Viskase (formerly Visking) is a global corporation based out of Lombard, Illinois, United States that supplies plastic, cellulose, and fibrous film and packaging to the food service industry, including casings for processed meats such as hot dogs and sausages. Viskase has manufacturing facilities in the United States, Mexico, Brazil and France, as well as sales offices located around the world.
 | |
| Company type | Public (OTC Pink Limited: VKSC) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food service manufacturing |
| Founded | 1925 |
| Founder | Erwin O. Freund |
| Headquarters | Lombard, Illinois , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Tim Feast, CEO |
| Products | Food casings |
| Total assets | $203,542,000 (2006) |
Number of employees | 2,100 |
| Website | http://www.viskase.com |
Viskase is a publicly traded company, using the stock symbol OTC Pink Limited: VKSC.
Company history
editOrigins
editErwin O. Freund, founder of what would become Viskase, sought a readily available replacement for animal intestine casing. Upon creating a cellulose casing, using the "viscose" process (also used in rayon) he realized the product stuffed well, linked, and was able to withstand the smokehouse. Quite by accident, he discovered that when the casing was removed from the product the sausages retained their shape and were firm. This was the beginning of the skinless frankfurter or hot dog.[1]
In the 1950s, Visking Corporation became a division of Union Carbide.[2]
Products
edit- Fibrous
- LCC
- MEMBRA-CEL
- NOJAX
- POLYJAX
- VISCOAT Smoke Master & Color Master
- VISFLEX
- VISMAX
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Viskase: About Us". Viskase Companies, Inc. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- ^ "Leslie Enders Houck". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
External links
edit- Viskase Corporate Website
- Business data for Viskase Companies: