Milton’s renowned Blenko Glass Co. is preserving its handcrafted legacy while adopting advanced manufacturing techniques that will ensure its continued success for years to come.
For more than 130 years, molds for many iconic Blenko pieces were hand carved from wood. Master Mold Maker Daniel Chapman would spend long hours sculpting each mold, guided by hand-made patterns. But when Chapman recently retired after 40-plus years of service and the apprentice training under him left the workforce because of an unrelated injury, the company faced a dilemma.
“We lost both the trained successor and the ability to pass on decades of accumulated knowledge,” explained David Wertz, Benko’s Vice President of Manufacturing. “Since carved cherry wood molds are critical to our glassblowing process, we decided to future-proof the entire operation by investing in computer-controlled equipment and the training to go with it.”
For that, Blenko turned to expertise at the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center (MAMC). Chris Shaffer, MAMC design engineer, helped Blenko choose a CNC (computer-numerical-control) router to produce molds, then he and CNC Machinist/CAD Trainer Treston Withrow trained three members of the glassmaking staff to operate the equipment.
“They taught us the complete workflow – from taking an existing archived pattern through to producing a newly carved mold ready for production glassblowing,” Wertz said. “We needed experts to help us learn and apply these new processes properly . . . to hit the ground running rather than waste time and production trying to figure it out ourselves.”
The benefits, said Wertz, have been substantial. “We’re fully back in production now that we can create our own molds in-house. We can go from initial concept to carved mold to blown glass in a matter of hours – a process that previously took days or several weeks. Additionally, we can reproduce the exact same mold repeatedly, which allows us to maintain tighter quality standards than ever before with this rapid turnaround capability.”
Glass molds don’t last forever. Depending on the design, a wooden mold for blown glass wears and the shape changes after 150 to 300 pieces are produced to specification, Wertz said. Molds for dump, spun or pressed glass tend to last longer. Blenko uses graphite or metal to produce pieces using these techniques.
For example, molds for the company’s popular new Cryptid Critters were fabricated on a three-axis mill from mild steel by MAMC technicians as was the mold for the recently released Jack-Be-Little Figural pumpkin paperweight. MAMC scanned Brand Ambassador Ashley Boggs’ pumpkin design as well as two of the Cryptid Critters that long-time Blenko partner Liz Pavlovic’s crafted in clay. The digital files were used to program the mill to generate the molds.
Both designers’ creations have been huge sellers. Blenko sold 1,200 Jack-Be-Littles in 60 days and more than 2,000 Cryptid Critters in just one week, according to Wertz.
For another new design, the Blenkat Decanters, Blenko enlisted the assistance of MAMC to produce the mold for the unique cat head stopper. “The head for the Blenkat Decanter was a novel shape for us that generally wouldn’t have lent itself to being hand carved in wood,” Wertz said. “Without MAMC’s help, we would not have been able to generate the metal mold that contained the ears and features needed to become the hallmark of the piece.”
Blenko also has contracted with MAMC engineers to scan many of its other glass molds and create digital files. “Our efforts to preserve West Virginia’s glassmaking legacy would be wasted if we weren’t actively digitizing and archiving what made us successful in the first place,” Wertz said. Too much history has been lost due to poor archival practices or simply lackadaisical attitudes toward storage or systems. We’re future-proofing Blenko to last another 100 years, which means we need to get serious about digitization and archiving before it’s lost for good.”
Wertz said the philosophy of embracing advanced technology while preserving the artisan’s touch to make work life easier for employees is a Blenko hallmark.
“[For example, computer-controlled] machining allows us to honor the craftmanship of our mold-making process while significantly reducing the physical burden on our team,” Wertz explained. “Our artisans can create precise, detailed molds faster and with less repetitive strain. By automating the most physically demand aspects, we shift their focus to refining the final touches that give each piece its distinctive Blenko character. This doesn’t replace craftsmanship – it enhances it.”
To learn more about Blenko’s glassmaking process, history and product line, visit www.blenko.com.
Oct. 28, 2025
