Jamesway - About Us - History of Jamesway

History of Jamesway Chronology of Innovation Worldwide Services

The forerunner to Jamesway, The James Manufacturing Co., of Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin, in the USA, was a manufacturer of livestock equipment in the early 1900's. One of the first James incubators was available for sale in 1912. Incubators, however, were a secondary product line to the poultry, swine and cattle drinking and feeding equipment made by the company.

By 1956, when the James Manufacturing Co. was purchased by The Marmon Group of companies, it was a North American leader in cattle and dairy equipment, but only one of many manufacturers of poultry and swine equipment. New management streamlined the company by selling off the intensely competitive poultry and swine product line, with the exception of the incubator production. Jamesway's model 252 and 1080 incubators were popular with the incipient hatchery industry. In fact, even today, Jamesway's model 252 incubators are used by many universities in North America and elsewhere for research purposes and reconditioned machines are widely sought.

In 1959, a Jamesway product engineer developed a revolutionary incubation system. For the first time, hatchery personnel could collect hatching eggs on the farm in the same egg flats that would be used in the incubator, eliminating hours of laborious traying. So revolutionary was this idea, that it was patented, and Jamesway was the first incubator manufacturer to receive a patent for a plastic egg flat. Jamesway was the first incubation system to use rolling egg trolleys, so that egg work could be done outside the incubator, substantially reducing wetting and transfer time, and egg breakage as well. Moreover, the new system, designed as an efficient materials handling system, changed the principles of incubator design by utilizing the by-products of the developing embryo (heat and carbon dioxide) for the newer eggs placed in the system. And, by utilizing high speed fans and a laminar air flow pattern that incorporates water atomization as means of humidification and cooling, the need for cooling coils was eliminated. The laminar air flow pattern was patented along with the plastic egg flat in 1959.

During the 1970's the Jamesway Big J was manufactured and sold by two companies: the Butler Manufacturing Co., and Jamesway Co., a division of The Marmon Group, which resulted in much confusion in the world marketplace. This situation was sorted out in 1983 when Jamesway purchased the incubator division of the Butler Manufacturing Co., and consolidated the manufacturing at the Cambridge, Ontario facility.

In May of 2001 Jamesway was purchased by FPS from the Netherlands. FPS also owns two other well know poultry related companies, Petersime of Belgium and Moba of the Netherlands.

Jamesway is dedicated to the design, manufacture, marketing and servicing of hatchery systems. Continuous reinvestment resulted in the company operating some of the most advanced computer controlled manufacturing equipment in the industry, including robotic welders, presses and the programmable metal fabrication machine.

Jamesway has made significant investment in information technologies. These technologies have improved productivity and enhanced communication - both necessities for competing in today's global marketplace. Investment in CAD technology has boosted productivity and improved design accuracy. In addition, sales staff have been equipped with the latest in portable computer technology allowing for tracking of customer accounts, including quicker turn around on quotations and product information requests.

Before any new products are sold, they are subjected to extensive field testing at several commercial hatcheries in Canada and the United States.

This commitment to product innovation is based on Jamesway listening to its customers needs, both immediate and future. Jamesway offers a full line of incubation systems, ventilation systems and accessories to fill all of these hatchery equipment needs.

After-installation services are provided by the Technical Services Department, consisting of factory trained technicians capable of providing emergency repair services, troubleshooting and educational services in the field.

Additional in-house services include hatchery planning, design and layout, equipment recommendations and supply, as well as individual consulting programs.

Jamesway is recognized as one of the major incubator manufacturers in the worldwide hatchery industry. Though the company has dramatically changed since its beginnings in the early 1900's our commitment to this industry remains unchanged.