JBT Corporation
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food processing machinery, Automated vehicle solutions |
| Predecessor | FMC Technologies (non-energy segments) |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Founder | John Bean (original company 1884) |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
Area served | Global |
| Products | Food processing machinery, Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) |
| Website | www |
JBT Corporation, also known as John Bean Technologies Corporation, specializes in food processing machinery and automated vehicle solutions. Established in 2008 following the divestiture of FMC Technologies' non-energy segments, JBT is based in Chicago, Illinois. The company's roots date back to 1884 when orchardist John Bean founded the Bean Spray Pump Company in Los Gatos, California.
The Bean Spray Pump Company
The Bean Spray Pump Company was created in 1884 by John Bean, an entrepreneur who invented a piston pump intended for applying insecticides to fruit orchards. This early product secured the company's foothold in the agricultural equipment market. A Bean sprayer is exhibited at the Forbes Mill museum in Los Gatos, highlighting its historical importance.
FMC
In 1928, Bean Spray Pump expanded by purchasing Anderson-Barngrover Co. and Sprague-Sells, subsequently rebranding as Food Machinery Corporation (FMC). By 1941, FMC had earned a contract to design and manufacture tracked landing vehicles for the United States War Department. Among its notable military productions were the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier and the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, both assembled at its Santa Clara, California plant. The complexities involved in developing the Bradley vehicle were famously portrayed in the 1998 HBO movie The Pentagon Wars. Additionally, from the 1960s through the 1980s, FMC produced firefighting apparatus under both its own and Bean brand names.
FMC’s fire apparatus division was responsible for manufacturing fire pumps and pumper bodies, collaborating with Ladder Towers Inc. (LTI) to distribute aerial ladder trucks. During the early 1980s, FMC attempted to grow its aerial ladder production by utilizing its Link-Belt crane division but ultimately failed, resulting in that division’s closure by 1990.
Spinoffs
In 1946, FMC acquired Bolens Lawn and Garden Equipment and changed its name to Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation in 1948; this was later shortened to FMC Corporation in 1961.
The merger with Link-Belt Company in 1967 broadened FMC’s offerings to include cranes and excavators marketed under the FMC Link-Belt brand. In 1986, FMC entered a joint venture with Sumitomo Heavy Industries, establishing Link-Belt Construction Equipment Company.
Between 1965 and 1985, FMC operated Gunderson metal works in Oregon as its Marine and Rail Equipment Division (MRED), which it sold to The Greenbrier Companies in 1985.
Throughout the 1980s into the early 2000s, FMC divested several divisions into standalone entities such as United Defense and FMC Technologies while selling off others like the John Bean Company—now integrated into Snap-on Equipment—and Bolens, which was acquired by Troy Built in 1991.
On April 30, 2008, FMC Technologies separated its airport and food equipment units into a new entity named John Bean Technologies Corporation (JBT), headquartered in Chicago and honoring the original spray pump inventor whose work laid the foundation for FMC.
In 2023, JBT divested AeroTech, its airport equipment division, selling it to Oshkosh Corporation to enhance Oshkosh’s capabilities within the air transportation support industry.
Acquisitions
2015
- September: A&B Process Systems – specialized in processing solutions for the food and beverage sectors
2017
- February: Avure Technologies, Inc. – provider of high pressure processing (HPP) equipment
- July: PLF International Limited – supplier of powder filling technology serving global food and beverage industries
2018
- January: Schröder Maschinenbau KG – manufacturer of protein processing machinery, broadening JBT Wolf-tec’s product range
2019
- June: Proseal – developer of tray sealing systems tailored for the food sector
2021
- March: AutoCoding Systems – developer of software for label inspection and verification
- June: Prevenio – specialist in poultry-focused food safety solutions
- November: Urtasun – producer of equipment for fruit and vegetable processing
2022
- July: Alco-food-machines – provider of integrated food processing and production lines
- September: Bevcorp – supplier of equipment and aftermarket services for the U.S. beverage packaging and processing industry
Organization
JBT develops, manufactures, and supports products across multiple end markets, with approximately half of its yearly revenue derived from recurring sales including parts, service, rebuilds, and leasing. Its automated guided vehicle (AGV) division addresses material handling requirements in industries such as automotive, food and beverage, manufacturing, printing, warehousing, and healthcare.