Mt. Pleasant: Unique glass, pottery made right in our back yard

MOUNT PLEASANT -- The next time that you select a nice, etched piece of glass or stemware, or find a unique carved terra cotta flower pot, turn it over and read the label. If it says Rolfs on the bottom, then you'll know it was made right here in the area, at Glassautomatic Inc., which is located in the old Lenox factory building, Route 31, just east of Mount Pleasant.

Owner and president Rolf Poeting, originally from Dusseldorf, Germany, opened his business Glassautomatic Inc. in Latrobe 12 years ago. He relocated to his present site in March of 2003. With the relocation, Poeting gained the much-needed space for his growing business.

Poeting is not a stranger to the glass industry. His family designed and then manufactured machinery for glass-making and design. Ironically, some of the machinery made by his family was sold to the Lenox company when it first opened its doors in the same location.

"I bought back the very machinery that they had purchased from my family," said Poeting.

Poeting buys much of his barware and stemware from Anchor Hocking of Ohio, then etches or cuts it, then cleans it, creating his very own, very unique crystal glassware.

His most popular pattern is his palm tree pattern, which is popular in the southern stores that carry his line.

"The salesman suggested it (palm tree), because one store had requested it," Poeting explained, "and now several different items model the palm tree motif."

Poeting presently ships his glassware to 200 specialty stores, and although most are located predominately in the southeast, individuals can purchase many of his items at the Jamestown Outlet, located in the front of the building that housed the Lenox factory.

The Jamestown Outlet has been open for a little over a year, and Poetings' items are popular there, according to Jean Stairs of Mount Pleasant, an employee at the outlet.

"The pineapple and palm tree items sell well," said Stairs. "They are pretty unique."

Stairs also explained that Poeting and Glassautomatic Inc. was one of the very first vendors that displayed wares at the Jamestown Outlet.

One of Glassautomatics' contracts is with the Disney corporation. A special design resembling a Mickey Mouse head is etched into glassware, then cleaned, giving the finished product a multi-faceted appearance, as if looking into a clear kaleidoscope.

Poeting also creates other designs with both effects on the glassware at the same time. Part of the etching will be cleaned giving it a clear, faceted appearance, then more etching is applied to the design that is not cleaned but left frosted, giving the double effect.

"We are the only ones that do this," Poeting explained of the double effect on certain pieces.

Running a small business can be difficult, but Glassautomatic is doing fine in this economy.

"We can't possibly compete with China or Romania (as far as mass production), but we can respond quickly to orders, ship quickly and it is a better design," said Poeting.

There are presently approximately 300 different designs and items manufactured at Glassautomatic Inc., and most of the designs were created by Poeting himself.

Approximately one-half of the work done at the factory is service jobs, and every job is different. A few thousand items ordered is considered a huge order, but every order is handled with the same care and attention, said Poeting. All inspecting, packing and shipping is done on the premises, and the 24 employees are kept busy running the factory 24 hours a day for five days weekly.

Another line that Poeting has created is the Terrazz line which is plain terra cotta pots with a little "pizazz." The pots are ordered with a colored glaze on them, which covers the pot from under the rim, down the sides and to the bottom. Poeting then takes these pots and etches or carves designs into them, with the original terra cotta then showing through the etched areas. The pots come in several different patterns, colors and sizes. These pots are also available at the Jamestown Outlet.

"The flower pots are selling really well," said Stairs.

Sara Host of Champion purchased several pots and returned for more.

"I like them because they are so different," explained Host, "and they are very reasonable."