Tableware International March / April 2018

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Crystalex Crystalite Bohemia In 1794, in the forests of deepest Moravia, a glass factory was built and is still in operation today. Kvetna glass factory is a jewel in the crown of Crystalite Bohemia, an authority in Czech glassmaking, and a company with plans for significant investment in 2018.

At Ambiente, Crystalite Bohemia launched a number of new stemware lines.

Marco (pictured), an elegant new stemware range, boasts a graceful shape and contemporary style; while Rissa is a shorter stemmed wine glass that is simple in style yet elegant in proportion.

Finally, demonstrating Crystaliteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing technical capabililties in producing stemware following company investment in the production of wine glasses, new collection Columba is a fine classic collection of wine glasses.

Exporting to more than 70 countries, and with a turnover of Euro 40 million, Crystalex is the largest Czech manufacturer of drinking glasses, offering a portfolio of stemware, tumblers, decanting carafes and vases.

The company, which owns the Bohemia Crystal brand, uses crystal glass mass, Sparkle, in its manufacture, renowned for its brilliance and resistance to thermal shocks. In 2018, Crystalex has added further diversification to its extensive range of automatic machine-made suites with Linda and Keira.

Linda (pictured) is a set of plain stemware glasses with a polished stem, while Keira is equipped with a modestly-shaped stem. In addition, successful line Kate has had a makeover and now comes as an optical version.

Crystalex offers an array of decorative techniques and decors for its stemware, and for 2018, introduced 15 new decorative projects, from delicate decors to those with decorative rims or with colour. The main focus is a collection of decorations realised via deep pantograph engraving technology â&#x20AC;&#x201C; think six decorations applied to the popular suites Elisabeth, Grace and Angela.

https://crystalite.org

www.crystalex.cz

Innovative Solute to Blue and White Classic

Honorably Served President Banquet of BRICS Summit- Xiamen 2017, China

China Yong Feng Yuan Co. , Ltd

Block 2,Yongfengyuan Industrial District,Huanguan South RD Guanhu Sub-District,LongHua District,Shenzhen City, China P.C.:518110 Tel: 86-755-29808999 Fax: 86-755-29808648 Contact : daisy@szyfy. net www.auratic.com TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL 67

LSA International’s new Mixologist collection

LSA International For more than 50 years, LSA International has created contemporary collections for bar, table and decoration, made from the highest quality materials and complex artisan techniques to provide enduring quality. The London-based company, which exports to more than 100 countries, is renowned for translating modern designs into distinctive products.

What is unique about LSA International? First and foremost,

Richard Smedley, managing director

the appeal of our product design, its price/quality ratio, and the increasing recognition of, and affinity with, our brand’s values by consumers.

markets, but that is a result of strategy, not necessarily a reflection of which segment in the wider marketplace is growing fastest.

How was business in the last year?

Excellent – 2017 was our strongest year to date. Our growth was mainly driven by existing categories. The UK continued to perform strongly for us with growth ahead of budget, as did our targeted international markets.

We have very balanced, sustainable growth across our sectors and target

What style trends are you seeing?

Colour is, of course, always important, but there are the staples and then the colours which are more transient, but decoration remains as important.

What are your bestselling collections? Thanks to the quality and diversity of our design and product

development, we have a range of collections that perform very strongly across the business.

We see regional variations and differences between them, but taken as a whole, each one performs equally strongly, which eliminates any dependency on a hero collection.

Any plans this year?

Staying at the top of our game, which involves a carefully balanced combination of diverse strategies and activities.

SYNONYMOUS IN STYLE AND SOPHISTICATION FOR THAT SPECIAL OCCASION

RETAIL | HOSPITALITY | INTERIOR DESIGN | BESPOKE Makers of fine bone china since 1750 royalcrownderby.co.uk

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Modular, made by Monno Ceramic

William, made by Monno Ceramic

Working with a factory such as Monno is very exciting for me due to their versatility and willingness to innovate; they can produce porcelain, bone china and fine china all under one roof.

Furthermore, they have inhouse decal and packaging production, so I’m looking forward to getting hands-on and exploring new possibilities within their facilities during my forthcoming visit.

In a few weeks, I’ll be flying out to Dhaka to work on two new projects with Monno for launch at Ambiente 2019.

I've also learnt the importance of quickly establishing a new range of tableware as a brand in its own right, as well as within a larger company of products, if it is to be successful in the long-term.

Consumers buy into authentic stories as much as they demand innovative products – this is a fascinating prospect.

What designs are favourites?

Those that are under-styled – I am fond of the aesthetic Jasper Morrison appies to his designs, and Thomas by Rosenthal is one of my favourite brands. I’m also

impressed with the commitment to quality and affordability of design John Lewis brings to the UK high street.

What’s so exciting about being in tableware today?

Design is not only about products, but people too. For me, the most exciting aspect of the industry is the variety of people I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with. It’s a great feeling when someone expresses their belief in your ability by investing their time and expertise in you.

Over the course of the past two years, for example, I have built a close relationship with Valda and Paul Goodfellow of G&G Goodfellows. Initially, thanks to a mentoring grant from the UK Crafts Council, Valda and I met once a month to discuss my business objectives.

Although the grant soon expired, Valda kindly offered to continue mentoring me and thanks to her advice and support she has furthered my knowledge of the tableware industry from a leading distributor’s perspective and helped me to firmly establish myself within it.

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