All-Clad Metalcrafters is a manufacturer of high-performance bonded cookware with headquarters in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania

Canonsburg, Pennsylvania

Canonsburg is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, southwest of Pittsburgh. Canonsburg was laid out by Colonel John Canon in 1789 and incorporated in 1802....

. The company markets its cookware to department and specialty stores in the United States, Canada, Germany, UK and Australia along with premium All-Clad bonded ovenware, kitchen tools, and a growing assortment of kitchen accessories.

1967

Ulam patents a system of bonding steel and aluminum that he discovered which allows heat to spread evenly through a pan. The unique process uses heat

Heat

In physics and thermodynamics, heat is energy transferred from one body, region, or thermodynamic system to another due to thermal contact or thermal radiation when the systems are at different temperatures. It is often described as one of the fundamental processes of energy transfer between...

 and pressure

Pressure

Pressure is the force per unit area applied in a direction perpendicular to the surface of an object. Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to the local atmospheric or ambient pressure.- Definition :...

 to bond different metals into “sandwiched” sheets. Ulam's patented “roll-bonding” process becomes the basis for most of All-Clad's products and allows cookware produced in this way to distribute heat evenly and efficiently. After forming an alliance with Alcoa in 1967, he begins to adapt his bonding technology to cookware products. The various combinations of clad metals proves ideal for cookware applications and results in performance that greatly exceeds that of non-bonded cookware. Ulam partners with Alcoa to create Clad Metals, Inc., as he applies cladding technology to the production of cookware. Clad Metals, Inc. is still located at the Canonsburg site and, in addition to All-Clad's cookware, crafts metals for a variety of industries including aerospace, automotive, shipbuilding, chemical, and cryogenic.

1971

After years of perfecting his bonding process, Ulam establishes All-Clad Metalcrafters. He begins producing bonded cookware for working chefs and gourmet home cooks.

1973

All-Clad becomes the only American cookware company to manufacture a complete line of cookware from raw materials produced in its own rolling mill.

1974

All-Clad launches its first cookware collection, MASTER CHEF, constructed of durable brushed aluminum. Originally designed for professional use, the new collection quickly garners a small but loyal following. In response to that warm reception, the company introduces COP•R•CHEF, which features an exterior of burnished copper to improve heat distribution.

1981

As All-Clad's word-of-mouth reputation grows, the LTD collection is introduced and quickly becomes one of the company's top sellers, effecively putting All-Clad on the map as premier cookware.

1988

Steel magnate Sam Michaels purchases the company and expands production by introducing the cookware to New York chefs. Subsequently, All-Clad becomes a household name among foodies throughout the country.

1990

The STAINLESS collection is introduced and becomes the most popular upscale stainless cookware on the market. Capitalizing on its apparent success, All-Clad executives set out to "make this the BMW of cookware" by focusing on the company's distinctive badge plates and reputation as "America's first luxury cookware," according to Melissa Palmer, Director of Brand Communications.

1999

Williams-Sonoma unveils All-Clad's first co-branded cookware collection, COPPER-CORE,which is manufactured by All-Clad and sold exclusively at Williams-Sonoma

Williams-Sonoma

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is a high-end American consumer retail company that sells kitchenwares, furniture and linens, as well as other housewares and home furnishings, along with a variety of specialty foods, soaps and lotions...

 stores.

In May, All-Clad is acquired for $110 million by Waterford Wedgwood plc, a holding company for two names in tableware: Waterford Crystal Limited, the world's leading manufacturer of premium cut-glass crystal and one of the most important exporters in Ireland, and Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Limited, a British producer of bone china and fine ceramics. The company's purchase also included $6 million for use in an aggressive expansion.

2004

Groupe SEB

Groupe SEB

Groupe SEB is a large French consortium that produces small appliances. Notable brand names associated with Groupe SEB include Krups, Moulinex, Rowenta, and Tefal. According to the Groupe SEB website, they have faced considerable competition from low-price Chinese competitors, but have managed to...

, the French kitchenware and small appliances giant whose stable of top brand names includes T-Fal, Moulinex, and Krups, purchases the company from Waterford Wedgeford plc for $250 million with plans to expand.

Cookware-Related US Patents

All-Clad has been issued the following patents by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO):

Patent No.	Issue Date	Patent	Inventor	Assignee
3350772	Nov. 07, 1967	Methods of cladding stainless steel to aluminum	John B. Ulam & William C. Camp	Composite Metal Products, Inc.
3363307	Jan. 16, 1968	Method of making electricall heated cooking vessels	John B. Ulam	Composite Metal Products, Inc.
3445630	May 20, 1969	Composite cooking vessels	John B. Ulam	Composite Metal Products, Inc.
3495735	Feb. 17, 1970	Non-stick utensils	John B. Ulam & William C. Camp	Composite Metal Products, Inc.
3909591	Sept. 30, 1975	Cooking vessel	John B. Ulam	Composite Metal Products, Inc.
3919763	Nov. 18, 1975	Method of making a cooking vessel	John B. Ulam
3952938	April 27, 1976	Method of making multiple member composite metal products	John B. Ulam	Clad Metals, Inc.
4103076	July 25, 1978	Clad metal product of Cu, Al and stainless steel	John B. Ulam	Clad Metals, Inc.
4167606	Sept. 11, 1979	Multiple member clad metal products	John B. Ulam	Clad Metals, Inc.
4246045	Jan. 20, 1981	Multiple member clad metal products and methods of making the same	John B. Ulam	Clad Metals, Inc.
4347722	Sept. 07, 1982	Method of making a cooking vessel which has surface ornamentation	John B. Ulam
4646935	March 3, 1987	Induction cooking utensils	John B. Ulam	Clad Metals, Inc.
6109504	Aug. 29, 2000	Copper core cooking griddle and method of making same	William A. Groll	Clad Metals LLC
6267830	July 31, 2001	Method for making a copper core five-ply composite for cookware	William A. Groll	Clad Metals LLC
6360423	March 26, 2002	Stick resistant coating for cookware	William A. Groll	Clad Metals LLC
6427904	August 6, 2002	Bonding of dissimilar metals	William A. Groll	Clad Metals LLC
6544669	April 8, 2003	Cryogenic treatment of cookware and bakeware	William A. Groll	Clad Metals LLC

Made in the USA

All-Clad purchases its metals only from US suppliers, bonds them at its own rolling mill on-site at its headquarters in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and then forms them at the same location into high performance cooking vessels.

In recent years, All-Clad has begun outsourcing some of its manufacturing to overseas partners (e.g., China).

The areas in which All-Clad does not manufacture in the USA include:

• Where the bonding of metals is not required for superior cooking performance (e.g., kitchen tools and accessories)
• On regular non-bonded components where manufacturing in the USA would add to the retail price but not generally to performance
• Where manufacturing constraints exist at the Canonsburg plant (e.g., electrical kitchen appliances)

Handles

All-Clad cookware features a signature stay-cool handle that is riveted to the body of the cookware. The long, stay-cool handles are designed for a lifetime of use. Pure 18/10 stainless steel is used for every All-Clad cookware handle and the rivets are made from high-yield-strength stainless steel that is treated to remove iron that could cause corrosion.

All handles are highly polished including the Master Chef 2 collection, which has a sand blasted look to match its brushed aluminum finish. The LTD collection has this sandblasted look only on the interior groove of the handle. Copper-Core and LTD2 handles feature a forward stop underneath, comfortably formed into the same high quality stainless steel.

Interior Finishes

The cooking surface of All-Clad stainless cookware is made from a proprietary formulation of 304 grade stainless steel specially adapted to meet All-Clad specifications regarding grain size, texture, alloy content, and other physical properties. The primary benefit of stainless steel over other metals is its non-reactive nature so that all you can taste is the food. Several pieces feature a nonstick finish coated on top of the 18/10 stainless steel.

All stainless steel used by All-Clad is certified to meet National Standard ISO 9000 (International Organization for Standardization)and ASTM A240 (testing and standards) for all 304 series stainless steel intended for use with food. Every "melt" by All-Clad's steel suppliers is tested and certified to meet the ASTM 240 (American Society for Testing and Materials) standards.

Exterior Finishes

All-Clad is available in a variety of exterior metals and finishes. Individual choices can be based on kitchen style, frequency of use, dishwasher safe requirements, and/or cooking methods.

Collection	Construction Type	Exterior Material	Interior Core Material	Interior Cooking Surface Material	Cooktop Compatibility	Cleaning
Brushed Stainless Steel Pro	Bonded 5-ply	Brushed magnetic stainless steel	Stainless steel sandwiched between pure aluminum	18/10 polished stainless steel	All cooktops; optimal cookware for induction	Dishwasher safe, excluding pieces with a nonstick cooking surface
Copper-Core	Bonded 5-ply	Magnetic stainless steel	Copper sandwiched between pure aluminum	18/10 polished stainless steel	Currently all cooktops; originally NOT induction compatible	While hand washing is recommended, Copper-Core is dishwasher-safe.
Cop•R•Chef	Bonded 3-ply	Copper	Pure aluminum	18/10 polished stainless steel	Gas, electric, and ceramic; NOT induction compatible	Wash by hand; Dishwasher use is not recommended
LTD	Bonded 3-ply	Hard-anodized aluminum	Pure aluminum	18/10 polished stainless steel	Gas, electric, and ceramic; NOT induction compatible	Wash by hand; Dishwasher use is not recommended
LTD2	Bonded 5-ply	Dishwasher-safe hard-anodized aluminum	Pure aluminum sandwiched between stainless steel	18/10 polished stainless steel	Gas, electric, and ceramic; NOT induction compatible	All-Clad LTD2 is dishwasher safe, excluding pieces with a non-stick finish.
Master Chef 2 (MC2)	Bonded 3-ply	Brushed aluminum alloy	Pure aluminum	18/10 polished stainless steel	Gas, electric, and ceramic; NOT induction compatible	Wash by hand; Dishwasher use is not recommended
Stainless	Bonded 3-ply	Magnetic stainless steel	Pure aluminum	18/10 polished stainless steel	All cooktops including induction (with the exception of a few pieces in the collection)	Dishwasher safe, excluding pieces with a nonstick cooking surface

Emerilware

In 2000, All-Clad partnered with television chef and personality, Emeril Lagasse, to develop his exclusive line of signature cookware, named Emerilware.

The Emerilware Stainless line was designed to provide solid performance at a nice value. The base consists of stainless steel, with aluminum and copper for excellent heat conductivity and performance. The base disk is surrounded by an exterior of polished stainless steel for easy cleaning and durability. The cooking surface is non-reactive stainless steel, and the pans are finished with ergonomic stay-cool handles that are securely riveted to the pan. For easy visibility, lids (for pans that come with lids) are made of tempered glass with a stainless band.

By the end of 2000, Emerilware had exceeded all of All-Clad's publicity and sales projections and was contributing to one half of the company's 40% growth. By 2005, the Emerilware Stainless 10-piece set had become the single best selling cookware set in America. Emerilware extended its product line assortment to other specialty items such as cast iron cookware.

Annual Seconds Sale

Each year in June and December, All-Clad Metalcrafters holds a seconds sale near its headquarters in Canonsburg. Although originally held at the factory, the sales have moved off-site in recent years and most recently have been held at the nearby Washington County Fairgrounds in Chartiers, Pennsylvania. The two- and three-day seconds sales feature All-Clad cookware, bakeware and utensils that display dings, scratches or other less obvious defects and are subsequently available for 40-70% off retail prices. "A lot of people will look and can't find what's wrong with the pan," said All-Clad Marketing/Communications Coordinator Melanie Tennant.. Ms. Tennant said every piece manufactured by All-Clad will be available at the sale, although second-quality Emerilware will no longer be sold at the sale, because it is now being manufactured by an All-Clad sister company in New Jersey. Shoppers have developed certain strategies to get the best pieces for the lowest price. Many times, that involves camping out at the fairgrounds before the sale begins, since only a certain number of shoppers are allowed inside the buildings at any one time. Cooks from all 50 states have attended the seconds sales, some obsessively."We have people who plan their vacation around this," Ms. Tennant said. Some All-Clad fans say that part of the lure of the sale is its secretiveness. They say the company doesn't heavily advertise the sales, so it's always a challenge to prepare with sometimes less than one week's notice. However, Ms. Tennant says that the company does advertise with local media and for the June 2009 sale sent out 23,000 postcards to customers on its mailing list to notify them.