Something Old, Something New

America’s Last Remaining Major Dinnerware Manufacturer, Homer Laughlin China Company™, Celebrates 75 Years of Fiesta Dinnerware® with Expanded Line and New Collection

Newell, WV (March 6, 2011) – Fiesta Dinnerware’s signature concentric circles and rainbow of colors evoke the warmth and nostalgia that Americans are craving today. Many remember grandma’s kitchen growing up and who gets their favorite color Fiesta plate at dinnertime.

But, while many are familiar with the iconic Fiesta brand, they may not be as familiar with the company that makes it – The Homer Laughlin China Company™. The company, like its popular brand, is also celebrating a significant anniversary this year: 140 years! Today it is the last major china manufacturer in the United States; competing brands have closed their American factories and taken production overseas.

And while Homer Laughlin is known for producing the wildly popular Fiesta brand, it’s also an industry leader in the foodservice world. In fact, next time you’re dining out, flip your plate over…chances are you’ll find the Homer Laughlin logo and the “Made in the USA” stamp on the back.

Since Homer Laughlin’s early beginnings, it has pledged to continue producing quality American-made china, providing jobs for the potters of the Ohio Valley. Employing more than 950 people at its mile-long plant in the small town of Newell, West Virginia, Homer Laughlin is taking the industry by storm.

As the Fiesta brand celebrates its 75th anniversary, not much has changed since its early beginnings. In addition to its signature concentric circular design and vibrant colors, Fiesta is still lead free, microwave and dishwasher safe, oven proof, and offers an unmatched five-year chip replacement warranty.

Fiesta continues to do better than ever among consumers; it’s the top-selling casual dinnerware pattern in the USA and is a top contender in bridal registries.

Homer Laughlin, Then and Now
Homer Laughlin recently held a contest asking Fiesta enthusiasts and avid collectors about their favorite Fiesta memories. Response was nothing shy of overwhelming.

“There is such a wide range of collectors and enthusiast out there. Many of them began collecting because a family member or friend introduced them to the brand. We heard numerous stories of up to four generations sharing their love of Fiesta,” explains Rich Brinkman, vice president of sales and marketing for Homer Laughlin. “It is heartwarming to know that Fiesta played such a large role in so many families’ most special memories from childhood up to the present and the new memories for those just beginning to add this American icon.”

Still family-owned, Homer Laughlin looks to the future with an expanded Fiesta offering that appeals to collectors of all generations – young and old alike.

Fiesta has become a lifestyle brand with enthusiasts incorporating it into every aspect of their dining and cooking experiences. In addition to the traditional Fiesta table setting, there is a complete collection of coordinating must-have items: square Fiesta, new bakeware pieces, a holiday collection, America’s Diner/Bistro collection, licensed products like cutlery, Tervis® Tumblers, glassware, flatware, linens, and more.

75th Anniversary Collection
The company has led up to the 75th anniversary of Fiesta Dinnerware with much planning and excitement. For the last several seasons, Homer Laughlin issued a series of limited edition pieces in anniversary color Marigold:

 - 2008: 3-Piece Baking Bowl Set – Retired September 1st 2009 in Marigold
 - 2009: Oval Serving Platter - Retired September 1st 2010 in Marigold
 - 2010: 2-PC Prep Bowl Set in Marigold – Will retire September 1st 2011 in Marigold
 - 2011: Limited edition Soup Tureen (only 10,000 numbered pieces will be made) and an expanded dinnerware collection also will be available in Marigold

Each item is only available for a 75-week time frame. “Collectors are clamoring to get their hands on these special pieces,” says Brinkman. Anyone who follows vintage Fiesta knows that limited edition dinnerware is worth plenty – retired pieces can garner hundreds and some even into the thousands at auction.

About Fiesta® Dinnerware, Made In The USA
Designed by Frederick Hurten Rhead in 1936, Fiesta Dinnerware is now the most collected china in the United States and among the most collected china in the world. It has been featured on many popular TV programs, including ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover and the Today Show. The product was discontinued in 1973 and reissued in 1986 with new contemporary colors to mark its 50th anniversary. Its unique Art Deco style has landed Fiesta Dinnerware in the collections of numerous museums from the Smithsonian Institution to the Andy Warhol Museum. For more information, visit: homerlaughlin.com.

About The Homer Laughlin China Company™
The Homer Laughlin China Company is the last major plate, saucer and cup manufacturer in the country, employing more than 850 employees at its factory in Newell, WV. In the restaurant and hospitality category, the company’s china dates back to the late 1800s and the production of white “ware”. It was in 1936 that Homer Laughlin introduced its colorful Fiesta dishes. Today, this distinctive brand is featured on dining tables across the country and coveted by a large, enthusiastic group of collectors. Backed by a 130 plus history in the industry, Homer Laughlin continues to dominate in dinnerware—committed to its craft, its workforce, its region, and its country. For additional information, visit: hlchina.com.

Contact:
Danielle Elderkin
Cover Story Communications, Inc.
800.928.6613, x1
danielle@coverstorycom.com
elderkinda@yahoo.com