You may not know the name Homer Laughlin, a china factory in Newell, W.Va., but youll likely recognize — or have eaten off of — its most famous product: brightly colored, informal pottery called Fiesta. While most of Americas china factories have closed, unable to compete with made in China or Japan or Mexico, Homer Laughlin, which set up shop on the banks of the Ohio River in 1873, is still going strong. It employs about 1,000 people. Im just a hand liner. I put lines on, says Kevin Manypenny. Hes been working here nearly 40 years. He twirls a plate, dips a brush in brown glaze and paints three delicate lines on the plates edge. Fiesta is about half of Homer Laughlins business — the other half is dinnerware for hotels, and the sturdy plates and cups you find at chain restaurants. Manypenny and seven of his eight siblings — and their parents — have worked at this factory. And there are dozens of families like theirs. In the 1930s, the company created Fiesta: inexpensive, colorful, cheerful dinnerware. It was a hit even during the Depression. I remember the first time I actually went to the facility, and Im looking around and Im thinking, Boy, am I back in the 1940s or what?’ says Bruce Smith, the head of the union representing the pottery workers. He says while nothing about Homer Laughlin is flashy, the workers do make decent money. Theyre good jobs and theyre making a living, being able to buy a home and raise a family and retire with some dignity, Smith says.
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 16:19:50 +0000
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