In 1885 Thomas J. Barry opened a machine shop in south St. Louis to provide conveying and transportation equipment to area malt houses. He was joined later by his brother-in-law, Alfred Wehmiller, to form the Barry-Wehmiller Machinery Company. As the business grew, the two men expanded their product lines with a machine to quickly soak and wash refillable bottles.

Bottling Line

1905 Pasteurizer

1905 Washer

Barry-Wehmiller Company has manufactured Bottle Washers and Pasteurizers since 1885. Over time, their customer base expanded globally to include the beverage, dairy and juice industries, as well as the brewery market. Additional product lines include bottle warmers and Coolers, pre-owned and reconditioned equipment, and a wide range of upgrades for existing machinery.

In 1963, ownership passed from the Wehmiller family to the Chapman family and proved to be an important turning point for the Barry-Wehmiller Company.

By the mid 1980's, it became apparent that new products and new markets were paramount if the company was to grow in what had become a sluggish market. To this end, Bob Chapman divested Barry-Wehmiller of control of its European-based company in a 1987 IPO offering on the London Stock Exchange. This successful offering (written as a case study by Harvard and the University of Virginia) divested 2/3 of the company and dramatically enhanced the financial strength of Barry-Wehmiller. In the years following the IPO, Barry-Wehmiller embraced an aggressive acquisition strategy in packaging equipment manufacturing, bringing together several companies within the fragmented industry.

The diversified structures of Barry-Wehmiller have led to a new level of stability and resources, enabling significant synergies to be achieved between different branches of the company

MarquipWardUnited Facility

In 2001, the manufacture of Barry-Wehmiller bottle washers and pasteurizers was moved to the superb, state-of-the-art MarquipWardUnited manufacturing facility in Wisconsin. All non-manufacturing functions remained in the St Louis Clayton facility.

3000 BPM Washer 1997

Walking Beam Machine 1990s

Modern machines such as 3000 bpm washers and a range of Pasteurizer designs, including walking beam, composite conveyor and steel belt are all now designed using the latest computer technology and are at the cutting edge of the industry. Technology however is not the whole story in design, more than a century of experience and commitment informs all of Barry Wehmiller design judgments.

Design in Progress

Corporate Headquarters - St.Louis.