At the East Commerce plant, Friedrich made food display cases. These products were meaningful to the public and the food industry, for the food remained fresher, looked better and was more nutritious, and the stores did not lose as much to spoilage. As it grew, Friedrich continued to refine its products. Soon George, an engineer, invented the innovative "floating air" principle. This was the concept that all manufacturers use to this day in open frozen food display cases.

Revolutionizing refrigeration technology, this principle involved controlling the movement of refrigerated air over the food, thus eliminating the need for doors on most cases. Richard Friedrich, whose expertise was in sales, conducted post-Depression prosperity tours around the country to commemorate the company's 50th anniversary. Ed Friedrich stayed active in the business almost to the day he died in 1956. He was well-thought-of. He knew all his employees and every operation in the plant. Ed Friedrich instilled in his employees his attention to quality and to detail. Friedrich products became known for superior materials and quality.

In 1947 the Friedrich Company built a warehouse at 3300 Old Seguin Road, which is now an access road to PanAm Expressway. It was a two-building complex which functioned as a warehouse for a number of years. Later it was turned into an assembly operation for commercial refrigeration. The plant was on the elder Friedrich's farm, which stretched from the banks of Salado Creek to San Antonio. Old employees remember if Mr. Friedrich had something to be done on the farm, he would shut down the warehouse and take them out there to work. One of the older workers remembers Friedrich used to stand up in the watchtower of his farmhouse and survey his farm land.

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