Iron Tusk Corp owns the massive mine that The Iron Kettle is built around. Because of the talent needed to construct the mining infrastructure, the Kettle is a rustic place full of skilled smiths and crafters, many of whom sell goods to travelers outside their work for Iron Tusk.
That need for steel goods has given the smiths more power than Iron Tusk would prefer. A powerful trade union formed by the smiths keeps them in check and governs "The Kettle," taking the onus — and the liability — off the company.
Source · Drylands History