 Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U-Line has since introduced several other undercounter "firsts," including the first combination refrigerator/ice maker (1971), the first portable ice maker (1971), the first 12v DC marine/mobile ice maker (1983), and the first residential wine refrigeration system (1985).In 1962, Henry Uihlein left his position at the Ben-Hur Freezer Company to begin manufacturing a product of his own invention.He named his company "U-Line," a phonetic representation of his German-origin name.