Duralex facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Glass |
| Founded | 1945 |
| Headquarters |
La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin
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Key people
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Antoine Ioannidès |
| Products | Tempered glass tableware and kitchenware |
| Revenue | 30.097 M € (2013) |
| Owner | International Cookware Group |
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Number of employees
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220 (2013) |
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Duralex is a French company that makes super strong glass dishes and kitchen items. They are located in a town called La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin in France. Duralex uses a special method to make their glass extra tough. They heat the molded glass to a very high temperature, then cool it down super fast. This makes the glass twice as strong as regular glass, so it's much harder to break!
Two of Duralex's most famous products are the Picardie tumbler and the Gigogne glass. The Gigogne glass is so well-known that it's even displayed in a famous museum in Paris, called the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. The name "Duralex" comes from a Latin saying, dura lex, sed lex, which means "the law is harsh, but it is the law."
Contents
A Look at Duralex's History
How Duralex Changed Owners
In January 2021, another company called International Cookware Group bought Duralex. This group also owns the well-known PYREX brand. They bought Duralex for about 3.5 million euros. The new owners promised to keep most of the jobs at Duralex. They also planned to invest a lot of money to make the Duralex factory more modern.
International Cookware Group was very interested in Duralex's special way of making strong glass. Even though Duralex's factory was old, their glass-making skills were top-notch. The company also wanted to combine Duralex's sales and buying with Pyrex to make things more efficient. In 2022, the International Cookware Group changed its name to La Maison française du verre.
Facing Energy Challenges
In November 2022, Duralex faced a big problem: the cost of energy went up a lot. Because making glass uses a lot of energy, the company had to stop its operations. They turned off their big furnaces, and their 250 employees had to work fewer hours.
Overcoming Financial Hurdles
After five months, Duralex was able to restart its furnaces on April 17, 2023. During this tough time, the company received 15 million euros in help from the government.
In April 2024, Duralex faced financial difficulties again. However, in July, something amazing happened! The court agreed to a plan where the employees would take over the company. More than half of the employees supported this idea, and it meant that all their jobs would be saved. This was a big step for Duralex, as the employees now own and run the company together.
Awards and Recognition
In 2014, a magazine called This Old House recognized Duralex's OvenChef glass baking dishes. They said these dishes were some of the best new home products. They especially liked that the dishes could handle big changes in temperature without breaking.
See also
In Spanish: Duralex para niños
