Reading Bakery Systems

Reading Bakery Systems (RBS), headquartered in Robesonia, Pennsylvania, is a global manufacturer of snack production systems. The company, which began as Reading Pretzel Machinery in 1947, designs and manufactures industrial baking systems for producing crackers, pretzels, cookies, and other baked snacks. RBS operates full-scale production facilities in the US and China, with its main manufacturing facility remaining in Robesonia. The company became part of the Markel Food Group in September 2012 when Markel Ventures acquired a majority stake in the business.

Reading Bakery Systems offers a comprehensive range of equipment and systems for snack production:

- Baking Systems: The company manufactures the Thomas L. Green PRISM OVEN and Reading Pretzel SPECTRUM OVEN, offering flexible single-pass baking platforms with radiation, convection, and conduction heat transfer options - Continuous Mixing Solutions: RBS provides various continuous mixer models including the Exact LDX, Exact EX, and Exact HDX, with production capabilities ranging from 100 to 10,000 kg/hour for different applications - Multi-Crisp Technology: A flexible production system that allows manufacturers to produce various wheat, potato, and corn masa flour crisps on one system, with production capabilities of 250-1000 kg/hour - Science & Innovation Center: A fully equipped, licensed food processing research and development center where customers can test new products and processes using RBS mixing, forming, baking, and drying equipment

In January 2024, RBS announced Chip Czulada as its incoming president. The company has recently focused on sustainability initiatives, particularly in oven technology, developing electric ovens as alternatives to traditional gas-powered systems. Their latest designs aim to reduce harmful emissions, improve energy efficiency, and increase product throughput. In December 2023, RBS appointed Denise Siegle as Chief Financial Officer to oversee all accounting and finance functions and support the company's strategic goals. The company also expanded its product line with an advanced Thomas L. Green WCX Wirecut Machine, offering enhanced product flexibility and improved safety features.