HIstory van Berkel Meat Slicers

19 maart 2024

Slicers are ideal for use in butcher shops and delicatessen shops to cut meat, sausage, cheese, vegetables and other delicacies. A meat slicer makes the job easier and ensures that the texture of the food remains the same. Nowadays, meat slicers, such as the Berkel meat slicer, are increasingly used, because the slicers have become easier to operate. Since the meat slicer has a long history, let's take a look at the origins of the machine.

History

In 1898, pig farmer Wilhelm van Berkel invented the very first meat slicer in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. His invention followed the social demand for more meats 
and cheeses. This stemmed from the prosperity of the coastal country which saw an increase in import and export related businesses.
 As more and more people became economically prosperous, their taste for luxury goods grew. Cheeses have traditionally been a boost to the national economy 
of the Netherlands, thanks to facilities such as Gouda, Edam and Leerdam being known for cheese making. The meat slicer offered cheese makers the opportunity 
to cut cheeses, just like butchers and meat processors.

Berkel's meat slicers took years to perfect. It was through years of practice with different types of meat and cheese that Berkel was also able to see what other 
cutting tools butchers and cheesemakers used. In it he learned what worked and what didn't work. On October 12, 1898, Wilhelm van Berkel started Van Berkel Patent 
in Rotterdam.

Wilhelm had a passion for technology and became the inventor of the meat slicer with a sliding meat table. This way, meat products could be cut neatly and regularly. 
The machine developed by Van Berkel became an enormous success. The van Berkel machines were manufactured in a large number of different designs and 
alternatives.

After the First World War, Van Berkel also started producing balances and related products for the butcher and food industry. Sales offices and factories were built in 
several countries. In the United States under the name Slicing machine Co. Inc. and in the United Kingdom under the name Berkel Ltd. After years of great success,
 the company became part of the English company Avery in 1993, which was part of GEC. The new name became Avery-Berkel. In 2001, GEC sold Avery-Berkel to
 the American Weigh-Tronix, and it continued under the name Avery-Berkel Weigh-Tronix.

In 2004, Van Berkel production Rotterdam was sold to de Koningh in Arnhem, where the production of the classics 834S, 834EPB and 800S was continued with the
intellectual property of these machines. The Van Berkel brand name was sold to an Italian in 2006 and has since been used by the Berkel company based in Italy. 
On July 1, 2009, Verbas BV (trade name Deko Holland) took over Koningh Food Equipment, so the tradition of these unique cutting machines has not been lost.

Today's meat slicer

Thanks to modern technology, the Berkel meat slicer now has an electric motor to increase the efficiency of this machine for the current quantities. 
Built-in sharpeners and blade guards have also been added to increase the safety of the slicer.

Deko Holland meat machines

Our history also goes back to the year 1898. Because today we continue to build on the pioneering work of Willem van Berkel, the inventor of the modern meat slicer
 and founder of the famous Van Berkel's Patent Company. Deko Holland has taken over the production rights for a unique series of meat slicers from them. 
We now supply our machines via a close-knit distribution network all over the world.

Our professional meat slicers come from our many years of experience in producing meat slicers. The Deko meat slicer is a real Dutch product. 
All meat slicers are handmade in Arnhem and we are proud to be the only meat slicer manufacturer in the Netherlands. 
Meat slicers are widely used in the catering industry, supermarkets, butchers and catering companies. You can use the machine to cut meat, but it can also be used 
to cut cheese or vegetables. This makes our machines very versatile.

Refurbished Berkel/Deko Holland meat slicers

Refurbished by Deko Holland means: The meat slicer has been thoroughly checked for correct operation and completely cleaned. 
Maintenance was then carried out during which all wearing parts were replaced, including a new knife, grinding stone and burr stone, V belts and switch. 
The meat slicer only has original parts and has a 1-year warranty.

Interested?

View our range of cutting machines here. http://www.dekoholland.com

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