The Longaberger Company - Doing Business One Basket At A Time
Posted: Wednesday, January 09, 2008
by Scott Bailey
From humble beginnings in the small town of Dresden, Ohio, The Longaberger Company has grown into a basket-making titan. It was founded in 1973 by Dave Longaberger, who as a child, had watched his father weave baskets at the family business. Today, with over 70,000 employees and nearly $1 billion in sales, The Longaberger Company is the largest basket-making company in the nation. However, even though the company has far outgrown all of its competitors, it still handcrafts baskets with the care and attention that businesses a fraction of its size neglect to spend.
The Longaberger Company has always prided itself on creating stylish baskets that are woven by hand. So important is this personal touch that each basket is dated and signed by the respective basket weaver. While other basket-making companies mass produce their baskets, The Longaberger Company crafts them by hand, injecting an attractive, high-quality American artisanship into each one.
People And Quality Of Life Come First
Some basket-makers produce hundreds of thousands of baskets and sell them based on volume. To these companies, baskets they make are merely a product that people buy. The Longaberger Company believes in providing something more than a product. Their company mission statement "To Stimulate A Better Quality Of Life" communicates this belief.
From the start, Dave Longaberger operated his business under the philosophy that people were the key to success. Both employees and customers were viewed as an extension of the Longaberger family. As such, each basket that was hand-crafted and delivered to the customer was more than a mere basket. It was part of the Longaberger philosophy that life comes before business. And people, before revenue.
Taking Care Of Its Own
The Longaberger Company's success overtook the city of Dresden quickly. But, rather than focus operations in the city, they spread outward. However, even though The Longaberger Company built facilities in other states and towns, it remained true to its birthplace, hiring a majority of the city's residents to manage and operate the business.
As the company grew and its status as a titan of the basket-making industry continued to rise, The Longaberger Company began to donate money and time back to its hometown. Amongst its contributions are a fitness center, gym, senior center and park. Today, Rachel Longaberger, the founder's daughter, manages the company's philanthropic arm. In 1999, George magazine called The Longaberger Company one of the "Most Generous Companies in America."
The Longaberger Company Today
Though the founder passed away in 1999, his daughter Tami Longaberger serves as President and CEO of a company that shows no sign of slowing down. The company holds firm to its belief that they have an ongoing obligation to take care of the town that has supported them throughout their years of growth. While employing a large portion of the city's residents, The Longaberger Company treads carefully to make sure that its presence doesn't erode the small town's charm. With a belief in people and a philosophy of helping create a lifestyle rather than simply making a product, The Longaberger Company seems sure to continue dominating the basket-making business.
Scott Bailey is an avid collector and writer.
Scott writes about various collectibles. For more info on Longaberger collectibles, or to obtain one for yourself, please visit http://CollectorBasket.com
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