List of cast-iron cookware manufacturers

Most of the major manufacturers of cast-iron cookware began production in the late 1800s or early 1900s. Cast-iron cookware and stoves were especially popular among homemakers and housekeepers during the first half of the 20th century. Most American households had at least one cast-iron stove and cooking pan, and such brands as Griswold and Wagner Ware were especially popular; though several other manufacturers also produced kitchen utensils and cooking pots and pans at that time.

With the exception of Lodge Manufacturing, most American manufacturers of cast iron from this era such as Atlanta Stove Works, have been acquired by other corporations and no longer produce cast-iron cookware in the United States; however, cast-iron pots and pans from the early 20th century continue to see daily use among many households in the present day. They are also highly sought after by antique collectors and dealers. Among the rarest products were those produced in 1920. Exporting and trade flourished creating a shortage for U.S. consumers. The Atlanta 32 box became one of the rarest items in 1920 production. Exporting overseas created an increase in industry output for the following years. Manufacturing and industry contributed to the prosperity and growth of an era that would be known as the "Roaring 20's" marking a post-war national lifestyle change.

Griswold
See also: Griswold Manufacturing
  • Founded: 1865

Founded as the Seldon and Griswold Manufacturing Company, the Griswold company became known as the premier manufacturer of high-quality cast-iron kitchen items in the United States. The Griswold cast iron foundry was based in Erie, Pennsylvania; and until the early 1900s, cast-iron items from this company were marked with an "ERIE" logo. In the early 1900s, this was changed to a "GRISWOLD" logo, and it is this logo that is most commonly associated with Griswold cast-iron cookware.

Griswold filed for bankruptcy in 1957, and the company was acquired by Randall Corporation, who had also acquired Griswold's rival Wagner Ware in 1952. Randall sold both Wagner and Griswold to the General Housewares corporation in 1969, and they were the producers of these brands through the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. These brands were acquired by the American Culinary Corporation of Willoughby, Ohio, in 2000 when WagnerWare Corp. ceased operations in Sidney, Ohio.

Vollrath
See also: The Vollrath Company
  • Founded: 1874

The Vollrath Company was started in 1874 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, by Jacob J. Vollrath. The company manufactured porcelain enameled pots, pans, plates, cups and other kitchenware by coating cast iron with ceramic glaze, and Vollrath received a patent on "speckled" enameled glaze for household utensils in 1889. By the 1920s the Vollrath Company was producing a catalog of more than 800 products. It was affected by the Great Depression, and during World War II the company had moved exclusively into defense manufacturing. Production of cast-iron products for household use ceased during this era. Vollrath produced a Polio-Pak during the polio epidemic. It was among the first manufacturing companies in America to integrate computer technology.

Wagner Ware
  • Founded: 1881

Founded in Sidney, Ohio, as the Wagner Manufacturing Company, manufactured metal castings of light hardware for general stores and tin hollowware for government contract work. In 1891 their cast iron foundry went into operation, and it continued producing cast-iron cookware for over a century before closing in 1999. Wagner was acquired by the Randall Corporation in 1952, five years before the same company also purchased Griswold.

After Wagner and Griswold were brought under the Randall Company, the Erie cast iron foundry was closed, and all cast-iron items produced by the company were manufactured in Wagner's Ohio location. Wagner Ware cooking items continued to be produced from the 1960s through the 1990s.

In 2000, both the Griswold and Wagner brands were acquired by the American Culinary Corporation of Willoughby, Ohio.[1] The company continues to promote and produce Wagner products, under the Wagner and Griswold brands; however, new Wagner cast iron has not been produced since the Sidney foundry was closed in 1999.

Favorite
See also: Favorite Stove
  • Founded: 1887

In 1887 the Favorite Stove & Range Company moved to Piqua, Ohio, from Cincinnati, Ohio. The firm became Piqua's largest manufacturer. The company focused primarily on the manufacture of stoves and stove parts throughout its history, though it also produced several lines of mid-priced cast-iron pans from the 1910s through the 1930s. The death of owner Stanhope Boal in 1933 and the devastation of the Great Depression led to the company's liquidation in 1935.

Atlanta Stove Works
  • Founded: 1889

The Atlanta Stove Works company was founded in 1889 (originally named Georgia Stove Company) to produce cast-iron stoves. Initially, their business boomed to the point where in 1902, a separate foundry was built in Birmingham, Alabama, especially for the production of hollow ware and cast-iron cookware to supplement their stoves. This separate foundry was named Birmingham Stove & Range. From the early 1900s through the 1970s, Birmingham Stove & Range foundry produced a line of cast-iron pans that are described as "unmarked:" they had no manufacturer logo or other identifying mark. These "unmarked" cast-iron skillets and pans from Birmingham Stove & Range are widely available and used on a daily basis, even in the present day. Birmingham Stove & Range filed for bankruptcy in 1989, and their holdings were acquired by Lodge Manufacturing.

Lodge
See also: Lodge (company)
  • Founded: 1896

Founded in 1896 by Joseph Lodge, Lodge Manufacturing is one of America's oldest cookware companies in continuous operation. It is still owned and managed by the descendants of the Lodge family. Most cast iron sold by Lodge is produced in its foundry in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, which has been in operation since the company was founded.

Wapak
  • Founded: 1903

The Wapak Hollow Ware company was named after its hometown of Wapakoneta, Ohio, where it produced several lines of "thin wall" (lightweight manufacture) cast-iron skillets. Information about this company is scarce but bankruptcy in 1926 is the reason listed in the Auglaize County records for Wapak's disappearance.

The company utilized several different logos on its wares while in business. One of the company's more famous logos is the "Indian Head" logo which reads: "WAPAK HIGH GRADE HOLLOW WARE". The words are placed inside a circle with a bust of an American Indian chief in full headgear. Pieces bearing this "Indian logo" are the most prized by collectors of Wapak Hollow Ware today.

Le Creuset
See also: Le Creuset
  • Founded: 1925

Le Creuset is a French cookware manufacturer best known for its colorful enameled cast-iron casseroles and dutch ovens, which the company calls "French Ovens."

Krampouz
See also: Krampouz
  • Founded: 1949

Krampouz is a French cooking equipment manufacturer, renowned since its founding, for its cast-iron crepe makers. The company later developed additional ranges of products, based on its cast-iron expertise and including waffle irons and panini grills.

Borough Furnace
  • Founded: 2011

Borough Furnace is based in Syracuse, NY. All of their products are designed by John Truex. Borough Furnace seasons their products with flax seed oil and advertises their usage of recycled materials.

FINEX Cast Iron Cookware Company
  • Founded: 2012

FINEX is based in Portland, Oregon, and manufactures cast-iron cookware in the US. FINEX Cast Iron Cookware Company is a small team dedicated to making heirloom quality cast-iron cookware in the US. The company introduced several new concepts through a successful KickStarter Campaign in 2013.[2] In August 2019, Lodge announced acquisition of FINEX.[3]

NEST Homeware
  • Founded: 2013

Nest Homeware is a small company based in Providence, RI, specializing in beautifully designed cast iron cookware. Nest is managed by its founder and principal designer, Matt Cavallaro.

TAKU Ironware Company
  • Founded: 2014

TAKU manufactures cast-iron cookware (pans, pots, kettles...) in Taichung, Taiwan. TAKU also uses local artists to create unique cast-iron cookware. This first retail store outside of Taiwan is located in Cupertino, CA.

Stargazer Cast Iron
  • Founded: 2015

Stargazer Cast Iron is based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and produces cookware in the US. They are an e-commerce retailer, and their products can only be purchased direct via the company's website. Stargazer Cast Iron's cookware is available bare or seasoned.

Marquette Castings
  • Founded: 2016

Marquette Castings designs investment cast-iron cookware in Royal Oak, Michigan, and manufactures in the US and China.

Smithey Ironware Company
  • Founded: 2015[4]

The Smithey Ironware Company manufactures cast-iron skillets (10-inch and 12-inch) in Charleston, South Carolina. Smithey skillets are carried in specialty shops across the United States and may also be purchased online.[5]

Butter Pat Industries
  • Founded: 2013

Butter Pat Industries manufactures smooth cast-iron skillets, without machining, milling or grinding. Based in Easton, Maryland Butter Pat skillets are available for purchase online.[6]

Ferleon
  • Founded: 2017

Ferleon is a family-owned company that produces a range of enameled cast iron cookware products at their foundry in Weelde, Belgium. Customers have the ability to customize these products to their liking through an online store. [7]

Milo
  • Founded: 2018

Milo is a Los Angeles based company that manufactures kitchen essentials. They launched in 2018 with a cast iron enameled Dutch Oven. They sell exclusively online from their website and have a lifetime warranty on their products. [8]

The Field Company

Field Skillets are manufactured in Wisconsin and Indiana and the focus is on creating lighter weight cast iron. The pans have a smooth finish. [9]

Solidteknics

Solidteknics manufactures cast iron cookware in Australia and the USA with multi-century warranties.

Modern-day importers

Several companies import cast-iron cookware of Chinese manufacture and market these products in America. Known American marketers of Chinese cast-iron cooking equipment include Bayou Classic, Camp Chef, Coleman, Lodge enameled pans, Old Mountain and Texsport.

Challenger Breadware

Challenger Breadware's upside-down Dutch ovens are manufactured in Wisconsin, and they're designed for baking bread, especially artisan bread, in a home oven. [10]

See also

References
  1. "American Culinary Cookware - Magnalite, Wagner Ware, MagPro". Americanculinarycorp.com. Retrieved 2017-10-21.
  2. "FINEX Cast Iron Cookware Co. |".
  3. "Major cast iron maker acquires Portland startup". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2019-08-15.
  4. Ouellette, Jenny (July 2016). "Hot Stuff". Retrieved November 29, 2017. Smithey Ironware was established in 2015 (its name a play on the iron-smith trade), and Morton’s first 10-inch skillet sold in December
  5. "Home | Smithey Ironware". Smithey Ironware. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  6. "Home | Butter Pat Industries". Butter Pat Industries. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
  7. "Home | Ferleon Cast Iron Cookware". Ferleon. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
  8. "Milo | High Quality Kitchen Essentials". Milo. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
  9. "The Field Company - Smoother, Lighter Cast Iron Skillets".
  10. "Challenger Breadware - Bread Pan for Any Bread Baking".
  • Wagner and Griswold Society – Association of hobbyists and antique collectors specializing in cast-iron cookware
  • Birmingham Stove & Range – Information on cast iron from Atlanta Stove Works, still used and sold (by antique dealers) across the country today
  • The Wagner's 1891 Original Cast Iron Skillet – A page with information on the last line of cast-iron pans produced by Wagner in the 1990s (often mistaken by dealers and collectors as vintage 19th-century cast iron)
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