Case Study: Custom Manufactured Equipment for Food Processing Applications
About the Customer
Located in Norton, Ohio, the C.J. Dannemiller Co. is a leading distributor of wholesale popcorn, nuts and concession supplies. The company is Safe Quality Food (SQF) certified by the Safe Quality Food Institute, which demonstrates its commitment to operating according to the highest quality standards.
The Opportunity

As part of their on-going efforts to continuously improve their business and serve their valued customers, the C.J. Dannemiller Company was looking to update two nut tumblers on their production line. These machines are critical to their operation, as they’re used to evenly apply sugar coatings to many of their products. While the customer’s existing tumblers were very effective, they were more than 30 years old – prompting a search for upgraded equipment and technology that would:
- Enhance productivity
- Increase capacity
- Improve reliability on the production line
- Create redundancy during maintenance downtime
When the C.J. Dannemiller Company was not able to find an off-the-shelf solution, they reached out to Wagner Machine, Inc. to explore fabricating custom tumblers. With more than 60 years of engineering and manufacturing experience, we were able to create a custom solution that wasn’t available in the marketplace.
The Solution
From research and development to 3D modeling, blueprints and simulations, our team of engineers at Wagner Machine, Inc. meticulously worked to design and manufacture the ideal solution for the customer. With Dannemiller’s input, Wagner Machine developed a fully automated stainless steel hopper colander that does not require employees to do any manual lifting. The design also features an innovative lid that can be opened and adjusted to meter out precise volumes of product. Importantly, due to their stainless steel and ergonomic design, the new tumblers help enhance both food safety and worker safety.
“It was a pleasure working with Wagner Machine. Our custom tumblers are showpieces on our production line – equipment that simply wasn’t available in the market before we began working together. Thank you, Wagner Machine!”
John Dannemiller, CEO
The Result

Following the installation of their new tumblers, the C.J. Dannemiller Company began to experience several significant benefits, including:
- Shorter, easier cleaning cycles
- Enhanced productivity
- Increased capacity
- Lower maintenance costs
- Improved reliability on the production line
- Redundancy during equipment maintenance
Do you have a project that requires a custom solution? Wagner Machine can help! Give us a call today at (330) 706-0700, and let’s get the conversation started. We’re excited to hear from you.