American Culinary Corporation

This is only our opinion but there are fewer crafted items still being produced in the USA that can be considered iconic. One such item is the iron skillet. Maybe you own one or maybe you remember your grandmother cooking with one or perhaps you have a favorite iron pan you take with you on camping trips.

What qualities do we like about iron skillets? For one, they have a rustic quality that hearkens to a long ago era. But the appeal goes beyond aesthetics. Quality iron skillets are easier to cook with, they can withstand higher temperatures, and are easier to clean. Because of their intrinsic material quality, these types of cookware can last practically forever.

Certainly there are a few well known iron skillet brand names. Two well recognized iron skillet names are Wagner and Griswold. One company, the American Culinary Corporation, produces both of these product lines right here in the USA. There really isn't much more we can say about these USA made iron skillets because their good reputation is already widely known.

This is an excerpt from their Facebook page about their history:

Company Overview
The American Culinary Legacy began in 1865 when Mathew Griswold formed the Griswold Manufacturing Company in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA. Those legendary metal crafters had little competition until 1881 when Bernard and Milton Wagner of the Wagner Holloware Co. in Sidney, Ohio, USA entered the market.

In 1891, American craftsmanship blossomed when William and Louis Wagner joined their brothers and The Wagner Manufacturing Company was born. There was fierce competition between these American icons. The brothers at Wagner Mfg. had one mission; to design and manufacture cookware that would be "The World Standard of Culinary Excellence". The pioneering, brothers developed the chemistry of blending metal and were the first in America to cast; iron, aluminum and blended metal cookware. They forged a legacy of innovation, design, patents, proprietary metal, educating consumers with presentation standards and developed the original, less water cookware and in time bought out their competitor, Griswold Manufacturing Co..

We are the oldest and most esteemed cookware crafters in America. No one has received more Gold Medals and International Awards than us. Our equipment is testimony to over 122 years of dedication to: design and manufacture, unsurpassed in quality and value. The Wagner brothers are gone but, the proprietary metal formula, trade secrets, designs, blueprints, tooling, molds, patterns, manufacturing facilities, intellectual property, property rights, goodwill of Griswold and Wagner were acquired and are now owned by American Culinary Corporation......for "Generation to Generations"

https://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Culinary-Corporation/143573378610?ref=ts

We have provided a link to their Facebook page if you would like more information about these USA made goods. If you have read this article, we thank you and welcome your comments.

It has been a while since we made a post about any USA made products. There is a simple explanation. Before we will write about any company, we seek approval from the company or corporation. While free recognition is probably welcome, our concern is that we do not want to infringe on copyrights or create misrepresentations. We think it is best if the companies know our intentions. That being said, approval can take some time.

Please feel free to contact us with recommendations regarding USA companies. We are primarily concerned with those companies producing goods within USA.

Craft and Art

In the past year I have become fond of one particular website, ETSY. What is Etsy? Well, it probably means a lot of things to many different people. But it is a site where people from all over the world can buy and sell unique wares. It is interesting because many of the items are handmade. Artisans of all types can be found here; from woodworkers, potters, knitters, quilters, carpenters, painters, and so much more. There are also people who, re-purpose or recycle items in such a way that they can be used again. I like it mostly because it has the ability to inspire me; I can see the creativity of others. You can find the site on the link here http://www.etsy.com/

Alabama's sweet manufacturing boom - Apr. 11, 2012

I found this article on CNN Money. It discusses the apparent manufacturing boom in Alabama. It's a good read and really demonstrates the fact that incentives are important for business growth here in USA. Overall, the article is very encouraging for the future job market in manufacturing for Alabama.

Alabama's sweet manufacturing boom - Apr. 11, 2012

Made in USA

We are researching USA companies that produce goods here in USA. Why? Well, we are concerned, just as many people are, about the apparent decline of the manufacturing industry in the United States. Many people feel that this decline is one of many reasons our economy has suffered in the recent decade (there has probably been a decline over a few decades but that is certainly debatable and not something we wish to get into now).

We want to promote USA companies because we believe that this could help our overall economy. Yet, we are not deluded by the notion that simple promotion is the sole answer to our economic problems. Obviously, jobs need to be created. Undoubtedly, there is a bit of a "Catch-22" here since the jobs won't be created without higher demand for the very same products and industry we seek to promote. Regardless, we feel compelled to help.

There are many questions and concerns we have regarding USA made products. Ultimately, many of these questions will probably have varying degrees of importance and/or interest for many consumers. Here is just one question; When confronted with the cost of a shirt, for example, will Americans be willing to spend $30.00 for a USA made shirt or will they decide to walk into (insert store name here) and spend that same $30.00 because the shirts are cheaper there and they can buy three shirts instead of one?

Well, we already have the answer to that one. All you need to do is to look around and see what people are buying. Yes, from a personal economic stand point it does make sense for people to buy the cheaper shirts. But it doesn't make sense if you have to sacrifice quality.

Now, I am sure many people are well aware of the many issues surrounding how and where these cheaper goods are made. Many of these issues can be contentious but any amount of heated debate is really unnecessary. We have talked about these issues with many people. Perhaps you have had similar conversations with people you know. But here are some conclusions we have come to. Keep in mind this is just our opinion.

I am sure many people will disagree with what follows but just bare with me for a moment. Now, set aside any political, ethical and even economic concern you might raise regarding whether or not to buy USA made goods. For us, the choice is clear. When you buy USA made goods (from a reputable company of course) there are a couple of things that you can feel good about. First, USA made products are excellent quality. Second, when you buy USA made products (many of these companies are family owned) the money has a better likelihood of staying here and helping our economy. There are many other benefits to consider but we will try to address those in upcoming posts.

Again, we don't want to give the impression that there is a simple solution to this problem. It won't be solved today, tomorrow, and probably not even several years from now. Yet we sincerely do believe supporting the efforts of workers here in USA is the best thing that we can do.

In the days to come we will do our best to feature USA companies that we feel are providing quality products. It is a daunting task indeed. If there is a company you are familiar with and would like to see featured, please let us know. We will take your suggestions into consideration. Thank you.