From Fox Business News show "Manufacturing Marvels" comes this great video on America's Homer Laughlin China Company. To learn more about Homer Laughlin's tabletop products for the hospitality industry, go here: http://www.hlcdinnerware.com/  Add Comment
RAK Porcelain uses only the finest clays and raw materials and state-of-the-art equipment that allows unsurpassed attention to detail and excellent durability. RAK Porcelain employs the finest ceramic engineers and technicians, and their in-house and celebrity designers are world renowned.
 WTOV-TV reports that it only took about 2 ½ hours for the two sides to agree on a new three-year agreement for employees at the Homer Laughlin China Co. in Newell. The Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers International Union Local 419, along with representatives from the company, met behind closed doors to discuss contract changes. To read the entire story, go here: http://www.wtov9.com/news/news/homer-laughlin-china-co-workers-get-new-contract/nS8CC/ 
RAK Porcelain takes you around the culinary world with its new brochure. Here it's fine dining in Paris. A magical city as romantic as it is gastronomic. To an equally demanding degree, RAK porcelain creates elegant and distinguished scenarios allowing moments of bliss to be savoured.
 There's been a lot going on with the Homer Laughlin China company lately and none of which has had more impact than the launch five years ago of the RAK Porcelain line in America. The American launch of RAK Porcelain by Homer Laughlin started out with the brandname of Kenilworth and recently that name/backstamp was dropped to revert to the product's original RAK backstamp. Homer Laughlin's Marketing Manager Dan Williams answered questions recently about that change. 1. What happened to Kenilworth, and what is its relation to RAK? Homer Laughlin’s Kenilworth® brand of fine dining porcelain has changed its backstamp to RAK Porcelain. The RAK line has been available here in the United States for five years, but only — and exclusively — through HLC Inc. and under their Kenilworth brand. 2. Is the Kenilworth brand completely gone? If not, why? What is Homer Laughlin’s plan for the brand? The Kenilworth Trading Company, a member of the Homer Laughlin China Company® (HLC Inc.) family of companies, has always been the distributor of RAK porcelain. It was just decided early on to backstamp RAK’s product as Kenilworth. The Kenilworth backstamp is no more — but Kenilworth Trading Company remains the HLC Inc. company that distributes RAK. 3. Who/what influenced the decision? The decision to shift to the RAK backstamp was a joint decision between HLC Inc. and the RAK enterprise. The decision was made in order to take advantage of RAK’s growth over the past five years in the global dinnerware market. In addition, the brand change would allow HLC to make use of RAK’s marketing materials to a greater degree. The time had simply come to bring their strong brand to the tabletops of our American customers. 4. Did RAK insist on the name change? No, it was a joint decision made to further penetrate the fine dinnerware market in the United States. We both agreed we could increase sales, and we thought customers would appreciate the access to the growing global RAK brand. 5. Will/does Homer Laughlin manufacture high-end dinnerware as a complement to the RAK line? No. While HLC does manufacture pieces that mix well with the RAK line, RAK has a complete offering that takes care of virtually any customer need or request. In fact, it is for this reason that we entered into a relationship with RAK five years ago. They offer excellence in this category that we do not need to duplicate. 6. Who is RAK? Tell me about their company. RAK Porcelain is part of the internationally known RAK Ceramics Group of the UAE, the world’s leading maker of ceramic tile products and bathware products. RAK offers the finest products and exceptional durability at reasonable prices, and is on course to become the largest global player in the dinnerware market. RAK Porcelain is offered globally and is distributed in the United States exclusively by The Kenilworth Trading Company, a member of the Homer Laughlin China Company® (HLC Inc.) family of companies. 7. From the customer’s point of view, what is different? What is the same? The change in the backstamp is the only change in the actual dinnerware that any customer will see. On the delivery side, customers will likely see a positive change — shorter lead times because of the multiplying of warehouse space here in the United States. The Kenilworth Trading Company has invested in a new warehouse that employs KTC staff (versus a third-party warehouse). Our new warehouse nearly doubles the square footage relative to what was previously available. There will be no changes to the product or the line, and the popular dinnerware will still offer the same exciting contemporary designs and trends, the same high quality, and the same meticulous attention to detail. 8. What is the RAK brand’s niche in the total US dinnerware market? How does RAK compare against other players in the market? The RAK Porcelain brand will be shaped by its competitive advantages: • Unlike other imported porcelain lines, RAK is manufactured in one factory. This single sourcing ensures we have no color continuity issues and that our shapes match from order to order, year after year. • RAK offers a tremendous quality-to-price ratio, offering high manufacturing and material quality, consistency, and distinctive shapes that are attractively priced. 9. Can you speak to RAK quality? We like to say that anyone picking up a piece of RAK Porcelain will immediately feel the quality right in their hands. Anyone who knows and understands the commercial dinnerware business will say that RAK Porcelain is “as good as it gets.” RAK Porcelain uses only the _ nest clays and raw materials and state-of-the-art equipment that allows unsurpassed attention to detail and excellent durability. RAK employs the _ nest ceramic engineers and technicians, and their in-house and celebrity designers are world renowned. RAK’s selection process for flawless product produces fine dinnerware with an impeccable appearance that discriminating chefs, hoteliers, and customers will appreciate. 10. Can I buy RAK direct from RAK or other distributors in the market? HLC Inc., through its Kenilworth Trading Company, is proud to remain the only distributor of RAK in America with the rights to offer this fine dinnerware product. The RAK line (previously known as Kenilworth) is designed by leaders in the industry. That makes Kenilworth/RAK an extremely important part of the HLC family of companies.
 December 8, 2011—Newell, WV—The Homer Laughlin China Company (HLC) has relaunched the venerable Hall China foodservice line of specialty chinaware. Hall, acquired by Homer Laughlin in spring 2010, is being re-launched with a reduction in pricing on over 80% of the items in the line. The price reductions followed six quarters of investment in plant operations and the sharing of technologies between Homer Laughlin and Hall China specifically targeted at streamlining production capabilities. The price reductions were made effective September 1, 2011. Further proof of the excellent synergy between the formerly competing china companies, located only miles from each other, was the announcement in November 2011 of a new labor agreement that was marked by quick consensus and no threat of delay to the company’s day-to-day operations. The announcements of the price reduction and labor agreement followed through on the original incentive for Homer Laughlin’s acquisition of the neighboring china manufacturer—that Homer Laughlin and Hall China, by combining their manufacturing expertise, would be able to produce a lower-cost yet superior-quality product while improving the lives of everyday people working in both plants, revitalizing the region as a whole. Joseph M. Wells III, Homer Laughlin company president and CEO, says, “By bringing together two giants of the commercial dinnerware/tableware industry, we will be able to better leverage the knowledge and experience both companies have. We hope our respective customers will continue to look to us for the highest quality, value, and dependability.” To continue to reduce costs, the standard color offering for Hall has been reduced from several dozen colors to 16. These colors are Scarlet, Tangerine, Shamrock, Cobalt Blue, Paprika, Sunflower, Forest Green, Peacock, Maroon, Ivory, Green, Lenox Brown, Bright White, White, Black, and Brown. Hall has also added an all-over colored glaze program that complements Homer Laughlin’s colorations program on 28 popular items. The first joint venture from Hall and Homer will be the Divided Healthcare and Scoop Plates. Hall China is now part of the HLC family of companies, alongside Homer Laughlin and the Kenilworth line of fine dining china, bringing customers the most complete dinnerware offering in the industry. Homer Laughlin and Hall China, leaders in their respective specialties, together offer a comprehensive range of attractive, durable, and cost-effective commercial dinnerware, serving ware, bakeware, and tabletop accessories for foodservice institutions. About The Homer Laughlin China Company The Homer Laughlin China Company (HLC Inc.), founded in 1871, is the largest and one of the last domestic tableware manufacturers in the United States, employing over 800 skilled craftsmen in a 37-acre facility. Homer Laughlin China, Kenilworth fine dining china, and Hall China comprise the HLC Inc. family of companies. HLC’s diverse range of lead-free commercial dinnerware meets every conceivable need for today’s discerning chefs and restaurateurs. Setting the tone—not just the table—is at the heart of the HLC commitment to its customers. For more information, please contact the Homer Laughlin China Co., 672 Fiesta Drive, Newell, WV 26050. Phone: (800) 452-4462 . Fax: (304) 387-0593. Web: www.hlchina.com < http://www.hlchina.com > . Email: hlc@hlchina.com <mailto:hlc@hlchina.com > .  With 140 years experience the in dinnerware industry , The Homer Laughlin China Company stands as the largest remaining domestic tableware manufacturer in the United States, employing over 800 skilled craftsmen in a 37 acre facility. The Homer Laughlin China Company has pursued the issues that matter most to our customers: lead-free dinnerware, durability, forward thinking design and timely delivery. We knew many feel the love for HLC Dinnerware and it's great new catalog - pulling together the Homer-Laughlin, Hall China, and Kenilworth brands - but recently an Ohio man felt the love so much that he asked his then-girlfirend/now-fiance t0 marry him on a visit to the venerable West Virginia factory. HLC Marketing Director Dan Williams was happy to help out.....and, yes - she said "yes". Read the entire story by going here: http://www.wtov9.com/news/29270892/detail.html  Today's really cool item is actually not an tabletop item....it's a whole catalog of items. The new HLC Dinnerware catalog incorporates the Homer Laughin brand, the Hall China brand, and the Kenilworth (RAK Porcelain) brands. This a such major step forward for this venerable American company - including what may be the first tabletop product catalog we've seen with the new QR coding - with really terrific photography, pulling all their products into one single catalog. Additionally, the presentation of the Kenilworth line (outside the U.S., it is RAK porcelain) is another major step. This is a great product line that has some very creative items throughout its range. So....hats of to the HLC dinnerware folks for really stepping up with this new look catalog! |  
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