Who Is The Owner Of Laguna Clay?

Laguna Clay Company was founded in Laguna Beach, California in 1932 by Charles and Edith Simpson. It started as a small manufacturing and retail outlet selling locally-sourced clays and ceramic materials. Over the decades, Laguna Clay grew to become one of the largest clay suppliers in the United States, providing high-quality raw materials, tools, and equipment for potters, sculptors, artists, schools, and universities. Laguna Clay helped shape the craft pottery movement and ceramic arts industry in America through their innovations in clay and glaze chemistry. Today, they offer over 500 types of clay bodies, numerous glazes, kilns, wheels, tools, and accessories used by ceramicists across the country. Laguna Clay Company has had a major influence in the growth of studio ceramics.

Founding

Laguna Clay Company was founded in 1976 by Jon Brooks on the sunny coast of California (“Laguna Clay Company’s history is deeply rooted in clay. Jon Brooks, the … Laguna Clay had its inception in 1976. We stock some cone 5 and 10 clays, any …” cited from https://nmclay.com/pugged-pottery-clay-bodies/laguna-pugged-clay). Brooks opened up a shop right on the beach, where he started selling pots, sculptures and other ceramic wares (“In 1976 on the sunny coast of California, Laguna Clay was born. The founder opened shop right on the beach. He started selling pots, sculptures and …” cited from https://rovinceramics.com/collections/laguna-clay-co).

Early History

Laguna Clay started in 1976 in Laguna Beach, California where the founder opened a shop on the beach selling pottery, sculptures, and clay (Laguna’s Clays). The company focused on supplying clay bodies, glazes, tools, and supplies to local artists at first. As word spread about the quality of Laguna’s clays, the company’s customer base grew beyond Southern California to serve ceramic artists and potters across America. By the 1980s, Laguna Clay was shipping products nationwide and established itself as a leading supplier of clays and ceramics materials on the West Coast.

Current Ownership

Laguna Clay is currently owned by Bryan Vansell, who purchased the company in 2022 and took over as President. According to Laguna Clay Company Special Announcement, Vansell purchased Laguna Clay from the previous owners, the Simon family, who had owned the company since the 1980s. The announcement states that Vansell plans to continue Laguna’s legacy of high quality clays and glazes while evolving the business.

An article on LMA Consulting Group provides additional background on Vansell. He has over 25 years of experience in manufacturing and operations leadership roles prior to acquiring Laguna Clay. The article states that under Vansell’s leadership, Laguna Clay aims to accelerate new product development and enhance customer experience while remaining true to its core mission and values.

Company Overview

Laguna Clay is the leading manufacturer of ceramic clays and glazes in the United States, with facilities in California and Florida. Founded in 1932, Laguna has grown to over 350 employees and annual revenue exceeding $50 million (Laguna Clay Website). The company operates large production facilities in City of Industry, CA and Tampa, FL along with 12 owned and operated distribution centers across the US. Laguna products are sold through distributors in over 40 countries worldwide.

Today, Laguna Clay produces over 2000 glaze recipes and 60 types of clay in its facilities. The company focuses on high quality, consistent materials for professional ceramic artists, art programs, and hobbyists. Laguna aims to be a one-stop shop providing clays, glazes, tools, kilns, wheels, and supplies for ceramics. Through its distribution centers, Laguna is able to provide fast order fulfillment across North America.

Key Products

Laguna Clay Company offers a wide range of clay materials and ceramic equipment for potters and ceramic artists. Some of their key clay products include stoneware clays, porcelain clays, and earthenware clays. These come in a variety of formulas intended for throwing, handbuilding, and sculpting (Laguna Clay Materials).

Popular stoneware clays carried by Laguna include B-Mix 5, B-Mix 10, and Soldate 60. These are smooth, high fire stoneware bodies that work well for functional ware and sculpture (Laguna Clay Website). Laguna’s porcelain clays are prized for their white color when fired and smooth throwing properties. Some of their porcelains include Babu Porcelain and PBO-4 (Laguna Online Store).

In addition to clay, Laguna sells a variety of ceramic studio equipment including pottery wheels, kilns, clay extruders, pugmills, and slab rollers. They offer their own Laguna brand as well as carry major brands like Brent, Shimpo, and Bailey (Laguna Clay Website). This allows potters to outfit their studio entirely with Laguna products.

Industry Impact

As the largest and oldest supplier of ceramic materials in the United States, Laguna Clay Company has had an immense impact on the ceramics and pottery industry. Founded in 1932, Laguna has helped shape the growth and evolution of studio ceramics in America over the past nine decades (Raw Material Routes, 2022). The company is credited with introducing new types of clays and glazes that have allowed ceramic artists to push the boundaries of what is possible with clay.

One of Laguna’s most significant contributions was bringing high-quality porcelain to the US market. Before Laguna began producing porcelain in the 1950s, most ceramic artists in America had to work with inferior porcelain or import it from Europe and Asia. Laguna’s development of bright white, plastic “Crestline” porcelain in 1955 opened up new possibilities for delicate, intricate porcelain work that could now be achieved domestically (Pottery Clay Market Detailed Analysis of Current Scenario, 2022). This transformed the US ceramic scene and allowed for the growth of the exquisite porcelain tableware and figurines that became hallmarks of midcentury ceramic art.

In addition to clays, Laguna has led innovations in glazes. Their research into glaze chemistry and introduction of formulas like Glossy Clear, Velvet Underglaze, and Crystaline glaze expanded the repertoire of visual effects achievable by ceramic artists. By continuously developing new clays and glazes and making them accessible nationwide through distribution and education, Laguna has fueled creativity and advancement throughout the American ceramic arts community over the past century.

Awards

Laguna Clay has won numerous awards over the years for their high-quality clay and glazes. Some of their most notable awards include:

The 2022 Ceramic Arts Network Excellence Awards (CAEA), where Laguna Clay artists won multiple awards across categories including Best in Show Functional, Best in Show Sculptural, and more. This demonstrates Laguna Clay’s versatility across functional and decorative applications.

The 2019 Best of Ceramic Art and Pottery award from Ceramics Monthly magazine, highlighting Laguna Clay as an industry leader.

Multiple awards at the annual NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts) conference over the past decade. Laguna Clay is a regular top exhibitor.

These awards validate Laguna Clay as a premier ceramic supplier that empowers artists to create award-winning pieces. Their clays and glazes are trusted by professionals across functional, sculptural, and decorative disciplines.

Philanthropy

Laguna Clay Company has supported various charitable causes over the years through donations and partnerships. One of their major initiatives is supporting arts education for K-12 students. Laguna sponsors annual scholarships for high school students to attend a prestigious ceramic art event through the K-12 Clay Exhibition Foundation (source). They also donate clay and resources to the Empty Bowls project, which uses locally made bowls to raise money to fight hunger (source). Through these and other efforts, Laguna Clay demonstrates a commitment to giving back and supporting the ceramic arts community.

Conclusion

Summary of Laguna Clay’s history and impact. Laguna Clay started as a small family-owned business selling clay in the 1950s. The company grew steadily over the decades into one of the leading ceramic suppliers in the United States. Laguna has had a major impact on the ceramics industry by providing high quality clay bodies, glazes, tools, and equipment to studios, schools, and ceramic artists across the country. They are known for their innovation in glaze and clay chemistry as well as their customer service. Laguna Clay has enabled generations of ceramic artists and students to pursue their passions. The company continues to push the field of ceramics forward today through their commitment to education, community, and environmental sustainability. Laguna Clay’s decades of excellence have firmly cemented their reputation as an indispensable pillar of the ceramics world.