Molding the Future of Cigars

A small company in Pennsylvania plays a major role in the cigar-making process

Gregory Mottola
Posted: February 20, 2007

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THE FUTURE OF CIGAR MOLDS
Herbst believes that plastic molds have displaced wood in most cigar factories. If he's correct, then where does that leave the future of the wooden mold? A good number of them still come out of a factory in Tampa, Florida, called Justo Fulgueiras & Son Manufacturing Co., located in Ybor City. The family-run company has been making wood molds for almost 100 years, but in 1995 incorporated plastic into its production line. Today, the plastic molds account for most of its output. According to general manager David Lay, Justo Fulgueiras produces 4,000 to 5,000 molds a year, only 500 of which are wood. "Wood molds go mostly to the smaller factories," says Lay.

The initial sticker shock of a plastic mold could be a deterrent to those smaller factories. Plastic molds can cost twice as much as wooden ones, as the raw materials for plastic molds cost more than wood, although the man-hours required to assemble, glue and care for the wooden molds are greater.

Despite the growing appeal of plastic molds, Lay believes that the need for traditional molds will never die. "I think that wood molds will always be around," he says.

Herbst continues to push the technological envelope. He is working on a patented mold design called the Single Press Mold. If successful, it will eliminate the need to rotate a cigar within the mold's slot, cutting pressing time in half, says Herbst. He's been told that such an undertaking is simply not possible, but he claims he's almost there. Time will tell.

As for wooden molds, strangely enough, many can be found right in Abbottstown. The area is known for its wonderful antiquing, and even has a little cigar-making history of its own. Any of the town's stone-and-mortar antique shops are bound to have one.

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