Commercial Dehydrator

What Commercial Dehydrator does

Commercial Dehydrator Systems, LLC (CDS) is a privately held U.S. manufacturer of commercial and industrial dehydration equipment, headquartered and produced in Eugene, Oregon since 1911. The company designs and builds hand-built, commercial-grade dehydrators serving food processors, agricultural operators, pet food manufacturers, food banks, and select industrial customers including pharmaceutical, biomass, and chemical sectors. CDS operates with a global footprint spanning North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, and it maintains a sister company, Miller Dehydrator Company, which handles toll/custom drying operations from the same Eugene facility. Ownership transitioned from the Stone family to Clay Fisher in 2020.

The company's core product line consists of six dehydrator models: the Harvest Saver R-5A cabinet dryer for entry-level and small-batch operations, and five tunnel dehydrators (Klamath, McKenzie, Super McKenzie, Santiam, and Columbia) ranging from 760 sq. ft. of entry-level capacity up to 19,080 sq. ft. of stainless steel tray drying area on the Columbia. Underlying technology includes automated humidity control systems, reverse air-flow technology for uniform drying, variable frequency drive (VFD) controlled 4-speed fans, and modular traying line systems engineered to support up to 12 tunnel dryers on a single shift. The equipment is UL EPH certified for food sanitation and electrical safety. The product ecosystem is completed by an extensive suite of support equipment including drying trays, liners, mobile racks, tray washers, tray stackers, bin dumpers, leaf shakers, and water activity meters.

CDS generates revenue primarily through hardware sales on a quote-based, multi-year payment model with final balance due upon installation. Secondary revenue streams include contract/toll drying services for customers without capital to purchase equipment, a free product testing program that functions as a lead-generation channel, and facilitation of third-party financing. Pricing is opaque and quote-based; disclosed operating costs per model range from approximately $0.52/hour for the Harvest Saver to $54.47/hour for the Columbia. The go-to-market motion is direct enterprise field sales augmented by inbound website quote requests, a content marketing and learning center, and an email newsletter, with no apparent distributor or reseller network.

Name

Commercial Dehydrator

Legal name

Commercial Dehydrator Systems, LLC

Website

https://dryer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1911

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Commercial Dehydrator Systems manufactures commercial and industrial food dehydration equipment from Eugene, Oregon, founded in 1911. The company sells tunnel and cabinet dehydrators, support equipment, and contract drying services to food processors, agricultural operators, and industrial customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Food Dehydration Equipment

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310), Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (3333), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341), Dried and Dehydrated Food Manufacturing (311423)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560), Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Drying & Evaporation Equipment (Dryers, Evaporators, Crystallizers) (IMAHAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Drying & Dehydration Equipment (Grain Dryers, Fruit/Vegetable Dryers) (AFAAAJAB), Loading/Unloading & Transfer Equipment (Telescopic Conveyors, Loaders, Tipplers) (IMAHABAI)

Keywords

• Commercial dehydrators
• Tunnel drying systems
• Food dehydration equipment
• Industrial drying machinery
• Agricultural drying systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Eugene

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Commercial Dehydrator Equipment Sales: Sale of industrial and commercial dehydration equipment including tunnel dehydrators (Klamath, McKenzie, Super McKenzie, Santiam, Columbia) and cabinet dehydrators (Harvest Saver). Equipment sold with optional accessories like drying trays, liners, mobile racks, and support equipment.
2. Contract/Toll Drying Services: Provides toll drying services for customers who cannot purchase equipment but need dehydration capabilities. Leverages state-of-the-art facilities and expertise without capital expenditure.
3. Product Testing Services: Free product testing program where customers can send products to be dried at the Eugene facility or visit in-person to see equipment capabilities.
4. Business Financing Facilitation: Connects customers with trusted financing partners who specialize in solutions tailored to business needs for equipment expansion or upgrades.
5. Support Equipment: Sale of ancillary equipment including tray stackers, tray washers, bin dumpers, leaf shakers, drying trays, liners, mobile tray racks, traying lines.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Commercial Dehydrator Systems manufactures and sells hand-built commercial and industrial dehydrator equipment in Eugene, Oregon, including six core dryer models ranging from entry-level cabinet dryers to high-volume tunnel dehydrators. The company complements its equipment with standalone support equipment (traying lines, washers, stackers, bin dumpers, leaf shakers, water activity meters), contract/toll drying services, a free product testing program, and financing facilitation for business customers.

Product overview

Commercial Dehydrator Systems offers a portfolio of commercial and industrial dehydration equipment and support services. The core product line consists of six main dehydrator models: the Harvest Saver R-5A cabinet dryer (entry-level, 14 trays), Klamath and McKenzie tunnel dryers (expandable from 760-1,595 sq. ft.), Super McKenzie tunnel dryer (reversible airflow technology), Santiam tunnel dryer (global/export ready), and Columbia tunnel dryer (largest model, up to 19,080 sq. ft.). These are complemented by extensive support equipment including stainless drying trays, tray liners, mobile tray racks, traying lines, tray washers, tray stackers, bin dumpers, leaf shakers, and water activity meters. The company also provides contract drying services, product testing programs, and business financing assistance. All equipment is proudly manufactured in Eugene, Oregon, USA, with a heritage dating back to 1911.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Harvest Saver R-5A Cabinet Dryer Commercial cabinet dehydrator ideal for start-up businesses entering commercial dehydration, featuring 88 sq. ft. across 14 stainless steel trays, a programmable 99-hour timer, automated humidity control, and a variable 4-speed fan (2,200 cubic feet per minute) with VFD control. UL certified for food sanitation and electrical safety.
• Klamath Tunnel Dryer Entry-level expandable tunnel dryer with 760 sq. ft. of drying space across 120 trays, featuring a 10 HP fan and direct-fired gas burner. Expandable to 1,520 sq. ft. by adding sections. Average running cost: $8.99/hour or $216/day.
• McKenzie Tunnel Dryer Expandable tunnel dehydrator with 1,595 sq. ft. standard capacity expandable to triple size, featuring 15 HP fan, 252 trays across 6 mobile tray racks. Average running cost: $11.50/hour or $276/day. Machine weight: 15,900 lbs.
• Super McKenzie Tunnel Dryer Batch-drying tunnel dehydrator with reversible air-flow technology featuring hot air circulating in two directions for improved product flavor, texture, color, and uniformity. Standard 1,595 sq. ft. expandable to 4,785 sq. ft. Average running cost: $22/hour or $518/day. Machine weight: 14,250 lbs.
• Santiam Tunnel Dryer Global-market tunnel dehydrator designed for international export with multiple configurations, supporting batch-to-dry, counter flow, and parallel flow dehydration protocols. Fits disassembled into a full-sized shipping container. 20 HP fan, machine weight 18,500 lbs. Average running cost: $25.43/hour or $610.32/day.
• Columbia Tunnel Dryer Full-sized production tray dryer and largest model offered, with up to 19,080 sq. ft. of stainless steel tray drying area (2,120 trays, 40 mobile racks). Features 30 HP fan and automated humidity control. Average running cost: $54.47/hour, $1,307.28/day (24 hours), or $0.07/sq ft/day. Machine weight: 37,000 lbs.
• Traying Lines Modular traying line systems combining configurable elements to meet unique product processing needs. A single traying line operating one shift per day can support up to 12 tunnel dryers running 24 hours; a second shift doubles capacity.
• Tray Washers Continuous tray cleaning equipment using water sprays and rotating brushes, operable as a standalone unit or integrated into traying lines.
• Tray Stackers Automated equipment that receives wet, product-laden trays from a trayer/spreader and stacks them efficiently onto tunnel cars for transport into dehydrators.
• Bin Dumpers Chain-driven systems for dumping bulk bins (single or multiple at once) with in-feed and discharge conveyors and bin re-stacking function.
• Leaf Shakers Equipment for separating leaves, small twigs, and debris from the product stream, primarily used on whole fruit, with surface water removal capability.
• Water Activity Meter Portable solution for measuring water activity (Aw) to determine quality and stability of products across food, pharmaceutical, tobacco, and cosmetics industries, used to ensure production processes are efficient and compliant with industry standards.
• Contract/Toll Drying Services Toll drying services for businesses that cannot purchase equipment but need dehydration capabilities, leveraging the company's state-of-the-art Eugene, Oregon facilities and expertise without capital expenditure.
• Product Testing Program Free product testing service allowing customers to visit the Eugene, Oregon facility or send products in to be dried, demonstrating dehydrator capabilities with over a century of drying experience.
• Business Financing Facilitation Connections to trusted financing partners who specialize in tailored solutions for business customers seeking to expand or upgrade their dehydration equipment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces drying time up to 50% compared to traditional box-style dehydrators
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Tetra Pak: Global food processing and packaging giant with broader portfolio including processing/drying equipment for dairy, beverages, and prepared foods. Larger, diversified incumbent with overlapping but non-specialized offerings.

Direct peers

• GEA Group: German multinational engineering company offering industrial drying and evaporation equipment used in food, dairy, chemical, and pharmaceutical applications. Directly overlaps with CDS in industrial dehydration hardware.
• Marion Process Solutions: U.S. manufacturer of custom industrial mixing, drying, and thermal processing equipment for food, chemical, and mineral industries. Comparable niche specialty manufacturer serving similar B2B industrial buyers.
• Bühler Group: Swiss global manufacturer of food processing equipment including industrial drying and dehydration systems. Operates at a much larger scale but competes in the same food/ag drying equipment category serving similar processors.
• Hosokawa Micron Group: Global supplier of drying, agglomeration, and processing equipment for food, pharmaceutical, chemical, and mineral applications. Overlaps with CDS in industrial drying technologies for similar end markets.
• STELA Drying Technology: German specialist in band and conveyor drying systems for agricultural and industrial applications. Comparable mid-sized manufacturer serving similar food/ag/biomass customers with continuous drying equipment.
• Desmet: Belgian engineering group specialized in oils & fats, food processing, and oleochemical drying and processing equipment. Comparable equipment manufacturer for adjacent food/agri industrial drying use cases.
• Andritz: Austrian industrial group with a dedicated separation/drying technology division serving food, feed, biomass, and chemicals. Comparable product category and similar industrial drying customer base.
• Carrier Vibrating Equipment: U.S.-based manufacturer of vibrating fluid bed dryers, coolers, and related thermal processing equipment for food, chemical, and mineral processing. Directly comparable industrial drying equipment maker.
• Mitchell Dryers: UK-based manufacturer of industrial dryers including conveyor and tray-based systems for food, chemical, and agricultural applications. Closely matched in size and product specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Commercial Dehydrator