The Longaberger Company

The Longaberger Company is an American manufacturer and distributor of handcrafted maple wood baskets and other home and lifestyle products. It was one of the primary employers in the area near Dresden, Ohio with more than 8,200 employees and 1 billion dollars in sales. Started in Dresden, the company is now headquartered in Newark, Ohio. A family-owned and operated business, the Longaberger Company was started by Dave Longaberger in 1973, and was overtaken in 2013 by CVSL, Inc. It is currently led by John Rochon Jr, the son of the John P. Rochon, founder and chairman of JRJR Networks and Richmont Holdings. There are currently less than 75 full-time and part-time employees. Approximately 30 of those still make baskets. A combination of a recession and changing tastes in home decor combined to send sales, which peaked in 2000 at $1 billion, to about $100 million in 2012.