News Archives

Grote Company Family of Brands Expands Global Presence with Turatti Group

Written by Mindson Dev on August 26, 2026.

The Grote Company Family of Brands is excited to welcome Turatti Group as the newest member of our growing family of companies.

Headquartered in Cavarzere, Italy, just outside Venice, Turatti Group is a global leader in fruit and vegetable processing technology. The company includes the Turatti, Tecnoceam, VGC, and RS Technology brands, each recognized for delivering innovative processing solutions to food manufacturers around the world.

Together, these companies design and manufacture equipment for fresh produce, fruits, prepared foods, and convenience foods. Their turnkey systems include washing, cutting, cooking, conveying, fruit transformation, mixing, and batch processing technologies that help processors improve efficiency, food safety, and product quality.

Adding Turatti Group represents another important milestone in the continued growth of the Grote Company Family of Brands.

“The acquisition of Turatti Group marks an exciting milestone for the Grote Company Family of Brands,” said Bob Grote, CEO. “This is a major step in our growth strategy, building on the foundation we’ve established in Europe while strengthening our ability to serve food processors across both Europe and North America.”

Customers can expect business to continue as usual. Enrico Gribaudo will remain CEO of Turatti Group, and the company will continue serving customers through its existing leadership, employees, and operations.

Pending approval from the Italian government, the acquisition will expand the Grote Company Family of Brands’ European footprint by adding Turatti’s three facilities in Italy, along with its U.S. location in Salinas, California. The addition complements the company’s existing operations in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, further strengthening its global manufacturing and customer support capabilities.

As part of the Grote Company Family of Brands, Turatti Group will continue its tradition of innovation while benefiting from the shared expertise, resources, and long-term vision of a family-owned organization dedicated to helping food processors succeed around the world.

Hormel Foods Recognizes PFI with Its Spirit of Excellence Supplier Award for 2024

Written by Mindson Dev on December 2, 2025.

PFI has been awarded the Spirit of Excellence Award by Hormel Foods again. Suppliers selected for the award have demonstrated the highest levels of technical and customer service, innovative solutions and improvements over the past year.

“Hormel has confidence in PFI due to our great partnership and PFI’s customer dedication,” said Melanie Senaratne, Corporate Communications, Hormel. “Having access to all the brands under the Grote Company Family of Brands umbrella increases PFI’s value, as Hormel can also rely on PFI’s sister brands, like SPI Automation and ProFab.”

PFI scored 93 for the year 2024, garnering points for its RTE design and attention to sanitation, its performance across a full spectrum of projects, from design to fabrication to installation, as well as customer service reliability.

“PFI is honored to once again receive Hormel’s Spirit of Excellence Supplier Award,” said Tom Vipond, Division General Manager, PFI. “Our thriving partnership with Hormel is a testament to our team’s dedication. I especially want to recognize team members Shane Peterson, Sales Manager, Frank Flores, Field Service Manager, and Jeremy Stover, Project Manager, who have gone above and beyond to deliver exceptional service to Hormel.”

The Grote Company Family of Brands Acquires McCabe’s Mechanical Services

Written by Mindson Dev on July 31, 2025.

The Grote Company Family of Brands has acquired McCabe’s Mechanical Services, based in Georgetown, Delaware, effective July 31, 2025.

“Adding McCabe’s Mechanical Service to our Grote Company Family of Brands allows us to expand mechanical and millwright services for our meat and poultry customers in the Northeast region,” said Bob Grote, chief executive officer of Grote Company. “As a long-established, family-owned business known for its exceptional work, we feel McCabe’s fits perfectly into our brands.”

McCabe’s experience enables us to grow our millwright and mechanical services in a new geography, in addition to ProFab in the Southeastern region. By joining the Family of Brands, McCabe’s will be able to support larger projects and offer additional capabilities to its customers.

McCabe’s facility, team, and leader Allen McCabe will remain.

The Grote Company Family of Brands Acquires SPI Automation

Written by Mindson Dev on October 22, 2024.

We are excited to announce our acquisition of SPI Automation, effective October 17, 2024. SPI Automation is an automation, controls, and robotics integrator based in Utah.

“We’re pleased to add SPI Automation’s capabilities to our bench of offerings,” said Bob Grote, CEO. “SPI’s expertise in the food processing space is a natural fit for our family of brands and will allow us to offer more complete solutions to our customers.”

SPI’s experience in food production automation builds on Grote’s brands’ offerings. The company’s capabilities will expand robotic applications and controls capacity for all divisions, including:

PFI’s conveyance systems
Vanmark’s potato processing lines
Grote Company’s robotic food assembly automation
ProFab’s meat and poultry equipment

SPI will remain a standalone brand and continue to support its existing customers.

ProFab Joins Grote Family of Brands with PFI and Vanmark

Written by Mindson Dev on April 22, 2024.

We are excited to announce that our parent company Grote Company has acquired ProFab, effective April 12, 2024. ProFab is a food industry conveyor manufacturer, millwright, and process piping supplier and installer based in Springdale, Arkansas.

“Grote Company’s acquisition of ProFab adds to our ever-growing family of brands,” said Bob Grote, chief executive officer of the Grote Company family of brands. “ProFab’s focus on the poultry industry and suite of services allows us to expand into new markets within the food processing industry. We’re pleased to welcome them to the fold.”

ProFab will be integrated over the next several months. They will remain a standalone operation in Springdale, Arkansas.

Together, the Grote Company family of brands provides more complete solutions to our customers and capitalizes on our shared expertise and history in the food processing industry. Our full list of members include PFI, Vanmark, Advanced Food Technology, GME International, and Pizzamatic.

PFI is Awarded Hormel Foods Spirit of Excellence Award Again for 2022

Written by Mindson Dev on November 14, 2023.

We are thrilled to announce that Hormel Foods has awarded PFI the Spirit of Excellence Award again for 2022. Suppliers selected for the award have demonstrated the highest levels of technical and customer service, innovative solutions and improvements over the past year.

“PFI saves us again and again when we’re down and don’t have the manpower or experience to get running,” said Eric Kale, Algona Plant Manager, Hormel. “Having PFI in our backyard and constantly delivering is a lifesaver.”

To qualify for the Spirit of Excellence Award, suppliers must maintain a minimum supplier rating index score of 92 throughout a 12-month period. PFI scored a 95.

“PFI has now expanded across more Hormel facilities and brands and added walk-in service and installation,” said Melanie Senaratne, Corporate Communications, Hormel. “We have confidence in PFI due to our great partnership and familiarity. PFI does more than what’s expected. They go above and beyond.”

“PFI is honored to receive Hormel’s Spirit of Excellence Supplier Award,” said Tom Vipond, Division General Manager, PFI. “Our team strives to deliver the best service and solutions to Hormel and to all our customers. To be recognized in this way by Hormel is a validation of our hard work throughout the year.”

Key Account Managers & Field Service Supervisor Join PFI

Written by Mindson Dev on April 27, 2023.

We are excited to welcome Shane Peterson and Zach Cathey as Key Account Managers, and Marty Zanmiller as Field Service Supervisor to the PFI team.

“We welcome Shane, Zach and Marty to PFI and look forward to their contributions to help us continue to grow,” said Tom Vipond, Division General Manager, PFI. “All are experts in their fields and will certainly hit the ground running in their respective roles.”

Shane Peterson comes to PFI with more than 20 years of experience in the food processing industry, specifically in the meat and poultry industries, most recently as Key Account Manager at Friesen’s. His background includes expertise in processing and packaging conveyance and material handling equipment and systems. He will be focusing primarily on manufacturers in the Midwest region.

Zach Cathey brings his experience in leadership and collaboration to PFI from his previous role at Friesen’s. In addition, he is a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

Marty Zanmiller joins the field service team to support service and installations for PFI and its sister brand Vanmark. He has extensive experience in the industrial service industry.

Jack Grote to Head New Customer Lifecycle Offering for Grote Family of Brands

Written by Mindson Dev on March 3, 2023.

Jack Grote is transitioning from his role at Vanmark to Lifecycle Leader for our entire family of brands. In this role, he’ll develop services and offerings to help food processors maintain and optimize Grote, Vanmark, and PFI equipment.

Initial programs will focus on installation, technical service, training, and equipment health checks. All offerings will be designed to get equipment running faster, techs and operators trained better and faster, and ensure all machines operate smoothly to avoid costly downtime and disruptions.

“Grote is introducing its Lifecycle strategy in response to food processors who have told us that it’s a challenge to find enough skilled technical and maintenance talent,” said Bob Grote, CEO. “Our customers are looking to us as a supplier to provide full-service offerings with their equipment purchases.”

“I’m enthusiastic about what the future holds for all of our companies,” said Jack Grote, lifecycle leader of Grote Company. “Heading up this new initiative allows me to assist our customers in ways that will help them succeed. It allows us to build a closer partnership with our customers. They rely on Grote Company, Vanmark, and PFI for equipment – now they can also rely on us to provide services to support their investment over the long haul.”

As we introduce additional lifecycle programs and offerings, more announcements will follow in the coming months.

Tom Vipond Promoted to Division General Manager

Written by Mindson Dev on March 3, 2023.

We’re excited to announce Tom Vipond as Division General Manager of PFI. In this role, he’s now responsible for both PFI locations and all operations.

“We’re truly excited to continue to work with Tom Vipond to grow PFI,” said Bob Grote, CEO of parent company Grote Company. “In his tenure with PFI, Tom has proven to be forward-thinking and bold, demonstrating a knack for understanding our customer’s needs and direction. His customer-centric focus promises to carry on our enduring commitment to each company we work with.”

“As part of the Grote family of brands, we at PFI look forward to working hand-in-hand to keep growing the business,” Vipond said. “As PFI heads into its next chapter, my focus is on our customers and building on our talented internal team.”

Vipond joined PFI in January 2022 as general manager at its Algona facility. He has more than two decades of experience in the food industry, much of it with PFI when it was known as Kofab.

PFI was acquired by Grote Company in 2021.

NEW SALES PARTNER – SOLEMPACK IN CENTRAL AMERICA

Written by Mindson Dev on January 10, 2023.

We’re excited to announce that we are working with a new sales partner who will now sell PFI, as well as our sister brand Vanmark, equipment in Central America.

Based in Guatemala, Solempack, represents and distributes machinery used for packaging products, will add our conveying and material handling equipment to their catalog. Solempack’s territory includes all of Central America, from Guatemala in the north to Panama in the south, along with the Dominican Republic.

“Solempack is bringing expanded reach to PFI,” said Barry Whitman, PFI Sales Manager. “This means we’ll be able to better meet our customers’ needs in these territories, while marking yet another way we continue to bring the PFI and Vanmark brands together under the Grote Company umbrella.”

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