From Humble Beginnings...

Tri-Pak was founded in 1934 by J.R. Fitzgerald in a one-car garage in South Texas. He drew from his hands-on experience in fruit and vegetable packing sheds, where he saw firsthand the need for smarter equipment to streamline operations and boost profitability for growers.

By 1939, he’d outgrown the garage and moved to our current 4.75-acre site.  His first breakthrough—a tomato sorting conveyor—set the tone for our inventive, problem-solving culture.  Soon after, he replaced labor-intensive practice of individually wrapping tomatoes with tissue wrapping with a wash and wax system that applied a thin coat of food-grade Tri-Wax®, restoring the fruit’s natural protective cuticle that was removed in the washing process. This reduced damage and water loss while cutting down on packaging waste.  

Continuing innovations paved the way for fully integrated packing lines—modular systems that receive, wash, dry, wax, sort by size, grade by ripeness, and pack produce ready for market.

For over 90 years, our engineers have been finding novel solutions for the post-harvest world. Our portfolio of equipment now handles onions, carrots, potatoes, cucumbers, citrus, cabbage, shrimp, and more—all utilizing the latest technology available to us with the same commitment to quality and dependability.

Our reputation endures worldwide, grounded in J.R.’s guiding pillars: quality, quantity, and uniformity—principles that create lasting products and satisfied customers.