JLS reflects on a 70-year evolution

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JLS reflects on a 70-year evolution

22 Apr 2025

Joanie Spencer

Since 2008, Joanie Spencer has covered the retail and wholesale sides of the baking industry.
Serving associations such as the American Society of Baking (ASB) and BEMA, Joanie is also in demand as an industry presenter on bakery operations and trends. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Rockhurst University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

When she’s not running or playing soccer, Joanie spends her time with her husband and 11-year-old son.

YORK, PA — Over the past seven decades, JLS Automation has evolved from a manufacturers’ representative firm into a leader in industrial automation, serving the food industry’s complex packaging needs. Founded in 1955 by Joseph L. Souser, the company now celebrates its 70th anniversary as a pioneer in hygienic robotic packaging.

“Reaching this 70-year milestone is a testament to our team’s dedication and our ability to adapt to the ever-changing demands of the packaging industry,” said Craig Souser, president and CEO of JLS Automation. “We remain committed to delivering innovative solutions that help our clients optimize performance and ensure food safety.”

70 years of innovation

Originally known as JL Souser, the company began as a manufacturers’ representative firm that handled power transmission equipment. In 1978, after Joseph’s passing, his wife Polly and son Craig Souser, who led sales operations, eventually expanded the product and service range to include variable frequency drives and application engineering assistance.

“The vision of the company has evolved over the years, some of it strategically, some of it because of what we thought was important in the marketplace moving forward,” Souser said. “We always wanted to be introducing that next level of advanced, disruptive technology to the marketplace.”

In 1991, JLS provided systems engineering as well as turnkey engineered systems for a few of its key customers, which led to a field service offering to support its engineered systems. The company entered the packaging automation segment in 1993 to meet customer demand for retrofitting and upgrading existing automation machines and systems.

Today, JLS specializes in hygienic robotic packaging systems designed for the food industry, featuring patented robotic tooling and high-speed leak detection. The company’s impact on the packaging industry earned JLS the opportunity to host the Annual Meeting for PMMI, the association for packaging and processing, in 2024 at the JLS headquarters in York, PA.

“Being one of the industry leaders is really humbling,” Souser said. “It was a huge honor for me and for JLS when we hosted the PMMI meeting last summer. That was a thrill.”

“We always wanted to be introducing that next level of advanced, disruptive technology to the marketplace.” — Craig Souser | president and CEO | JLS Automation

Community, employee engagement

Throughout its history, JLS has fostered a culture of lifetime learning through efforts like the “Living & Learning with JLS” program. It has also maintained its reputation for treating employees like family and helping them realize career goals and dreams by providing a healthy work/life balance that supports personal and professional development.

JLS is also deeply committed to the York community.

“A number of years ago, I realized we can make a tremendous impact on the community not just as individuals, but also through our organization,” Souser said.

Not only does the company support employees’ community involvement through paid charity hours for each employee, but it also actively participates in youth development programs, hosts tours for engineering groups and sponsors local events. JLS team members also serve as guest instructors at local colleges and are involved in local school systems, reflecting the company’s dedication to nurturing future talent.

“Being engaged members of the community has always been important,” he added “We’re very active in the community and it’s a great way for us to give back.”

With a deep commitment to those who have served the nation, JLS also supports several veteran-focused initiatives.

Focused on the future

Over the decades, JLS has consistently demonstrated a commitment to innovation and quality with a product line that includes the Talon robotic pick-and-place system, the Osprey robotic case packer and the Peregrine robotic cartoning system, all designed to meet stringent sanitary requirements for food production. Additionally, the Hawk robotic case packing system works with a variety of primary packaging options.

All JLS systems are renowned for their reliability, accuracy and user-friendly operation, ensuring both worker and food safety, which are essential to the future of food production and packaging technology.

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