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Plastic pink flamingos face extinction

Wednesday, November 1, 2006 | 12:38 PM ET

The maker of the original iconic pink flamingo will close its U.S. factory on Wednesday, beset by rising plastic resin costs and financial problems.

News that the Florida-based Union Products Inc. is closing shop has sparked an eBay bidding war, with consumers eager to claim kitschy lawn ornaments.

But the small company hopes that the pink flamingo will live on, and has held talks with rival companies who have expressed interest in purchasing the production moulds.

"We think the flamingo will go on," said Keith Marshall, Union Products' chief financial officer.

Local artist Don Featherstone designed the first flamingo in 1957 and it was soon copied by other companies. Featherstone studied photographs in National Geographic and sculpted the original birds out of clay. The Featherstone original birds are branded with the creator's signature on the bird's rear end.

"What started out as a fun fad turned into the ultimate in tacky, and evolved into kitsch art on your front lawn," said Marjorie Weiner, outreach co-ordinator of the National Plastics Center in Leominster, Fla.

Next June, Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella hopes to fill the town square with the pink lawn ornaments in celebration of the plastic bird's 50th anniversary.

"I don't think the pink flamingo is dead at all," said Mazzarella. "But whatever happens, he was born here - that can't be taken away from us."

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