Viking Range Corporation - More Than Just a High-End Grill Manufacturer420971
Some of the most innovative inventions stem from someone searching for a product that hasn't been created yet. That is what happened to Fred Carl Jr., the founder of Viking Range Corporation, when he was looking to renovate his home more than twenty years ago. As a fourth generation contractor, he was familiar with the positive and negative attributes of industrial ranges, and noticed them appearing in residential homes. Realizing there wasn't a residential appliance out there that met each the rigors of high-heat restaurant-style cooking however still conformed to strict building codes, he decided to develop his own hybrid variety. Following a number of years of research and development, by January of 1987 Fred Carl Jr. was distributing the first industrial-style residential range.
Today, Viking Range Corporation earns more than 300 million dollars in annual sales and employs more than 1,000 nearby Greenwood, Mississippi residents. Being a lifelong Greenwood citizen, Carl Jr. just couldn't grow his business anyplace else. With a 87,000 square foot manufacturing plant and a number of distribution centers situated in the Greenwood area, Carl Jr. has not only produced one of the largest privately held businesses in the South, but also brought income to this depressed small town. Home to cotton, catfish, and the blues, the Mississippi delta region is one of the most impoverished in the nation, which is all the more purpose to praise Carl Jr. for his commitment and dedication to his hometown.
Carl Jr., in reality, has reinvigorated a dilapidated downtown, recognized as historic Cotton Row, and converted many abandoned buildings into Viking destinations. A Viking Mecca, so to speak, with 23 restored buildings and still counting. The Viking headquarters takes up two blocks of downtown and is situated near Viking's Alluvain Hotel and Spa, a luxury hotel and 7,000 square foot spa that entertains not only Viking dealers and sales representatives, but also clients and would-be clients who want to tour the Viking plant or take a cooking class at the nearby Viking Cooking School. But even if you don't make the pilgrimage to Greenwood, you can nonetheless test out your cooking abilities on a Viking variety at any of the 16 Viking Cooking Schools scattered across the nation. These state-of-the-art demo and lecture-style Viking classrooms draw much more than 70,000 students annually and offer classes from regional cuisine to formal cooking and grilling methods.
Over the years, Carl Jr. has added high-performance appliances to the Viking line up. From the first Viking outdoor grill in 1997 to a full outside kitchen line up in 2004, Carl Jr. has created appliances for the Viking indoor and outdoor kitchen that exceed expectations. The newest line is the Designer Series, a full line of appliances that appeals to the homeowner looking for a much more modern, streamlined design that can be integrated into existing cabinetry. It is a more modern look with a much more competitive price point.
Viking manufactures virtually each appliance for the home such as ranges, ovens, cook tops, dishwashers, refrigerators, and freezers. Countertop appliances such as toasters and blenders and cutlery also bear the Viking brand name. All products are manufactured in the United States and sold worldwide. And if you think that Viking only produces stainless steel appliances, believe again. Hot new colors from cobalt blue to racing red define a cooking space and visually entertain the eye, creating the perfect blend of high-overall performance output with trend-setting style.
Even with the economic downturn, Viking Range Corporation has a vibrant future with its powerhouse appliances offering trend-focused styling and tough building. Carl Jr. has produced a way of life brand synonymous with a luxury lifestyle that many strive to live.
