Released on February 19, 2008

Lodge Manufacturing, South Pittsburg, Tenn., won the Best of the Best Gold for its Signature Series 12-in. seasoned cast iron skillet with stainless steel handles during the Fifth Annual International Housewares Association’s Design Award ceremonies in early February.

Held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel, New York, on Feb. 6, the awards banquet honored housewares designs in 13 different categories. The piece of Lodge cookware came out of the Cookware & Bakeware category to beat the 12 other winners and take home the overall award. The contest featured 320 separate consumer items.

Introduced to consumers in May 2007, the design of the Signature Series is the result of cooperation among engineers and metalcasters. A combination of traditional and cutting-edge metalwork, the skillet offers investment cast stainless steel handles riveted to cast iron. To attach the pieces, an orbital riveting process was developed to reduce the intense pressure that can cause cast iron shells to crack during traditional riveting. The handles, which the company outsources, are designed to remain cool to the touch during stove top cooking.

“The folks in the [metalcasting] plant worked with the design, ensured proper radius and researched expansion and contraction,” said Henry Lodge, Lodge Cookware president. “It’s the same old story; you get the manufacturer involved from the get-go.”

To avoid water entrapment behind attachment points, high temperature silicon seals and gaskets also were created. The Lodge Logo badge, under the primary handle, floats away from the skillet side to prevent water entrapment, enhancing cleaning accessibility.

The Signature Series skillet was selected as one of five finalists by a panel of retailers, practicing designers and consumer press journalists. The awards are presented by HomeWorld Business, with educational support from the International Housewares Association and sponsorship by George Little Management and DuPont’s Teflon Housewares Group.

“This is international recognition, as well as national,” Lodge said. “Now I know what it’s like to win an Oscar.”