to becoming part of Berisford, PLC, a leading global manufacturer of food equipment in 1999.
2000's
A new Enodis (solution)
In June, 2000, Berisford changed its name to Enodis PLC, a Latin derivative meaning “solutions." The Enodis mission is to be the world’s leading food equipment solutions provider whose values are centered around solutions, synergy and partnership. Enodis was listed on the New York Stock Exchange on July 12, 2000.
On January 1, 2002, Kysor Warren relocated their corporate office and all manufacturing from Conyers, Georgia, to Columbus, Georgia. In 2008, Kysor Warren was acquired by Manitowoc, who specializes in food service industry, but was later purchased by Lennox International in 2011.
Today
Epta group
In April 2019, Kysor Warren joined Epta, a multinational Group specialized in commercial refrigeration with headquarter in Milan. The establishment of Kysor Warren Epta US rises from two companies that have a shared vision and highly compatible cultures, and are founded on similar values. The across-the-board skills of the Epta Group and its know-how in the development of natural refrigerant systems dovetail with Kysor Warren's long-established experience serving North American Retailers, creating a synergy that is further strengthening the Kysor Warren brand.