Archived News and Updates

Archived:

2006: Three Special &
Unique Christmas Gift Ideas

The Kamado Corporation has searched, literally worldwide, for a location that has the correct combination of skilled labor, a tradition of crafts excellence, easy access to our major marketplace, transportation and communications infrastructure equal to our needs, and costs that let us continue to make Kamado ceramic cookers the best value and highest quality available. 

We've found that place.  

As of approximately October 25, all Kamado operations and personnel (administration, sales, customer service and manufacturing) will be based in Ensenada, Mexico. The Johnson family (Deborah, Richelle, Laura and Richard) and Bill Nichols, as well as our key factory workers, are all relocating to Ensenada. 

In choosing Mexico, we will benefit from a centuries-old heritage of fine ceramic and tile work, a place where "hecho por mano" (made by hand) is a label of pride reflecting craftsmanship handed down from father to son. We look forward to manufacturing Kamado cookers and accessories that reflect this pride of craftsmanship. We think the cookers from our new facilities will not just equal, but will exceed in quality anything we’ve previously produced. 

The new facilities and additional staffing will make possible many things that until now have been impossible. We will finally be able to increase production to meet demand, expand our metalwork capabilities, and create our own custom ceramic tile. In short, we will gain more control over every aspect of Kamado production, and will finally be able to directly supervise the production of everything that goes into our cookers, as well as the final assembly. The new facility also means finally having dedicated space for Richard to continue R&D on the many new products he has in mind. 

In choosing to move everything, including ourselves, to Mexico we are opting not to "outsource" but rather to invest personally and professionally. All Kamado cookers will be manufactured in our new Ensenada facility, under the direct personal supervision of Richard Johnson, Bill Nichols, and the experienced Kamado staff. We will oversee every step of the process, and everything will meet our demanding standards. 

Deborah, Richelle, and Laura will, as always, be answering your phone inquiries, which will come to us in Ensenada via 800 toll-free phone numbers. We already have high speed internet connections in place, including voice over IP for phone service. We expect to expand our staffing in order to respond promptly and positively to all inquiries and requests for assistance from existing as well as prospective customers. 

The new manufacturing facility is more than three times larger than our prior Sacramento facility, giving us vastly greater capacity with which to meet the ever-increasing demand for Kamado cookers. The pool of highly skilled labor means we can increase production while maintaining quality, and a favorable cost and duty structure means we can keep Kamado cookers affordable while continuing to deliver uncompromising excellence.  

Ready access to the border, which is just 60 miles away, means seamless arrangements for immediate shipping to all locations throughout the U.S. without the months-long delay that went with our Indonesian operations. Kamado S.A. de C.V. will have a warehouse in San Diego for shipping/receiving and customer will-call. We will also benefit enormously from Ensenada’s modern international port facility, which does not suffer from the congestion and delays that now plague other major west coast port facilities in the U.S. 

A few years ago, such a move would have been impossible. Changes in technology and import procedures, combined with existing excellence in the skills we need, make this the right place at the right time. We're moving to Mexico because it has all the resources we need to provide Kamado customers the best. That always has been, and continues to be, our commitment to you. 

Needless to say, this is a big move in many ways. We appreciate your support, your interest, and your patience with any slowness in responding during this transition period. And please come visit us in Mexico! The Hotel Coral (www.hotelcoral.com) is close to our new facilities, and for those who boat, Ensenada has a modern and beautiful marina.

Kamado on the Move