THESE ARE YOUR NUMBERS FOR THIS WEEK.

WE CONTINUE NOW WITH OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES WITH J. DANIEL PLUFF HIGHLIGHTING BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE DOING SOMETHING SPECIAL IN OUR AREA.

SEVERAL OF THE BUSINESSES WE SPOTLIGHT ON OUR PROGRAM ARE OFTEN NEW, START UP COMPANIES ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF HIGH TECHNOLOGY.

BUT THIS TIME WE HIGHLIGHT A COMPANY WHICH TRACES ITS ROOTS BACK TO THE EIGHTEEN HUNDREDS.

OVER THE YEARS, ONEIDA LIMITED BECAME THE LARGEST PRODUCER OF FLATWARE IN THE WORLD, AND LIKE SYRACUSE CHINA, THEIR PIECES OUR J. JANUARY YELL PLUFF MET WITH OUR J DANIEL PLUFF MET WITH CO-FOUNDER MATT ROBERTS WHO GAVE AN UPDATE ON THEIR TURNAROUND STORY AND TOOK SOME PRIDE IN TELLING HOW THEIR PRODUCTS FOUND THEIR WAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE.

>> ONEIDA PRIOR TO YOU COMING IN, ONEIDA LIMITED IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN WAS THE LARGEST FLATWARE PRODUCER IN THE WORLD, CORRECT?

AND THIS WAS A BIG OPERATION.

>> AT ONE TIME IN THE 19 NINTH WE 1990S, WE MADE OVER 3.5 MILLION PIECES A WEEK.

AN ENORMOUS FACTORY AND WE SOLD PRODUCTS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

>> SO I MEAN OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING MUST HAVE HAPPENED THERE BECAUSE THEY RAN INTO TROUBLE.

THEY WERE HUGE, MAKING A LOT OF PIECES, AS YOU SAY.

WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM?

WHAT CAUSED ONEIDA'S DEMISE BEFORE YOU CAME IN?

>> THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS COMPETITION FROM CHINA.

WHEN CHINA JOINED THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION IN THE LATE 90s, THEY STARTED DUMPING PRODUCTS ON THE SHORES.

AND WE ACTUALLY WOULD DO THE COST ANALYSIS, IT WAS CHEAPER TO BUY THE PRODUCTS FROM CHINA THAN EVEN TO BUY THE RAW MATERIAL EVEN BEFORE YOU STARTED MANUFACTURING.

>> WOW.

THAT PUTS YOU AT A SIGNIFICANT DISADVANTAGE.

YOUR PARTNER GREG OWENS, THE TWO OF YOU WERE EMPLOYEES OF ONEIDA AND DECIDED TO TAKE OVER THE COMPANY, TAKE OVER ONEIDA IN ESSENCE.

THAT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN A DECISION YOU MADE OVER A CUP OF COFFEE.

HOW DID YOU ARRIVE AT THAT?

>> WHEN THE DECISION WAS MADE TO CLOSE THE FACTORY, I STARTED CONTEMPLATING YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS I GOING TO DO WITH MY FUTURE.

AND I KNEW WHAT THE COST STRUCTURE OF THE FACTORY WAS AND I KNOW THE RETAIL GAIN.

SO IF WE COULD CREATE OUR OWN BRAND, WE COULD CUT OUT THE MIDDLE MAN AND WE COULD BE SUCCESSFUL.

>> DON'T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY, BUT WHAT MADE YOU AND YOUR PARTNER THINK YOU COULD COME IN HERE AND ESSENTIALLY TURN THIS AROUND BECAUSE, AGAIN, ONEIDA WAS HUGE.

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?

>> THE THOUGHT PROCESS WAS, IS TO ELIMINATE A LOT OF THE LEGACY COSTS THAT ONEIDA WAS TALK SFUK STUCK WITH.

START WITH A CLEAN SLATE WITH EMPLOYEES.

WE ARE ABLE TO HIRE THE BEST EMPLOYEES FROM ONEIDA THAT STAYED ON WITH US.

AND IT WAS MORE OR LESS TRYING TO DO THINGS WITH A LOWER OVERHEAD COST.

THERE ARE ONLY TWO OF US RUNNING THE FACTORY.

WE WERE MIDDLE MANAGEMENT TYPE GUYS, EXECUTIVES, VICE PRESIDENT FOR THIS COMPANY.

>> BOLD MOVE THOUGH.

I GIVE YOU CREDIT.

THAT IS A BIG STEP, I WOULD THINK.

>> I THINK THE FIRST FEW YEARS IN HINDSIGHT, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE LAUGHING AT US BECAUSE WHO ARE THESE TWO PEOPLE THAT COULD MAKE FLATWARE IN NEW YORK STATE AND ONEIDA LIMITED COULDN'T DO IT.

>> YOU CAN SEE THE ARGUMENT THERE, RIGHT?

SO SHERRILL MANUFACTURING COMES TO BE.

STEP ONE THEN WAS WHAT?

>> THE FIRST STEP WAS TO CONTINUE WITH THE CONTRACT FOR ONEIDA BECAUSE AS THEY TRANSITIONED TO ASIA BASICALLY CHINA, THEY NEEDED ASSISTANCE IN MOVING THAT PRODUCT.

SO WE HAD A CONTRACT WITH THEM FOR THREE YEARS.

WE ALSO MANUFACTURED SOME PRODUCT FOR SOME OTHER COMPANIES LIKE LIBBY OUT OF TOLEDO, OHIO, SOME DESIGNERS.

AND THEN WE STARTED DESIGNING OUR OWN DESIGNS TO SELL DIRECT.

>> SO I HAVE FOREVER SPOKE TO ANYBODY WHO HAS STARTED A BUSINESS OR TAKEN ONE OVER AND THEY SAID TO ME IT WAS CLEAR SAILING.

ASSUMING THAT WASN'T THE CASE, WHAT PROBS PROBLEMS CAME UP EARLY ON, THAT YOU DIDN'T SEE COMING THAT GAVE YOU SETBACKS?

>> THE BIGGEST SETBACK WAS 2008, THE LIMA THING.

>> THE FINANCIAL CRISIS?

>> WHAT HAPPENED TO US IS OUR REVENUE WAS CUT IN HALF IN ONE DAY.

WE WERE A SMALL COMPANY.

WE DIDN'T HAVE A WAR CHEST TO RIDE THROUGH THE LEHMAN THING.

SO WE HAD TO REORGANIZE THE BUSINESS IN 2010.

WE ACTUALLY FILED BANKRUPTCY IN OCTOBER 4, 2010.

YOU WONDER WHY I REMEMBER THAT DATE EXACTLY.

>> I'M SURE.

>> BUT THE INTERESTING THING IS WE HAD A PATHWAY FORWARD.

AND OUR PATH FORWARD WAS LIBERTY TABLETOP ONLINE SALES.

WE LITERALLY STARTED OUR WEBSITE THE SAME WEEK THAT WE FILED BANKRUPTCY.

>> BUT HOLD ON.

FIRST OF ALL, BANKRUPTCY FILING DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME CONNOTATION AS IT DID YEARS AGO.

THIS WAS A REORGANIZATION FOR YOU.

>> CHAPTER 11.

>> BUT STILL, HAD TO BE A SETBACK.

THE TWO OF YOU HAD TO BE SITTING AT THE TABLE WHAT THINKING WHAT HAVE WE DONE.

>> IT WAS VERY DEPRESSING FOR ME PERSONALLY BECAUSE I FELT LIKE WE FAILED.

WE HAD A PATHWAY FORWARD.

IT TOOK US A FEW YEARS TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE EXITED BANKRUPTCY.

WE PAID BACK ALL OF OUR SECURED CREDITORS AND WE ARE STILL PAYING OUR UNSECUREDS BACK.

>> OUTSTANDING.

>> WE PLAN ON PAYING EVERYONE OFF 100%.

WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT BUT THAT'S JUST THE WAY WE WANTED TO BE.

>> GOOD FOR YOU.

LET'S MOVE ON HEAD TO MODERN DAY.

PRODUCTS IN THE BACKGROUND BEHIND YOU.

I SEE A LOT OF SILVER.

-FOR-THOSE OF US WHO MAYBE DON'T HAVE KNOWLEDGE ON THIS, FLATWARE ESSENTIALLY IS WHAT?

>> FORKS SPOONS AND KNIVES.

OUR PRODUCTS ARE MADE OUT OF 1810 STAINLESS WHICH IS 304, WHICH IS THE BEST STAINLESS STEEL YOU WILL SEE.

>> GOOD QUALITY GRADE.

>> MADE IN THE UNITED STATES.

WE STARTED WITH THE TRADITIONAL DESIGNS.

AND THEN WE CAME UP WITH THE NEWER DESIGNS, WHAT WE CALL AFFINITY DESIGNS THAT HAVE SPECIFIC DESIGNS ON THEM CALAVERA, CELTIC, OLIVER, OUR NEWEST DESIGN HAS DOG PAWS.

>> THIS IS DESIGNED IN-HOUSE.

>> ININ-HOUSE, ALL OF THE TOOL IS FROM THE FIRST SAMPLE IS MADE IN-HOUSE.

THIS IS A CELTIC DESIGN, CELTIC SYMBOLS ON EACH ONE.

THEY'RE DIFFERENT IT'S ALL THE TOOLING IS MADE HERE.

>> AND THIS IS YOUR... >> THE NEWEST DESIGN CALLED OLIVER.

THE DOG PAWS.

>> THAT'S COOL.

AND BONES.

THEY ALL HAVE THIS BACK?

>> THE BACKS WE SHARE THE BACK.

IT'S SORT OF THE SAME BECAUSE THAT'S NOT-- EVERYBODY LOOKS AT THE FRONT.

BUT THE WAY WE DESIGN IT, IT'S ALL SHINY AND THE BACKGROUND MAKES IT POP.

>> AND THIS STUFF GETS PRESSED, SOME TYPE OF MACHINE PRESSES THAT ON THERE, RIGHT?

>> IT'S PRESSED IN A CORNING PRESS AND A LOT OF POLISHING AFTER THAT.

>> WAY NEAT.

COOL.

>> FROM FLATWARE, DID YOU BRANCH OUT INTO ANYTHING ELSE?

I'M THINKING OF THE WHOLE TABLE SCET SETTING, PLATES, STEM GLASSES ANYTHING LIKE THAT?

>> WE HAVE GONE AND FOUND OTHER MADE IN AMERICA MANUFACTURERS OF TABLE WARE.

SO WE HAVE POTS AND PANS, GLASS WARE, CUTTING BOARDS.

>> ALL THAT YOU MAKE?

>> THAT WE RESELL IT.

BUT WHAT WE DO IS WE BUY THEIR PRODUCT, WE VET IT.

MAKE SURE IT IS TRULY MADE IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND THEN WE'LL PUT IT ON OUR WEBSITE SO THE CUSTOMER HAS A ONE-TOP SHOP.

>> HOW HAS ONLINE PURCHASING IMPACTED YOU AND ARE YOU USING THAT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE, LIKE FROM A MARKETING STANDPOINT?

MARKETING ONLINE?

>> IF IT WASN'T FOR INTERNET RETAIL, WE WOULD HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT TIME BEING IN BUSINESS.

AND NOW THE WAY THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING FROM A RETAIL STANDPOINT, BRICK AND MORTAR IS REALLY A DYING BREED, SO TO SPEAK WHEN IT COMES TO RETAIL.

PEOPLE WANT TO BUY SOMETHING, HAVE IT IN A DAY OR TWO AND THEY CAN DO ALL OF THEIR COMPARISON SHOPPING ONLINE.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE ROUND TO DO IT.

>> HOW FAR THOUGH-- HOW FAR DO YOU REACH?

I MEAN ARE SALES JUST DOMESTIC?

WOULD YOU BE A GLOBAL SUPPLIER?

>> THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY IS THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.

>> THE PROBLEM THOUGH I SEE OR THE WORRY I GUESS I WOULD HAVE, WITH THAT, IS AREN'T YOU WORRIED OF THIS FOREIGN COMPETITION, FOR EXAMPLE, COMPANIES IN ASIA OR SOMEWHERE ELSE.

THEY'RE MANUFACTURING, THEIR LABOR COSTS ARE LOWER, THEIR PRODUCT COSTS ARE LOWER.

ISN'T THAT A PROBLEM FOR YOU?

>> IT REALLY ISN'T BECAUSE THEY CAN'T PUT USA ON THE BACK.

SO WE MARKET THAT AS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, OUR ELECTRICITY IS GENERATED FROM NIAGARA FALLS.

OUR PRODUCT IS INFINITE RECYCLABLE.

WE ARE REALLY COMPETING WITH WILLIAM SONOMA, CRATE AND BARREL, MACY'S NEIMAN MARCUS.

BLOOMINGDALE'S.

WE ARE NOT COMPETING WITH OTHER MANUFACTURERS.

WE ARE A RETAILER.

>> I READ SOMETHING THAT WAS INTERESTING.

A FEW YEARS BACK, YOU HAD A MEETING WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP.

TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

>> WELL, WE WERE INVITED TO THE WHITE HOUSE AS A SMALL MANUFACTURER, A SMALL COMPANY.

HE WANTED TO HEAR FROM MANUFACTURERS IN THE UNITED STATES HOW IS EVERYTHING GOING AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP GROW THE U.S. MANUFACTURING BASE?

THE SECOND TIME WE WENT TO THE WHITE HOUSE, WE WERE REPRESENTING NEW YORK STATE AS A MANUFACTURER AND HE HAD A MANUFACTURING WEEK WHERE THERE WERE ALL 50 STATES WERE REPRESENTED BY A POLICE OFFICERING-- BY A MANUFACTURING COMPANY AND WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ONE.

WE MADE A SPECIAL SET FOR THE PRESIDENT AND HIS FAMILY FOR THE WEST WING.

>> PRETTY COOL.

>> WE ALSO MADE A SET OF CUTLERY STEAK KNIVES WITH HIS LOGO, I AM ASSUMING HE IS EATING OFF OF THOSE IN MAR-A-LAGO.

BUT WE APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE WE CAN GET FROM OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO HELP THEIR CONSTITUENTS TO CREATE JOBS, KEEP JOBS, EVEN LEGACY COMPANIES LIKE US.

>> YOU MENTIONED ALSO ABOUT SO MUCH OF THE PRODUCT IS RECYCLABLE.

YOU SEEM TO PUT AN EMPHASIS ON THAT AS WELL AS LOCALLY SOURCED ITEMS.

TELL ME ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.

>> STAINLESS STEEL IS INFINITELY RECYCLABLE.

OUR PACKAGING COMES FROM SHERBURNE NEW YORK, OUR BUFFING COMPOUNDS COME FROM UTICA.

WE ARE NOT BURNING FOSSIL FUELS ON A SHIP GOING ACROSS THE OCEAN TO GET THE PRODUCT TO THE CUSTOMER.

IT'S MADE MERE.

WHEN YOU BUY OUR PRODUCT, THE MONEY GOES TO THE PEOPLE THAT MADE IT.

>> I DO LIKE THAT.

I LIKE THAT A LOT ACTUALLY.

LET'S TALK ABOUT DOWN THE ROAD THEN.

I MEAN YOU SEEM TO BE PRETTY STABLE NOW.

OUTLOOK IS GOOD AS FAR AS YOU CAN SEE.

>> YEAH, THE OUTLOOK IS GOOD.

I MEAN WE ARE-- WE WANT TO GROW SLOW AND PROFITABLE.

WE ARE NOT ABOUT BECOMING WHAT ONEIDA USED TO BE.

WE ARE GOING TO BE A SMALL NIMBLE COMPANY.

>> WHERE IS THAT GROWTH GOING TO COME FROM AS FAR AS YOU CAN TELL?

>> IT'S GOING TO COME FROM BRAND AWARENESS.

THE AVERAGE PERSON PURCHASES FLATWARE TWO TO THREE TIMES IN THEIR LIFETIME.

SO WHEN THEY GO LOOK FOR FLATWARE, IT'S VIRTUAL REALITY INFREQUENT.

SO-- VIRTUAL REALITY INFREQUENT.

SO THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO GET THE BRAND IN FRONT OF PEOPLE'S FACES.

THE MADE IN AMERICA THING IS IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AND WE ARE TRYING TO LEVERAGE THAT.

THE MARKET IS SO LARGE COMPARED TO WHAT WE ARE SELLING, WE ARE GOING TO GROW ORGANICALLY.

>> INTERESTING.

WE WISH YOU WELL.

IT'S AN INTERESTING STORY GOING BACK AS FAR BACK AS THE 1800S AND MOVING FORWARD TO TODAY.

IT LOOKS LIKE THINGS ARE GOING WELL FOR YOU HERE.

I LIKE THE MADE IN AMERICA APPROACH.

KEEP US POSTED ON YOUR PROGRESS BUT GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR FUTURE.

>> THANK YOU FOR VISITING AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.

>> OUR PLEASURE.