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A p r i l 2 0 17 w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m
P H O T O G R A P H S C O U R T E S Y
S U N S E T H I L L S T O N E WA R E MADE IN THE NEW NORTH
Merry
potters
SUNSET HILL STONEWARE STARTED IN DALE IN 1998
as a small business making handcraed stoneware with clay medallions.
Today, the company employs 50 in a 25,000-square-foot building in
Fox Crossing, churning out 10,000 handcraed mugs a week. Its roster of
customers includes Samuel Adams Brewery and hundreds of national and
state parks.
Tom Dunsirn, the company's owner, says Sunset Hill bills itself as
America's cleanest, greenest pottery. His company has invested in clean air
filtration systems, LED lighting and efforts to reclaim kiln heat.
Dunsirn takes pride in the company's fast turnaround of custom-made
products. Customers can order 50 mugs and have them turned around in
two weeks, he says.
"I don't think any potteries are doing what we're doing," Dunsirn says.
"It's hard to manufacture and do things one by one in the U.S., and we've
taken it to that level and succeeded."
Dunsirn sees a possibility for expansion in the company's future, with
perhaps a new, larger facility and the addition of five to 10 more potters.
— Jessica iel
