Gustavus Swift
Gustavus Swift was an American meatpacker who in 1878 commissioned engineer Andrew Chase to design an ice-cooled refrigerated railcar, letting Chicago-dressed beef ship east instead of live cattle.
What they did and why it matters
Swift created the first large-scale cold chain, centralizing processing and shipping perishables long distances under temperature control. Chase's car held ice at the top so cold air flowed down over the meat, and Swift built his own fleet and network of icing stations when railroads resisted. Shipping dressed meat instead of live animals cut weight and waste, and Swift and Company became a major national business. Temperature-controlled storage, refrigerated trailers, and cold chain fulfillment for food and pharmaceuticals today follow the same principle.
Related people
Events
Sources
- Swift Refrigerator Line (Wikipedia) en.wikipedia.org
- Refrigerator car (Wikipedia) en.wikipedia.org