If you've joined our Solidteknics community in recent years, you may have seen AUSfonte™ pop up in posts and wondered what the hype was all about! We thought it was high time we demystified AUSfonte™. It's an important part of our history, and the product that launched us on this heirloom cookware journey.
AUSfonte™ was Solidteknics' very first range: innovative, 100% Australian-made, cast iron cookware. Having previously built a company from scratch following the traditional corporate model, founder Mark Henry knew business should be done differently — and better. Business that put people and the environment before profits. Locally-made innovations that were made to last for centuries.
In 2014 the first AUSfonte™ pan was launched on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, and it became immediately clear that there was a need for quality, Australian-made cookware. Little did he know this would be the start of a whole new way of doing business, and the foundation of something very special: the creation of our Solid community.
Why Cast Iron?
Seasoned bare cast iron had been popular with cooks for centuries for how it held heat and browned food. Iron (cast or wrought) was also the only known way to achieve a healthy, natural, forever-renewable non-stick surface. Having been in the industry for many years, Mark had become increasingly aware of, and concerned with, the damage synthetic non-stick coatings were doing to our bodies and our environment.
As a mechanical engineer and long-time lover of cast iron, Mark knew he could improve on the old traditional cast iron — so that's exactly what he did!
The Innovations
Clean Australian Iron
Mark wanted to ensure the cast iron offered not only improved performance, but was healthy and safe. Using clean Australian iron meant no added heavy metals or coatings, which can often be found in imported cast iron.
Comfortable Love Handles
Mark was determined to make a cast iron handle that was actually comfortable — homing in on the ideal long, vented handle to distribute load, improve control, and reduce handle heat. The result was the most ergonomic handles ever put on a cast iron pan, with cleverly engineered vents for minimal heat transfer.
Local Manufacturing
Passionate about local manufacturing, Mark set out to reinvigorate Australia's defunct cookware industry, at which time all of Australia's production cookware had been sent offshore. Mark partnered with Australia's best production foundry — by no means the cheap option, but there was no compromise on quality.
From AUSfonte™ to AUS-ION™
The success of AUSfonte™ gave Mark the confidence and community to push further. The next innovation was a world first: a seamless one-piece wrought iron pan made from a single sheet of Australian iron — the AUS-ION™ range. Lighter, more conductive, and even more durable than cast iron. The rest, as they say, is Solid history.
