A&K Development

A&K Development Company designs and manufactures equipment for the food processing industry. With over 1500 units operating in 28 countries, A&K is the world leader in sales of processing equipment for sweet and seed corn. Ronald L. Anderson, owner of the company, developed the original A&K "Power Husker" with fellow inventor Tom Kessler in 1979. Based on years of experience in the Pacific Northwest food processing industry, they saw the need for a high capacity sweet corn husking machine. Recognizing the potential of this new machine, they started a manufacturing company in 1980 following successful tests of the prototype unit. A&K Development manufactured and sold 8 units for the 1980 processing season and went on to revolutionize the husking of sweet corn. Companies such as Green Giant, Kraft General Foods, Del Monte Corp., Twin City Foods, National Frozen Foods, Comstock Foods, Norpac, Agripac, Dean Foods, Seneca Foods and many other companies have converted their husking operations 100% to the A&K machine. Seldom has there been a machine that has converted an entire industry to its use in such a short period. We have modified this base machine for many additional food processing uses besides husking of sweet corn. These include husking of corn for seed, fresh market husking, de-stemming and de-leafing citrus products such as oranges and grapefruit, de-leafing of onions, removal of sprouts and vines from potatoes, removal of tops and tails from radishes and pre-cleaning of carrots and apples. A&K Development also manufactures conveyor systems, orienters and cutters for raw product: Distribution System: This is a conveying system which automatically distributes raw product to the huskers, pre-cleaners and orienters when more than one unit is operating within a processing plant. A&K also offers thenew "Power Shear System" which makes the distribution system totally automatic. "Power Orienter": An automatic device for orienting cob corn being fed to a cutter. Used in conjunction A&K's new "Power Cutter", we have fully automated the process of feeding individual ears of corn tip first through the cutter. During the 1997 processing season, there were in excess of 500 units operating around the world. Automatic Lubrication System: Lubricates huskers and pre-cleaners automatically. Troughing Conveyors and Flat Bed Conveyor Systems: Transports raw product to and from huskers, pre-cleaners and orienters and allows for inspection of raw product. 50 Degree Lev-Flow Elevator and Inclined Metering Conveyor: Elevates the raw product at an angle to assure proper handling.