July 30, 2026
Doran Celebrates 50 Years of Innovation
Fifty years ago, Doran Scales got its start in the corner of a cramped basement, but had big dreams. Half a century later, Doran is a trusted name across industrial and medical weighing. Before Doran turns its focus towards another fifty years of innovation, it’s time to look back and celebrate the journey from humble beginnings to industry leader.
Founded in 1976 by Bill Podl, Doran started as a part-time job that kept its founder up until the early hours of the morning. With an engineering background, Bill utilized his experience to design and build durable, reliable, and precise scales. These tenets resulted in high performing products that quickly developed a stellar reputation. Soon, Doran grew from a part-time job to a full-time business that needed a bit more space than a basement had to offer.
Doran grew into a substantial manufacturer in the suburbs of Chicago, creating scales with the same emphasis on quality, just at a greater quantity. Also, Doran grew in different ways, becoming a second-generation family business in 2007 when Shani and Mark Podl became owners. Shani and Mark continued Doran’s legacy of innovation, developing Doran’s medical line of scales, which includes infant, physician, handrail, and wheelchair scales that prioritize accessibility.
Today, Doran’s legacy of innovation still drives the company forward. Led by Shani Podl, Doran is proudly woman owned. Also, Mark Podl is the 2026-2027 Chairman of the Baking Equipment Manufacturers & Allieds (BEMA) organization. Additionally, Doran’s industrial and medical scales continue to exemplify their founding principles of reliability, durability, and precision. Their NTEP-certified bench scale systems and intrinsically safe indicators are prepared for the toughest of conditions in countless industries, while purpose-made products such as Doran’s airline baggage scales help airports across the country operate smoothly. On the medical side, you may have had your height and weight measured by a Doran scale at your most recent physical. In more specialized situations, Doran wheelchair scales serve essential roles in hospitals while travel nurses frequently turn to Doran’s infant scales for their day-to-day durability.
After fifty years, Doran continues to manufacture reliable, durable, and precise products while constantly driving new innovations in the scale industry. It’s impossible to say what the future will hold, but after looking back at Doran’s journey, the next fifty years look bright.
Back to News
Fifty years ago, Doran Scales got its start in the corner of a cramped basement, but had big dreams. Half a century later, Doran is a trusted name across industrial and medical weighing. Before Doran turns its focus towards another fifty years of innovation, it’s time to look back and celebrate the journey from humble beginnings to industry leader.
Founded in 1976 by Bill Podl, Doran started as a part-time job that kept its founder up until the early hours of the morning. With an engineering background, Bill utilized his experience to design and build durable, reliable, and precise scales. These tenets resulted in high performing products that quickly developed a stellar reputation. Soon, Doran grew from a part-time job to a full-time business that needed a bit more space than a basement had to offer.
Doran grew into a substantial manufacturer in the suburbs of Chicago, creating scales with the same emphasis on quality, just at a greater quantity. Also, Doran grew in different ways, becoming a second-generation family business in 2007 when Shani and Mark Podl became owners. Shani and Mark continued Doran’s legacy of innovation, developing Doran’s medical line of scales, which includes infant, physician, handrail, and wheelchair scales that prioritize accessibility.
Today, Doran’s legacy of innovation still drives the company forward. Led by Shani Podl, Doran is proudly woman owned. Also, Mark Podl is the 2026-2027 Chairman of the Baking Equipment Manufacturers & Allieds (BEMA) organization. Additionally, Doran’s industrial and medical scales continue to exemplify their founding principles of reliability, durability, and precision. Their NTEP-certified bench scale systems and intrinsically safe indicators are prepared for the toughest of conditions in countless industries, while purpose-made products such as Doran’s airline baggage scales help airports across the country operate smoothly. On the medical side, you may have had your height and weight measured by a Doran scale at your most recent physical. In more specialized situations, Doran wheelchair scales serve essential roles in hospitals while travel nurses frequently turn to Doran’s infant scales for their day-to-day durability.
After fifty years, Doran continues to manufacture reliable, durable, and precise products while constantly driving new innovations in the scale industry. It’s impossible to say what the future will hold, but after looking back at Doran’s journey, the next fifty years look bright.
