CHICAGO— Lodge Cast Iron has undertaken several new initiatives, including the appointment of a new CEO, building a new foundry and introducing an array of new cookware that will be presented at the International Home + Housewares Show, here.
The company has announced that Henry Lodge has been promoted to CEO, succeeding Bob Kellermann, who has acted as the company’s chairman and CEO since 2001. Kellermann, president of the company from 1984 to 2001, now serves as Lodge CEO emeritus until his retirement in December 2017. Henry Lodge will retire at the end of 2019. After Lodge’s retirement, the company will have its first ever non-Lodge/Kellermann family members in senior management positions and the company said it has developed a succession plan for a smooth transition.
In addition, Lodge is also set to complete its new 127,000-foot Lodge cast iron cookware foundry this year. The new foundry will include a new melt center, sand system and two sand casting molding machines, which should increase production capacity by 75%. Lodge currently manufactures between 1,800 and 8,000 pieces of foundry season cast iron cookware an hour, according to the company.
In addition to the new foundry, Lodge is also building a new 212,000-square foot distribution center, which is located in Chattanooga, TN.
As for cookware products, the company is debuting several new designs at IH+HS 2017. These include a stoneware line, a Dutch Oven cookbook, seasoned cast iron care kit and updated skillets.
Lodge stoneware products are molded out of natural clay. The pieces are fired at high temperatures, with red, blue and oyster white glazes, designed for oven to table use. Available in round, square, oval and rectangle, the stoneware range has a suggested retail price from $27.50 to $37.50.
The company has also updated its classic 10.25-inch and 12-inch cast iron skillets by adding a second loop handle. The updates ensure ease of storage for home cooks, the company said. The skillets work well on the grill and cooks may close the hood without primary handle concerns, according to Lodge. Made in the U.S., the 12-inch skillet carries a manufacturer’s suggested price of $39.50 and the 10.25-inch has a suggested retail price of $26.75.
The seasoned cast iron kit includes a 6-ounce bottle seasoning spray, pan scraper, round scrub brush, silicone hot handle holder and care brochure. It is available
for a suggested retail price of $26.
The company is also debuting
The Lodge Book of Dutch Oven
Cooking, by J. Wayne Fears. The
book gives users recipes and useful information on Dutch oven use, including baking bread, boiling seafood, frying eggs, stewing wild game, broiling meat and more. The cookbook is set to retail at $16.99.
