Lodge Cast Iron is the oldest and longest-running cast iron manufacturer in the United States. Originally called Blacklock, founder Joseph Lodge fired up a long-dormant railroad foundry in South Pittsburg, Tennessee in 1896. Blacklock focused on manufacturing sad irons, tea kettles, kitchen sinks, and cast iron cookware. The foundry thrived until a fateful day in May of 1910, when fire completely consumed the building.
Always resourceful, Joseph Lodge purchased land a few blocks south of the original foundry. Just three months after the fire, in August of 1910, the new Lodge foundry began pouring and manufacturing cast iron products. To this day, the foundry is still operational; it's gone through significant changes and improvements over the years, but the overall method of creating high-quality cast iron cookware remains essentially the same.
Lodge creates its diverse line of cast iron cookware through an age-old process called sand molding. A proprietary mix of molten pig iron, steel and other ingredients are poured into a mold made of sand. Since sand melts at a higher temperature than iron, the mold holds its shape. Once the cast iron pan or pot has cooled, the sand mold is broken, leaving behind a brand new piece of cast iron cookware. Sand molding has been around since 680 B.C. It remains the best and most practical way to cast iron cookware.
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The foundry converted from a hand-pour operation to an automated molding process in 1950. This created a safer working environment for foundry workers. In 1965, Lodge became the first American company to use a Disamatic, a Danish molding machine that had once been used for manufacturing during World War II. This innovative machinery fully automated the casting process and greatly improved production capabilities. During the 1970s, Lodge renovated the foundry with steel columns, a new roof, and a new exterior.
In 2002, Lodge debuted seasoned cast iron cookware — an industry first. Prior to this, cast iron was sold unseasoned, with a thin layer of carnauba bean wax to prevent rust during storage and merchandising. The water-soluble wax had to be washed off at home, then the cookware had to be oiled and baked in the oven before it could be used. Now, in the final step of the finishing process before boxing, Lodge cookware is sprayed with soybean oil and baked at a high temperature, creating a ready-to-use, easy-release surface.
The technique is ancient, but the Lodge foundries are state of the art.
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Lodge's second foundry is now in operation.
Nicknamed the 3rd Street Foundry, this new, 127,000-square-foot facility is located just a few blocks from the original foundry. Its first production run was in November of 2017. The 3rd Street Foundry features a melt center with two induction furnaces, a sand system, and two Disamatic molding machines. Built to work alongside the original foundry, this expansion increases Lodge's potential manufacturing capacity by 75%.
Today, Lodge operates a total of five Disamatic molding machines, each capable of making 350-400 molds an hour. We ship an average of one-million pounds of iron product each week—all melted, poured, molded, finished and packaged right here in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, our home for over 120 years.
Tour the foundry!
Every year during the National Cornbread Festival, we open our foundries to the public. Come see where your cookware was made and get to know the dedicated people who keep our foundries running smoothly.
