Excellence in craftsmanship steeped in tradition and innovation, serves as the foundation of a commitment to quality at Sunset Hill Stoneware.
The pottery company is owned by Tom Dunsirn and his father Duane, who have been firmly established entrepreneurs in Neenah, WI for decades. Tom started the business in 1998 with his love for hand thrown pottery, and then his father brought his engineering expertise to the table as a partner six years ago. Since then the father and son have quadrupled their production house in a state-of-the-art 17,000 sq./ft. facility, which produces premium quality stoneware mugs. Each one-of-a-kind mug is proudly made in America, individually hand-crafted by artisans to ensure the integrity of every piece.
“Our vision is rooted in customer service, employee comfort and environmental responsibility,” says Tom. “They are the cornerstones of everything we do,” he says. SHS has seen significant growth across several markets year after year, especially in the Bed and Breakfasts/Inns industry.
SHS Signature Stoneware pieces help Bed and Breakfasts connect their brand with a product that reflects their service excellence. “Our focus is to provide our customers with affordable, hand-crafted stoneware mugs of the highest quality,” says Tom. Their streamlined online ordering system provides options to set logos in the stoneware with a choice of glazes and artwork, to create upscale, timeless treasures for that personal touch to enhance the guest experience. The mugs, which are completely lead-free, are also oven, microwave and dishwasher safe.
Through visionary initiatives SHS has become America’s greenest, cleanest production pottery facility, where a commitment to environmental stewardship and employee safety are front of mind. The firehouse, on the cutting edge of forward-thinking technology and environmental responsibility, achieved results exceeding OSHA standards. With a respect for the earth’s natural resources, Tom explains how SHS is conscious of its environmental footprint while reinventing the world of production pottery. Their green strategy uses an innovative heat retrieval system that reclaims all of its kiln heat and disperses it back to dry greenware, generates hot water and heats the whole facility. “We could probably heat the entire space with a candle,” jokes Tom.
“Ethically made stoneware is important to our customer base,” says Tom. “Organizations want to partner with vendors who provide a safe and clean employee environment.” Handmade Sunset Hill Stoneware mugs embody quality and values reminiscent of the American dream.
Sunset Hill Stoneware
Tom and Duane Dunsirn
Neenah, WI
Embraces Tradition with Quality
By Sigrid Hart
Sunset Hill Stoneware