EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio – The new owners of the former Hall China Co. property on Anna Street in East Liverpool say they are moving forward with plans to relocate their scrap recycling business there, defying the city’s refusal to grant a zoning exception for the project.
“If they want to fight us, they can take us to court,” Greg Six Sr., owner of Six Recycling, told The Business Journal May 31.
HLC Holdings Inc., the parent of The Fiesta Tableware Co., sold the former Hall China property to NSF Holdings LLC of East Liverpool. According to data from the Columbiana County Auditor’s office, the building and land sold for $1.5 million.
The sale closed May 26, HLC said. NSF Holdings LLC is owned by the Six family.
Six, one of the principals of NSF Holdings, said it would take more than a year to move the scrap recycling operation from its location on Maple Avenue to the former Hall China site.
“We’re up there working right now,” Six said. “It’s full of machinery we have to take out.”
During a public hearing Feb. 2, the Board of Zoning Appeals voted 2-2 on the special exception to allow “junk storage and sales.” Planning Director Bill Cowan said the tie voted constituted a defeat of the measure.
“East Liverpool is not business friendly,” Six said. “The mayor is behind me; the councilman (representing) East End is behind me.”
Six reiterated plans to have most of the scrapping process under roof in the 500,000-square-foot facility. “The trucks, equipment [and] scales will be under roof. The steel will be outside. You won’t be able to see anything,” he said.
“We are excited for the development opportunities this site has to offer,” added Ray Six, one of the owners of NSF Holdings. “It will take a lot of time and effort to convert this old pottery to usable space. But we are up to the challenge.”
Elizabeth McIlvain, president of Fiesta Tableware, said that the Anna Street site has not been used as a pottery since March 2021.
“After reevaluating our processes and equipment needs, it was more efficient and cost-effective to consolidate operations to our Newell, W. Va., headquarters,” McIlvain said.
HLC said it remains committed to manufacturing Fiesta Dinnerware and it’s expanding product collection in Newell.
Founded in 1871, The Fiesta Tableware Co. was one of the first whiteware plants in the United States. The company is known for Fiesta Dinnerware, the colorful brand of dinnerware that has been made in the United States since 1936.