Doing Business / Coffee Roasters : President Stephen Diedrich with giant roaster. : Things Perking Up for Manufacturer

Thanks to the millions of lost souls who can’t function without that first aromatic, steamy mug of coffee in the morning, manufacturing the machines that roast the beans that we bring home to brew in our coffee makers has become big business for Diedrich Manufacturing.

The Costa Mesa firm is one of only two companies in the nation that manufacture the giant coffee bean roasters. “They are good looking, well-built,” said Carl Diedrich, whose brother Stephen is president of the company. “Customers are attacked from all over the store by the wonderful smell of roasted coffee.”

The giant roasters, which stand about 6 feet tall, 5 feet long and 3 feet wide, are constructed from large tubes of steel that is rolled, formed and welded. And as the company likes to point out, all of its components are U.S. made. The company manufactures no more than half a dozen a month.

The base frame is manufactured first. It houses air ducts and motors and collects byproducts cast off by the roasting beans.

The roasting unit sits on top of the base frame. Beans are dumped into the rotating roaster from an overhead hopper. Infrared burners heat the beans at temperatures between 300 and 400 degrees; it takes about 18 minutes to roast a 50-pound bag of coffee beans.

When the roasting cycle has been completed, the beans are poured into the cooling bin, which stirs them to ensure even cooling.