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Wal-Mart. While it’s possible another manufacturer could try to enter the market, the barrier to entry is the distribution system. Lodge has been doing business with Wal-Mart for 30 years and the relationship is well established. “If a large retailer is going to make


a big change, such as adding product to more stores, they know we need four to six months’ notice,” Lodge said. Te brand is well-recognized—


Lodge Manufacturing utilizes the Inductotherm ARMS (Automated Robotic Melt Shop) System to protect their employees by relocating them safely away from the melt deck.


line, where raw cast iron pans and pots are guided through a thorough clean- ing process that involves stone-like scrubbing media and soap scouring the cookware clean. An additional seasoning line was also added. Te unique washing and seasoning process provides Lodge’s cookware with a smooth, clean, cosmetic finish and a dark patina associated with Grandma’s heirloom skillet. Te company initially hired 25 people to handle the added production. A day after the entire expansion


was complete, Lodge Manufacturing was again at 100% capacity.


Brand Recognition In 2005, Lodge Manufactur-


ing hired a full-time public relations professional to promote the company and products, developing long-term relationships with chefs, cooking groups, magazines and newspaper food writes. Tis has enabled Lodge to obtain almost priceless publicity for cast iron cookware in general and the Lodge brand. In-house marketing helped steer


the company in what to plan for in the 2013-2014 expansion, which was to be the first phase in a three-phase expan- sion process. But plans have changed. “Up until four years ago, our


“Our people realize its not just a nameless entity we are selling to,” said Mike Whitfield, vice president of manufacturing, regarding the Lodge employees’ pride in the cookware. “When it’s out of the plant, it’s going to a per- son or a store they know.”


24 | MODERN CASTING December 2015


in-house marketing was tracking the trends very closely to what was happening in the market,” Lodge said. “But the growth of the last four years has astonished all of us.” Lodge Manufacturing has doubled its sales since 2009. Te extreme growth of the last five years is causing the cookware manufacturer to rethink its original three-phase plan for some- thing that adds more capacity sooner. Te planning team is also strategizing in 10-year increments instead of five. “We feel more urgency for addi-


tional capacity now than we did when we started the most recent expansion,” Lodge said. As the only U.S. manufacturer of a


full line of cast iron cookware, Lodge Manufacturing is the go-to source of retail giants such as Amazon and


thanks, in part, to the Lodge name cast-in on the helper handles of many of its skillets and shown in countless magazine features, TV specials and cookbooks. More products have been released, as well. In the last few years, Lodge began offering enameled cast iron cookware, which it sources from China, and carbon steel pans it sources locally. Additional product develop- ment in cast iron is on hold due to the capacity constraints. “We are now trying to look at a


more optimistic scope of what we need to accommodate growth,” Shouse said. “Even if the growth rate slows down, it’s still a lot of pounds to add.” No solid decision has been made


yet on how to accommodate the con- tinued growth, except that the com- pany does want to meet the challenge. Te company expects it will need to double its existing capacity in the next year or two. “We intend to keep going.” Lodge


said. Shouse added: “We do feel like we need to keep it rolling.”


Photo courtesy of Inductotherm Corp.


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