Inside the Simplot French Fry Plant

While working at Diamond Signs in Boise in 1988, one of my projects was to create a series of signs for the Simplot French Fry Plant in the neighboring town of Caldwell. The metal signs with colored illustrative cartoons guided visitors through the plant. The signs featured a character who was supposed to be a retired worker who still liked to come around and visit.

These are the preliminary sketches I drew before I painted the signs.

Click on an image for a larger version of the image.

First, there are warehouses full of "spuds," as Idahoans like to call them.

Trucks are always coming to the warehouses to bring more potatoes.

Idaho potatoes.

Data collected.

Measured,

And tested.

They are brought in from the warehouse into the plant on a conveyor belt.

They are put through the scrubbing machine.

They are peeled,

And cut into strips.

Deformities removed photographically.

The fries are cooked,

Dried,

And put through a hot dextrose bath.

The fries are quickly frozen with freezing air.

They are kept in a room at zero degrees.

The frozen fries are put into boxes.

The boxes of frozen fries are packaged,

And sent for delivery.

Ta–da!

Back to Cartoons page

	First, there are warehouses full of "spuds," as Idahoans like to call them.
	Trucks are always coming to the warehouses to bring more potatoes.
	Idaho potatoes.
	Data collected.
	Measured,
	And tested.
	They are brought in from the warehouse into the plant on a conveyor belt.
	They are put through the scrubbing machine.
	They are peeled,
	And cut into strips.
	Deformities removed photographically.
	The fries are cooked,
	Dried,
	And put through a hot dextrose bath.
	The fries are quickly frozen with freezing air.
	They are kept in a room at zero degrees.
	The frozen fries are put into boxes.
	The boxes of frozen fries are packaged,
	And sent for delivery.
	Ta–da!