After Overwhelming Viewer Feedback Online, “World News with Diane Sawyer” Continues its Latest Series with “Made in America: All Stars”

Series of Reports to Air throughout the Week of April 18, 2011

Throughout the week of April 18, “World News with Diane Sawyer” continues its "Made in America" series, focusing on “All Star” American businesses that are changing lives across the country. Manufacturing still has a major impact on the U.S. economy and the nation's workforce, and right now there are plenty of businesses that remain focused on creating products and jobs in the United States. From toy makers and tractor manufacturers to furniture builders and glassware companies, American manufacturers are improving their local communities. WATCH VIDEO HERE

Since the series kicked off in March, thousands of viewers have weighed in online, and many have submitted names of American companies that are contributing to local economies.  Throughout the week the “World News” team will visit several of those companies across the United States:

• Monday, April 18: Coshocton, Ohio: Annin Flag Makers is a family-owned-and-operated business that was founded in 1847 by brothers Benjamin and Edward Annin.  The company makes hundreds of thousands of American flags each week in Ohio alone. While other local businesses have had to lay off many workers, Annin has put some of those people back to work.  Annin employs over 500 Americans and prides itself on the quality of its products. The company is based in Roseland, New Jersey, and David Muir tours the company’s plant in Coshocton, Ohio (near Columbus), where they make an estimated 93 flags a minute. 
• Tuesday, April 19: Charleroi, Pennsylvania: Channel Craft Toys was started 23 years ago by Dean Hefler in the back of his van as a woodworking company – and Sharyn Alfonsi learned he still has that van. The company is based in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, a town outside of Pittsburgh that has been abandoned by the steel and mining industries — taking most of the jobs with them. Despite opportunities to move the company of Pennsylvania, Channel Craft Toys has stayed and is now one of the top three employers in the small town. In the past few years business has steadily risen allowing them to increased their workforce by 10 to 20 percent in the past year — the last group of temp workers they hired have been kept on full-time, and they are hiring more.  Sharyn Alfonsi visited the company and got a crash course in how to make a proper boomerang.
   
• Wednesday, April 20: Minneapolis, Minnesota:  Nordic Ware is a family-owned, American manufacturer of kitchenware products founded in 1946. The company says that two out of three American households own and use its products, with 60 million of its famous bundt pans in homes across North America. David Muir speaks to the company’s current CEO and his 28 year-old daughter — Nordic’s CEO in training.  A few years ago people would say that Nordic Ware couldn't survive if they didn't go overseas, but staying in the U.S. is a value that has been upheld by the family throughout the generations. Since last year the company has seen a 30% increase in business, which they attribute to more retailers looking for American-made products.
• Thursday, April 21: TBA

ABCNews.com will have more on the companies featured throughout the week. Viewers can continue to tell “World News” about the American businesses that are improving their local communities by writing in here.

“World News with Diane Sawyer” airs at 6:30 p.m. (ET) on the ABC Television Network. Jon Banner is the executive producer of the broadcast.