WV Glass Trip: Day Three

Early potter production

Pottery employees in the 1900's

Clay before being cut into blanks

Today started out with disappointing news, but actually turned out to be a very interesting and fulfilling day.  First we went to the Museum of Ceramics in East Liverpool, Ohio.  Here we learned about the history of pottery in the area surrounding East Liverpool, including early potteries, manufacturing techniques, and products.  It was very interesting learning about the teamwork that went into producing ceramics, much like what goes into producing glass.  It was surprising to learn that in many factories, not only was fine china produced, but also necessities such
as bathroom fixtures as well as sewer pipes.
The next stop was the Homer Laughlin China in Newell, West Virginia, which is the largest single producer of china in the world.  Initially we were unable to tour the factory due to the extreme heat, but Lady Luck bestowed us with her good graces, and we were able to take a fantastic tour.  The facility was impressive to say the least; its shear scale was absolutely shocking.  Though there is some degree of mechanization, the factory still relied on human skill heavily.  In fact, it is by far
the largest employer in the area, with over 1000 skilled employees. As we wound our way though the facility (becoming more and more disoriented), everything that goes into making the bowl sitting in front of you at the table became increasingly impressive.  From the massive kilns, jiggers, and robot-assisted automated presses, that piece of dinnerware taken for granted by so many suddenly seems not so simple.

Sorting dinnerware after being fired

Throughout the tour, in addition to explanations of the machines themselves, we also gained insight into the future of ceramic manufacturing.  Though

Worker starting the robotic production line

the most recognizable product of Homer Laughlin is of course the Fiesta line of dinnerware, the real bread and butter is the sale of restaurant and hotel grade ware.  In addition to this, there is much promise in branching out to other products such as spark plugs, electric insulators, ceramic bearings, etc: the sky is really the limit.  This harks back to what we learned at the museum.  Factories then commonly produced everything from fine china to sewer pipes.  Think about this diversity.  Why do you think it might be important for companies to produce things other than dinnerware, even though business is booming, and they are making billions of dollars.  What are other examples of the advantages of diversity in the natural world, and how is this important for survival?