Lenox Closes North Carolina Factory Due to COVID-19 Downturn

Lenox Corporation, America’s leading tableware, giftware and home entertaining company, has announced that it will close its Kinston, North Carolina, bone china factory due to the unforeseeable downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lenox Kinston-made products are well known and have been used and cherished throughout the country and abroad.

“It has been a very difficult decision to decide to close the factory. It is closing a chapter in Lenox’s long and illustrious history as an American manufacturer of fine dinnerware products,” said Lenox Chief Executive Officer Mads Ryder. “These achievements were only made possible by the competent, dedicated and proud team of the Kinston factory.”

The 218,000-square-foot Kinston factory built in 1989 produced fine bone china dinnerware patterns and was the only fine bone china factory in the United States. The factory was renowned in the industry for its innovative and unique manufacturing capabilities, including hand-enameled dots, etching techniques and microwave-safe metals. The Kinston plant produced nine of Lenox’s top 10 patterns and could produce 15,000 to 20,000 pieces of fine china daily.

Ryder ensured that, with more than 130 years of business behind them Lenox will continue to remain strong and its heritage patterns will continue to be designed and developed in the U.S. and manufactured in Europe and Asia.