Current Events
Columbian Home Products Plant Tour
Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Location: Columbian Home Products, 1600 Beech St., Terre Haute, IN 47804
Schedule: 1:00 p.m. – Registration; 1:15 p.m. – Tour begins; 3:00 p.m. – Adjourn
Join PMA’s Indiana District for a tour of Columbian Home Products where we will see demonstrations in the areas of reverse drawing, multiple blank forming and multiple shape spinning. Additionally, we’ll see Columbian Home Products’ oldest press, built in 1918, and its newest, a 1982 vintage model. We'll also observe how they convert coiled steel to fabricated and finished shapes before coating them with enamel and curing the shapes before labeling, packaging and shipping the finished product.
Columbian Home Products got its start in Ohio in the mid-1800s as Bellaire Stamping Co., and moved to Illinois. The facility relocated to Terre Haute after the Illinois facility burned to the ground, as did the original Ohio factory – from a fire caused by its coal-fed, direct-fire curing furnaces.
When operations began in Terre Haute in 1902 the newly constructed building was equipped with a state-of-the-art fire protection system. Additionally, the name of the company was changed to the Columbian Enameling and Stamping Co. to capitalize on the success of the Columbian Exposition World’s Fair that opened in 1893.
The company has always manufactured porcelain-on-steel cookware and home use products. Columbian Enameling and Stamping Co. also manufactured steel helmets for American soldiers fighting in WWI.
In 1970 the privately held company was sold to General Housewares Corp., and in 1998 was resold back to a private investor. When the company was purchased in 1998, the name was changed to Columbian Home Products (CHP) in recognition of its heritage in Terre Haute.
Currently, the company manufactures a variety of fabricated steel cookware products coated with blue-black-or gray-tinted porcelain frit containing intermixed white crystal frit. Cookware sold by the company is branded with the GRANITE WARE name. Columbian Home Products is best known for its oval and rectangular roasters, eight -19-quart cooking pots, and large and small canners. These products are sold to mass merchants such as Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart and a variety of well-known retailers throughout the United States. Products also are exported to France, Iceland, Greece and Canada. In 2002 a licensing agreement was negotiated with the Cinsa Co., the largest Mexican manufacturer of porcelain-on-steel cookware, to sell and distribute Cinsa-manufactured products in the United States. This partnership has expanded the Columbian Home Products’ line of product offerings.
Cost: $35 per members; $45 per nonmember
Please note that Columbian Home Products reserves the right to review the list of tour registrants and deny any individual or company access to the manufacturing areas due to a competitive situation.
Register online or for information, contact:
Dietra Rosenkoetter
PMA Indiana District
Accounts Manager
Manufacturing Extension Partnership Center
Purdue University - TAP
6640 Intech Blvd., INTECH 10; Suite 120
Indianapolis, IN 46278-2012
Phone: 317-275-6812
Fax: 317-275-2375
dietra@purdue.edu
PMA Golf Outing
Indiana District Florida Scramble
Date: Monday, June 16, 2008
Location: Hillview Country Club, 1800 E. King St., Franklin, IN www.hillviewcountryclub.net
Schedule:1:00 p.m. - Shotgun start; Dinner & prizes following round
COST: $125 per member; $145 per nonmember
(Includes golf, cart, mulligan/team string, meal and prizes)
Limited to the first 72 players to sign up! Entry deadline: June 6, 2008
Sponsorships with Advertising
Hole Sponsorship - $100
Beverage Carts (2 available) - $300 each
Sponsor deadline: June 2, 2008
Register online or for information, contact:
Dietra Rosenkoetter
PMA Indiana District
Accounts Manager
Manufacturing Extension Partnership Center
Purdue University - TAP
6640 Intech Blvd., INTECH 10; Suite 120
Indianapolis, IN 46278-2012
Phone: 317-275-6812
Fax: 317-275-2375
dietra@purdue.edu
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