Tuesday morning, Kokomo Opalescent Glass workers swept broken glass. Some workers quickly transported molten glass from a 2,000-plus degree furnace, and another employee poured hot, honey-colored liquid glass into a mold.
Over and over, this tedious task transpires: It’s another hot day’s work for them.
But not for U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly.
Away from Washington, D.C., as workers toiled, Donnelly rolled his sleeves up as he listened to workers’ instructions. After putting on protective clothing, he poured hot, melted glass into a small mold shaped in the form of the state of Indiana.
“It will make the perfect paperweight,” said Anne Elliott, KOG’s marketing manager, “It will be a memento of his visit. He has another piece in his office from us.”
After Donnelly placed the mold into an Annealing oven — where it remains for at least 48 hours until the mold is room temperature — he toured the facility, stopping to notice the signature of a former KOG worker who signed a concrete wall in 1898.
KOG produces more than 22,000 varieties and colors of opalescent glass, a non-transparent glass in which colors are presented by reflected light.
“This is a great place here,” said Donnelly, who visited the city recently to announce Kokomo received a $75,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture rural business enterprise grant that will be used for the city’s Emerging Business Revolving Loan Fund, which has provided low-interest loans to several local startups since its inception.
“It’s great to be in a place that is a small business and small businesses are the heart-and-soul of our economy. They take pride in their work here, and that is reflective of what they do here.”
And like the hot liquid that becomes beautiful glass, what they are also doing at the 1310 S. Market St. business is getting hotter.
John O’Donnell, KOG’s CEO, said the company’s website is now fully functional; more people taking facility tours, and the glassmaker has supplied specialized glass accents to downtown businesses as well as the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library.
“Last year, we had more than 4,300 people tour here. All the comments we’ve received have been positive and there have been people who have been back here for their third time in the last 60 days,” said O’Donnell, adding within the last two years his company has been featured on TV shows such as “How It’s Made” showing windows at Zionsville’s St. Alphonsus Catholic Church that were made by KOG.
Furthermore, the company’s website has lead to increased sales, allowing KOG to reach a larger audience.
At the online store, customers can purchase KOG’s paperweights, glass bowls, serving trays, suncatchers, glass vases and ornamentals.
O’Donnell said KOG rebuilt its website and created an online store to complement its other branches: The Op Shop, hot-glass studio and decorative sheet-glass business.
“Our sales are up and our costs are down,” said O’Donnell, whose company – one of 97 — has been honored with the Governor’s Century Award for its longevity and community service.
“Our sales all over have really picked up. So far, we are impressed. As one of America’s oldest glass-making companies, the recognition feels good. It is good for us to be recognized, and it’s nice people have an opportunity to see what we do.”
• K.O. Jackson can be reached at 765-854-6739 or via e-mail kirven.jackson@kokomotribune.com
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