Oneida Limited

Oneida Limited (Template:IPAc-en) is an American manufacturer and seller of tableware and cutlery. Oneida is one of the world's largest designers and sellers of stainless steel and silverplated cutlery and tableware for the consumer and foodservice industries; it is also the largest supplier of dinnerware to the foodservice industry in North America.<ref>"Monomoy Capital Partners Acquires Oneida Ltd".</ref>

The company operates in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, and Asia, marketing and distributing tabletop products including flatware, dinnerware, crystal stemware, glassware, and kitchen tools and gadgets.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Origins

The company arose from the Oneida Community, established in Oneida, New York in 1848.<ref>cf. Oneida Circular, Oneida: Oneida Community, 1873. p. 193.</ref><ref>C. N. Robertson, Oneida Community: An autobiography, 1851-1876. Syracuse: University Press, 1970. pp. 14-23.</ref> The Oneida Association (later Oneida Community) was founded by a small group of Christian Perfectionists led by John Humphrey Noyes, Jonathan Burt, George W. Cragin, Harriet A. Noyes, George W. Noyes, John L. Skinner and a few others.<ref>C. N. Robertson,Oneida Community, an autobiography. pp. 10-15.</ref> In 1880, after more than 30 years operating as a commune, the Oneida Community voted to transfer much of the common property to a joint-stock company to be known as Oneida Community Ltd. effective January 1, 1881.<ref>C.N. Robertson, Oneida Community, the breakup, 1876-1881. Syracuse: University Press, 1972. pp. 301-311.</ref>

Oneida Community Ltd. was one of the earliest joint-stock companies in the U.S. Its founders’ religious philosophy helped inform the early development of the company, in which members of the former Oneida Community became shareholders. Its progressive nature also allowed for a woman, Harriet Joselyn, to sit on the board of directors — a departure from the norm of the time.<ref name="OneidaStory">Template:Cite web</ref>

Oneida Community started production of silver-plated flatware and hollow-ware in 1899 using the "Community Plate" mark. The Oneida Community purchased the Wm A. Rogers company in 1881. In 1929, the merged company began producing a somewhat lower-quality line of products using those companies’ marks. In 1935, Oneida Community changed its name to Oneida Ltd.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Post-war growth

Oneida Limited successfully adapted to the difficult economic conditions of the First World War and Second World War. Throughout both of these world economic upheavals, Oneida adapted its manufacturing capabilities. During World War I, Oneida produced ammunition clips, lead-plated gas shells, combat knives, and surgical instruments; during World War II, the company added Army trucks, aircraft survival kits, and jet engine parts to its manufacturing repertoire.<ref name="OneidaStory"/>

File:Community Commando Vol.1. Num. 17.jpg

Oneida made many goods for the war.

The company then managed an innovative transition to the manufacture of stainless steel flatware in 1961, which eventually dwarfed its production of silver-plated flatware.<ref name="Replacements">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1976, Oneida purchased the Camden Wire Co., Inc., a major manufacturer of industrial wire products.

By the 1980s, Oneida made at least half of all flatware purchased in the U.S..<ref name="OneidaStory"/> In 1983, the company acquired Rena-Ware, a Bellevue-based kitchenware manufacturer with a majority international operations; they sold Rena-ware three years later.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1984, Oneida acquired D.J. Tableware, a flatware and china manufacturer that targeted the foodservice industry.

Modern era

At the end of the 1990s, the company encountered tough economic times but tried to hold on to its mantle as the last remaining U.S.-based manufacturer of flatware, knives, forks, and spoons. The events surrounding 9/11 negatively affected the hospitality and consumer tableware markets. In November 2003, Oneida sold its 100-year-old Buffalo China plant and four overseas factories in Mexico, China, and Italy.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref> In February 2004, it sold off more assets to BC Acquisition Co. LLC for $5.5 million.<ref>"Oneida Ltd. Finds Buyer For Buffalo China's Assets"</ref> Eventually, the manufacturing facilities in Sherrill, New York were sold to Sherrill Manufacturing on March 22, 2005.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1996, Oneida Limited acquired THC Systems, Inc. and its team of professionals, which operated under the name Rego China.<ref>"Oneida Ltd. Acquires China Importing Firm"</ref>

Oneida Limited transitioned from its manufacturing history and focused on design and marketing of globally sourced products. Sales, marketing, advertising, procurement, customer service, legal and operational support are still based in Oneida, New York. In 2006, the company was taken private. Oneida no longer operates manufacturing in the United States.<ref name="OneidaStory"/>

Partly as a consequence of the economic blowback from 9/11, Oneida Limited's sales fell more than $157 million.<ref name="NYT">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2006, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. After stabilizing financially and reducing its debt load, the company was purchased by a group of hedge funds led by Monarch Alternative Capital.<ref name="NYT"/> At the beginning of 2009, Oneida announced that they were transitioning away from company-owned outlet stores due to poor financial results, but retaining the original Sherrill, New York outlet store.<ref>"Oneida Ltd. closing outlet stores"</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In September 2010, Oneida launched a new website, Oneida.com.

Oneida Limited was acquired by Monomoy Capital Partners, a mid-sized New York City equity fund, in November 2011.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2012, Monomoy merged Oneida with Anchor Hocking and created EveryWare Global.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In January 2014, EveryWare Global announced its plans to close its regional office and the Oneida outlet store, both in Sherrill, NY, with the process starting in April.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The original Oneida outlet store in Sherrill, New York, was closed April 26, 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> EveryWare Global filed for bankruptcy in 2015.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> EveryWare Global was renamed The Oneida Group in 2017.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

In January 2019, The Oneida Group sold the majority of its foodservice business (excluding Anchor Hocking glassware) to Crown Brands, LLC.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Subsequently, in January 2020, Crown Brands renamed itself to Oneida Hospitality Group.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Oneida Consumer LLC, including the Oneida brand, was acquired by competitor Lenox Corporation in June 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On July 13, 2021, The Oneida Group was renamed Anchor Hocking Holdings, Inc.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Operations

Manufacturing

Oneida has had a variety of manufacturing facilities and capabilities throughout its existence. In addition to tableware, the company began by manufacturing silk, traps, and chains. It phased out these enterprises as they became less profitable. In 1916, Oneida opened its first international factory in Niagara Falls, Ontario.<ref name="OneidaStory"/>

File:Community Commando Vol. 2 Num. 3.jpg

Oneida was a major WW2 manufacturer.

During World War II, Oneida purchased a factory in Canastota, New York, to manufacture army trucks, aircraft survival kits, and jet engine parts.<ref name="OneidaStory"/>

Throughout the '60s and '70s, Oneida's workforce grew from 2,000 to 3,000, and it transitioned into manufacturing stainless steel flatware. Starting in 1977, and continuing throughout the '80s and '90s, Oneida acquired orthogonal manufacturing companies manufacturing such items as wire, flatware, and china. To compete with international manufacturing, Oneida implemented high-volume manufacturing lines. It also opened new factories throughout the world: a dinnerware factory in Juarez, Mexico; flatware factory in Toluca, Mexico; a holloware factory in Shanghai, China; and a holloware factory in Vercelli, Italy.<ref name="auto">Template:Cite web</ref> It closed those factories in 2004. The factory in upstate New York was sold to Liberty Tabletop, sole manufacturer of U.S.-made flatware.

Since its acquisition by Monomoy Capital Partners, Oneida has manufactured its products across North America, South America, Asia, and Europe by means of 50 manufacturing contracts.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref>

Advertising

Starting in 1899, Coles Phillips illustrated dozens of ads for the company, which was then known as Oneida Community.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Noteworthy artists Maxfield Parrish and Jon Whitcomb also illustrated advertisements for Oneida's products.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Oneida also focused on print advertisements in home, fashion, bridal, and epicurean publications, and was one of the first to employ celebrity spokespeople such as Bob Hope.<ref name="NYT"/> Oneida inaugurated the practice by employing Irene Castle to promote its wares.

During the 1960s, Deutsch Inc. worked on Oneida's advertising.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> More recently, Oneida's advertising campaigns have won several Clio Awards.<ref>"Chris Collins: beyond trends"</ref>

Brands

Oneida Limited serves various customer segments by selling different brands of banquetware, flatware, glassware, and tableware. Its foodservice industry brands are Schonwald, Sant'Andrea, Oneida, and Buffalo. Its consumer products include the Oneida, Westminster and Stanley Rogers brands.<ref name="OneidaStory"/>

Schonwald

Oneida Limited is the exclusive American marketer and distributor of Schonwald foodservice dinnerware.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The line is known for its trendsetting designs, advanced technology, and high quality. Schonwald is the company's 5-star luxury brand of foodservice dinnerware.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sant'Andrea

Oneida Limited established the European-based Sant'Andrea brand in 1990. The line focuses on premium stainless steel or traditional silverplate flatware.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Oneida, through its Italian subsidiary, Sant'Andrea, S.r.l., acquired Table Top Engineering & Design, S.r.l. in 1998. TTE&D had been the primary manufacturer of its Sant'Andrea line of fine foodservice dinnerware.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Oneida

File:Silver plated Oneida tea set.jpg

Silver-plated tea service manufactured by Oneida

Oneida Limited’s main line has been available since the company’s very beginning. The Oneida line is broken up into three sub-lines: Oneida Flatware, Oneida Holloware, and Oneida Dinnerware.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Oneida line of flatware and dinnerware is used by fine dining establishments, family restaurants, and hotels.

Buffalo

In 1983, Oneida Limited purchased Buffalo China, Inc., at the time one of the country’s largest makers of commercial chinaware.<ref name="OneidaStory"/> After Oneida’s 2004 series of factory closings and sales, Buffalo China ceased manufacturing, but Oneida retained the Buffalo China trademark and logos; it also retained the Buffalo China warehouse in Buffalo, New York.<ref name="auto"/> The Buffalo Collection is Oneida’s casual line of dinnerware, focusing on durability, practicality, and detail.

External links

• Template:Official website
• Oneida Community Mansion House
• Sherrill website