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The Longaberger Basket Company is shaking things up at the manufacturing plant, from the basket making process up to the location of their processing plant. The company says that the changes are being made both in an effort to streamline operations at the company, but also in an effort to save energy and increase productivity.

The changes in the basket will come in the stain used to finish the baskets. The company will convert to a roller system staining the basket before they are woven rather than spraying them afterwards. The move will not only use less of the stain but will also make the entire process more energy efficient.

Along with the changes in the basket making process, the company will move its basket making plant from Hartville to Frazeysburg. The current plant will be shut down. The 30 employees at the current plant are being given the option to move to Frazeysburg. If they choose not to make the move, they will be paid through the first of the year and receive career counseling.

“This is a landmark manufacturing improvement that will lead us into the next generation of basket making while at the same time solidify our commitment to our century-old craft,” said Kelly Walker, Longaberger’s vice president of operations. “These process improvements put us in a better position to make dramatic reductions in our annual energy consumption and raw materials use. Our goal is to integrate process improvement with environmental stewardship.”

The company would like to assure all of its loyal customers that while the basket making process will change slightly the quality of the baskets and the Longaberger brand itself will remain intact.  Just hope they dont decide to change the look of the corporate office which is by far one of the coolest buildings around.

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Longaberger has just announced that their annual convention for its independent home consultants, will be closed to the media.

The convention, being held this week, is the 27^th annual convention for the company and this will be the first time ever that it will be closed to the media. This year’s convention will be held at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus Ohio.

Hundreds of consultants from across the country come to the convention every year. Traditionally, the annual convention serves as a chance for company leaders to introduce new products as well as recognize leading distributors.

The Bee, as the convention is called, is actually nine days of three separate conferences. Consultants will get a chance to hear from Tami Longaberger, CEO and President of Longaberger. Other Longaberger family members speak as well to motivate the crowd of participants.

In past years, media coverage has allowed those who could not be in attendance to hear secondhand reports of what went on, but this year they want the consultants to hear everything directly from Longaberger executives, firsthand. This year, Longaberger will be revealing some brand new products that have been kept top secret, and they feel they want to make it worth the trip for the estimated 10,000 people coming from all over to be a part of the excitement.

Hopefully they won’t keep everything too secretive and we can report to you next week about what went on and what these “top secret” new products are.

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Longaberger has just announced that for the first time ever, they will offer their products at a retail store outside their home state of Ohio.

The new store, which will open for a six month trial period, will open at the Jelly Belly Candy Co’s Distribution Center in Pleasant Prairie Wisconsin. While Longaberger has taken its factory store on the road to events with partner companies, they have never opened a retail location for any extended period of time.

The new store, the first large scale retail operation for the basket company, will sell retired baskets, pottery and wrought iron. Longabergers only other retail operation is a smaller scale store near the Longaberger Headquarters in Ohio.

“They gave us a tremendous opportunity to take advantage of space they have available,” Longaberger spokesman Tom Matthews said. “We had an opportunity presented to us and decided to give it a go.”

After the six month trial, the company will decide whether or not to keep the store open and will also decide whether or not to open other locations around the country. While Longaberger does not disclose its sales numbers, a spokesperson said that June and July were both strong months and exceeded expectations after a rough patch during the spring.

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There was a very special birthday announcement made on the Today Show July 16th. Willard Scott, who famously sends out happy birthday wishes to those who have reach the 100 year + mark each morning on the show, announced the one-hundredth birthday of Bonnie Longaberger, the mother of the founder of the Longaberger basket company, Dave Longaberger.

Bonnie Longaberger not only received attention from the national morning show, but also received well wishes from the thousands of Longaberger sales associates who fondly refer to her as “Grandma Bonnie.”

Longaberger was founded by Bonnie’s son Dave in 1973 and Bonnie herself served as an inspiration for the company and many of its products, including their popular daffodil basket.

“Grandma Bonnie has been known as much for her love of the simple life as for her wit and humor,” said Tami Longaberger, her granddaughter and chief executive officer and president of The Longaberger Company, based in Newark, Ohio. “She is remarkably resilient and remains one of the strongest women I know.”

Willard quoted Bonnie as he wished her a happy birthday saying that the basket company matriarch believed that, “A person should have a good sense of humor, and if that doesn’t work, they should rely on the Lord.”

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