Belleek enter crystal market
The North's china manufacturer Belleek Pottery is entering the crystal market where it will go head to head with the equally prestigious Waterford Crystal.
The Co Fermanagh based company announced today it had invested £1.5m (€2.2m) in launching a crystal stemware range which will marketed under its contemporary Belleek Living brand.
Unlike Waterford Crystal which manufactures its own glassware in the Republic of Ireland, Belleek is farming out manufacture to the Czech Republic in Eastern Europe.
It said the decision to enter the crystal market had been taken following extensive market research into the potential for another crystal brand in Belleek’s domestic and export giftware markets.
It had decided to go ahead after seeing sales of the Belleek Living brand grow by 50% in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland since the launch of the range in 2003.
Domestic retail sales in 2005-2006 amounted to over £5m (€7.3m) and the range now represented over 40% of Belleek’s overall worldwide sales.
Managing director John Maguire said company was very excited about the prospects for their new product.
“Belleek Living Crystal will enable us to further penetrate the very important wedding gift market which in the UK alone is estimated to be worth over £300m (€438m) annually,” he said.
While the manufacture of china would remain the core business, the company saw tremendous opportunities for the extended range, he said.
Today’s consumer wanted quality, value for money and inherent style in the products they bought, said Mr Maguire.
“Our research has shown us that when people find a brand that they like, they want to be able to but it across all its ranges. This is particularly true in the wedding gift market,” he added.
He conceded Belleek’s share of the wedding gift market had been very low four years ago but said Belleek Living was one of the top brands on the Northern Ireland wedding gift list.
He said with the introduction of the crystal range they intended to grow business by over £2m (€2.92m) over the next two years.
