CHICAGO — Speco Inc. is marking its 100^th anniversary with a reception at the 2024 IPPE Show, which will be held Jan. 30. Attendees of the IPPE Show in Atlanta are invited to join the celebration at the Speco booth (C28159), where cocktails and cake will be served.

“We’re not much for tooting our own horn, but 2024 is a big year for us,” said Craig Hess, the third-generation owner and chief executive officer of Speco. “We’re still here because of our loyal customers and industry partners, and we want to raise a glass with them and say thank you.”

Speco formed in 1924 after Hess’ great-grandfather, Carl Wilheim Dieckmann, immigrated to the United States from Ploen, Germany, and launched his own meat processing business in Chicago.

“In 1924 my great-grandfather, a professional wurst macher — a sausage maker — started selling his new patented disposable blade inserts to most of the meat processors in the old Chicago stockyards,” Hess said. “He developed a better knife blade for the meat guys. He got the idea from the Gillette Company, after they came out with disposable razor blades. His blades were sharper, didn’t need resharpening, and they kept their edge.”

In the early 1930s, Dieckmann’s grandson, Charles William Hess, started working for the company. It was his idea to begin manufacturing all the products they offered. He purchased a lathe and drill press and set up the manufacturing in the family’s garage. 

The company expanded in 1946 with the purchase of a 3,000 square foot building in Schiller Park, Ill. In that same year, the company incorporated and officially became Speco Inc.

Today, the company continues to be a leading provider of meat grinding knives and plates, blade inserts, skinner tooth rollers and blades, emulsifier replacement parts and bone collector systems.

Speco products are sold in over 60 countries.

Craig Hess enters into his 50^th year with Speco in 2024. The company said it is moving forward with the fourth generation of family ownership, as daughters Charlee and Jackie have grown up in the business and both were recently promoted to vice president.