June 22, 1950 – Door County Advocate

Refrigerators Will Be Built At Sister Bay, 50 to 100 men to be employed in work due for fall completion

F. Anderson, president of the Masterfreeze Corp., announced Wednesday that the firm had signed a $600,000 contract with the federal government.

The contract calls for the delivery of over 300 pre-fabricated general storage refrigerators of the walk-in type to the Army and the Air Force by this fall. Production will begin within 10 days.

Officials of the company say that between 50 and 100 men will be hired by the corporation at the peak of the government work. Local men will be given preference whenever possible and there will be work for laborers and semi-skilled workers, the company reported.

Considerable business in relation to the contract will be carried out by Masterfreeze with both the Barker – Washburn and Roeser Lumber Companies of Sturgeon Bay and Sister Bay respectively.

The local firm’s bid on the government work was not the lowest, but the quality of the refrigeration units previously manufactured for non-military organizations swung the contract in favor of Masterfreeze, company officials were told. The units to be manufactured under the new contract are very similar to those now produced by the concern.  

The new units will range in size from 6×8 ft. to 10×30 ft. and will be of aluminum inside and out. They will be sent to military installations in various countries throughout the world.

Much of the material used in the refrigerators, including all of the wood is being obtained from local sources, the company reported.

The firm’s officials announced that they wish to thank the Bank of Sturgeon Bay for its cooperation in negotiating the contract.