Featured Article - Summer 2008
Made in York County
Candy B. Harrington
Topping off a mold at the Wilton Armetale Foundry
Photo by Charles Pannell
I first became interested in factory tours several yours ago when I read Watch it Made in the USA, by Karen Axelrod and Bruce Brumberg. That book opened up a whole new world to me. To be honest, I previously ruled out this very affordable sightseeing option because I just assumed there’d be access barriers; however, when you really think about it, it just makes good business sense for manufacturers to make their production facilities accessible to all of their customers. Live and learn. So I enthusiastically jumped on the factory tour bandwagon.
To my dismay, I soon discovered that all factory tours are not created equal. Some just showed a video of the manufacturing process, while others had tour guides who were obviously bored with their jobs. And then there were those that were actually factory stores rather than factory tours. They were the worst! Now granted, I happened across some good ones along the way; but at times they were few and far between. Ultimately I decided that if I wanted to find a high concentration of what I considered quality factory tours, then I would just have to visit the place that bills itself as the “factory tour capital of the world”—York County, Pennsylvania. So, off I went.
Inside the Foundry
I learned a lot while I was in York County. For example, I had never heard of Armetale before my visit; that is, until I stumbled upon Wilton Armetale (866-945-8661, www.armetale.com) in the tiny hamlet of Mount Joy. Developed for the restaurant industry, this aluminum-based alloy retains both heat and cold, so you can cook and serve in the same dish. But it goes beyond mere function, as the Armetale pieces are also quite attractive.
Tours start at the factory store, which features accessible parking and ramped access to the front door. The factory is located a block from the store, but if you can’t manage the walk, you can drive down and park right outside the factory door. There is level access to the factory, and the half-hour tour covers all phases of production; from mold making and pouring the molten metal, to grinding, finishing and even packaging.
Although there aren’t any steps along the tour route, there are a few steep ramps; however with a little assistance, most wheelers should be able to manage. Advance reservations are required and tours are conducted on Monday - Thursday. And as with most of the factories I visited in York County, all visitors must wear closed toe shoes. Save some time to browse through the factory store after the tour, as you’ll find steep discounts on seconds, closeouts and discontinued items there.
Bet You Can’t East Just One!
Chips coming out of the kettle at Martin’s Potato Chip factory
Photo by Charles Pannell
The biggest surprise on my trip was the Martin’s Potato Chip (800-272-4477, www.martinschips.com) factory tour. I thought, “How exciting can making potato chips be? After all, it’s not exactly rocket science—you just cut, fry and package.” Well, suffice it to say, I entered the factory ready to be bored out of my mind, but by the time the tour ended, they pretty much had to drag me out.
On the access side, there’s plenty of accessible parking near the tour office and a level entrance to the building. The 45-minute tour begins with a short walk to the back of the plant to see how the potatoes are delivered; and to hear about how the company evolved from a humble one-woman operation to become the preferred snack food provider on Air Force One.
Once inside you’ll get an up-close-and-personal look at the whole production process, as you follow the potatoes through the washing, peeling and slicing process to the kettle cookers and then on to the packaging department. You even get to taste the warm chips fresh off the line, and you leave with a free snack size bag for the road.
Access is excellent throughout the factory, with level pathways and nary a stair in sight. Plan ahead though, as tours are only conducted on Tuesday mornings, and advance reservations are required. Be forewarned, you’ll also have to wear an ever-so-stylish hair net and (if applicable) a beard net, while touring the factory.
Read the rest of this article in the Summer 2008 issue of Emerging Horizons. Subscribe today!