Serving soft serve from one of the first soft serve machines.

Our Innovative History

Founded by passionate pioneers in the frozen dessert industry, Electro Freeze® has grown from a local vision to a national standard. Our story is one of dedication to our communities and consistent innovation, evolving to meet the changing needs of foodservice professionals. We continue to shape industry standards, always keeping customer satisfaction and operator success at the core of our mission.

TIMELINE 

1918 

  • Henry Duke starts his journey by moving to East Moline, Illinois joining the manufacturing sector and later working with Troy Laundry Mfg. Co. (now known as Ametek). 

1929 

  • Charles Ericson, the founder of Electro Freeze, begins manufacturing soft serve ice cream machines, based out of Port Morris Machine and Tool Works in the Bronx, New York. Charles Ericson creates the foundation for the leader in the frozen treat equipment industry. 

1930s 

  • 1936: Henry Duke starts his own business repairing and manufacturing laundry equipment, and his son Gene joins in 1936, beginning a family legacy. 
  • 1937: Electro Freeze introduces the first soft serve machines (Model 25 Regular, 25P) and sets the stage for Electro Freeze’s reputation for durable and innovative products. 

1940s  

1942: The Dukes continue to manufacture laundry equipment as well as help the war efforts during WWII.  They manufacture bronze bushings for 22 millimeter gun turrets as a sub-contractor for Packard Motor Co.   

1945: Duke completes building his own 4800 square foot facility in East Moline.   

1946: The Dukes are approached by the founders of Dairy Queen to repair their ice cream machine where they established their first walk up store in Moline, IL.  After quickly repairing the machine, they are later asked to build 10 machines. H.C. Duke officially enters the ice cream equipment industry by manufacturing Dairy Queen’s first pressurized ice cream freezer. 

1950s 

  • 1956: Electro Freeze solidifies its place in the industry by creating the milk shake machine for major chains like McDonald’s. 
  • 1958: The first Twist Machine is developed by Electro Freeze. This machine is a significant breakthrough in the industry which was first developed with two handles to pull simultaneously to create the twist which had two individual tips.  

1960s 

  • 1960: Duke manufactures the first non-carbonated slush machine initially made for Dairy Queen as a Mr. Misty machine. 
  • Early 1960’s: Duke begins manufacturing the Dispense-All unit that is available as a six-foot or eight-foot wide model.  Each unit had a built in topping dispenser, milk dispenser, soda dispenser and a flash freezer on the front.  Behind the topping cabinet was a walk-in cooler made to custom size for each store.  There was also an option for a walk-in freezer. 
  • 1966: Bastian-Blessing acquires Electro Freeze and moves the company to a new facility in Paris, Illinois. 
  • 1964: Bastian-Blessing continues innovating with models like the popular Twist Cone introduced during the World’s Fair. The new twist head swivels left to right for vanilla or chocolate and dispenses the twist we see today. 
  • 1966: Bastian-Blessing acquires Electro Freeze and moves the company to a new facility in Paris, Illinois. 
  • 1967: H.C. Duke & Son move into today’s existing building in East Moline, IL. 

1970s 

  • 1970: H.C. Duke & Son, led by Gene Duke, acquires Electro Freeze from Bastian-Blessing in November.  All operations are moved to the East Moline, IL, location. The Duke family brings their engineering expertise and introduces the Duke Piston Pump and the industry’s first Night Switch. The company proudly presents its innovative machines at the International Restaurant Show in New York. 
  • 1972: Electro Freeze introduces the self-contained Cabinet Model freezer, which further establishes Electro Freeze as an innovative leader in the frozen treat industry. 

1980s 

  • 1984: Electro Freeze® introduces the first mix-in blender for shakes, the Blizzard®,  for Dairy Queen.  
  • 1985: The Arctic Swirl® is released, allowing shakes to be blended with candies and cookies. 
  • 1989: Gene Duke passes away, and his sons, Dan and Jim, take over leadership, continuing the commitment to quality and innovation. 

1990s

  • 1993: H.C. Duke & Son introduces the Mix Transfer System, which drastically reduces cleaning times for soft-serve freezers. 

2000s

  • 2003: H.C.Duke/Electro Freeze is purchased Ali Group. Ali Group is one of the world’s leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of equipment and support services to the foodservice industry. 

2010s

  • 2013: Electro Freeze® debuts Genesis control platform, making operations and technical service easier.
  • 2014: The Fuzionate® is released, which thoroughly blends nine flavors into a base flavor rather than the competition, who only have the ability to strip flavoring on top of the base flavor.
  • 2016: Electro Freeze releases the GES platform, which allows for easier cleaning since the pumps are now positioned forward within the cabinet, rather than at the back.

2020s

  • 2020: Electro Freeze® releases the first pressurized flavor blend shake machine, the GEN-83 for a major QSR. This leads to the creation of the GEN-85.
  • 2022: Ali Group acquires Welbilt who provides the world’s top chefs, and premier chain operators or growing independents with industry-leading equipment and solutions. Electro Freeze® is now branded under Welbilt. 
  • 2023: Electro Freeze® acquires another warehouse to expand manufacturing.
  • 2024: Innovation continues in manufacturing processes with the addition of a laser welder, robotic welder, leak detection system, and flammable refrigerant systems.