This article appeared in The Parkersburg News on Friday, November 2, 2007

Fenton continues to produce

By JODY MURPHY, Staff Writer

WILLIAMSTOWN — A spike in last-minute sales is keeping a 100-year-old glass company running.

When Fenton Art Glass announced it was closing this fall, the company gave dealers an extra three weeks for orders.

According to company President George Fenton, the response was so large the company delayed closing in October.

"We had a very large amount," Fenton said.

According to Fenton, the orders will allow the company to continue production into December.

"Currently, our production in the hot metal department can stay active until the end of November," Fenton said. "The decorating and finishing areas can remain active through most of December."

Fenton, known around the world for its collectible art glass, announced earlier this year it was closing. The announcement shocked government and tourism officials from Wood and Washington counties.

Fenton said company officials are working with others to keep the art glass maker up and running. While nothing definitive has been reached, Fenton said the company’s future is better than it was a few weeks ago.

"We are more optimistic today than we were several weeks ago because of the strong support we have had from our customers," Fenton said.

Keith Burdette, president of the Wood County Economic Development Authority, said his office and the state are working with the company to find ways to keep it running. Burdette acknowledged the company was doing much of that on its own.

"Their going out of business sale — they should probably have one a year," he said. "The response from across the country has been phenomenal. They have had an incredible influx of orders."

Burdette admitted the state’s role in the company’s future is limited.

"We have put together a lot of different suggestions, but the bottom line is this is a family-owned business, not a public entity. The family has to decided how they want to proceed."

Like Fenton, Burdette said because of the spike in sales the company has more options than it had three months ago.

In July, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel reported Fenton Art Glass owed more than $157,000 in personal property tax and more than $72,000 in real estate tax. Fenton said the company is current on its real estate taxes, but still working on its personal property tax bill.

Burdette said Fenton is the name in the decorative art glass industry and its important to the area and the state to keep the company running.

Burdette said the state’s interest is not just in Fenton, but the West Virginia’s glass making industry. Burdette said the Mid-Ohio Valley was once home to almost 100 glass operations.

"The state is seeing an entire industry — part of West Virginia’s cultural history — lost," he said.