Another page gets turned in the challenging story of tabletop production in the U.S. as consumer brand Lenox China has announced it will close its Kinston, North Carolina factory, according to several industry publications.
The 218,000 square foot factory produced the fine bone china collections for Lenox and those now will be designed in the U.S. and produced offshore.
Not a big influencer in the hospitality tabletop sector in the past several decades, aside from some country club and corporate board room sector business, Lenox struggled for years in hospitality without gaining traction against much more aggressive and sector focused competitors. When asked, current Lenox CEO Mads Ryder told industry publication HFN “it would be too expensive to reopen” adding that Lenox will sell the building and the land, and is currently looking for a buyer.
So, while the Lenox brand was not successful within the hospitality sector, let’s hope its overall brand strength will allow it to continue marketing to consumer households.
This ends another sad U.S. manufacturing story with evidently the final push over the edge coming at the hands the current COVID-19 coronavirus situation.
