Waterford Crystal facts for kids
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A cut glass vase by Waterford
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Glass production |
| Founded | 1947 |
| Products | Glassware |
| Parent | Fiskars Corporation |
Waterford Crystal is an Irish company famous for making beautiful crystal glassware. They are especially known for their cut glass products. The company is named after the city of Waterford in Ireland.
In January 2009, the main Waterford Crystal factory in Waterford closed. This happened because the company, Waterford Wedgwood plc, had financial problems. In June 2010, Waterford Crystal moved to a new location in the city center. This new place has a factory that melts over 750 tonnes of crystal each year. It also has a visitor center with the world's largest collection of Waterford Crystal. Most Waterford Crystal is now made outside Ireland. Since 2015, the brand has been owned by Fiskars Corporation.
Contents
History of Waterford Crystal
Early Glassmaking in Waterford
Crystal making in Waterford started in 1783. Two men, George Penrose and his nephew William Penrose, began their business. It was called the Waterford Glassworks. They made very fine glass that became famous around the world. This first company closed in June 1851. Many people lost their jobs when it shut down.
Trying to Restart Crystal Making
After the first factory closed, people tried to bring glassmaking back to Waterford. In 1935, a jeweler from Dublin named Bernard J. Fitzpatrick had an idea. He wanted to start an Irish glass-making company. In 1938, Fitzpatrick talked to his friend Karel (Charles) Bacik. Bacik owned four glass factories in Czechoslovakia. He was interested in the idea. However, their discussions were delayed because of World War II.
Waterford Crystal is Founded (1947)
Bernard Fitzpatrick visited Charles Bacik again in January 1946, after World War II ended. Bacik agreed to help restart glassmaking in Waterford. They decided how the factory would be set up. Bacik would find skilled workers, and Fitzpatrick would find a location.
Fitzpatrick found a place for the factory in Ballytruckle, Waterford. Construction began on April 3, 1947. There were no skilled crystal workers in Ireland. So, workers from other European countries were hired. The first glass blowing happened on September 11, 1947. The first official glass cutting was on September 21.
By the early 1950s, the company was taken over. It became part of the Irish Glass Bottle company. This company was owned by Joseph McGrath and others. At its busiest, Waterford Crystal employed 3,000 people. This was in a city of 46,000 people.
Waterford Crystal in Recent Years
In 1999, designer Jasper Conran started creating crystal ranges for Waterford. Later, in 2001, Irish fashion designer John Rocha also began designing crystal items. He worked with glass designer Marcus Notley.
Due to more competition, Waterford Wedgwood closed its second Irish factory. This was in Dungarvan in May 2005. They wanted to put all operations into the main factory in Kilbarry, Waterford City. About 1,000 people worked there. This move meant nearly 500 workers in Dungarvan lost their jobs. Some production was also moved to factories in other countries. These included the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovenia.
Waterford Crystal Limited was part of Waterford Wedgwood plc. This larger company was formed in 1986. It happened when Waterford Glass Group bought the famous pottery maker Josiah Wedgwood.
Challenges and New Ownership (2009)
Waterford Wedgwood faced financial difficulties in early 2009. This was during a time called the Great Recession. On January 5, 2009, it was announced that the company was in financial trouble.
On January 30, 2009, the Waterford Crystal factory in Kilbarry closed immediately. This was a surprise to many. The Kilbarry factory had a tourist center. It offered tours, a gift shop, and a gallery. Many employees protested the closure. They hoped to save their jobs. The protest ended in March 2009. Workers agreed to a payment of €10 million.
In March 2009, a US company called KPS Capital Partners bought most of Waterford Wedgwood's assets. Waterford Crystal, along with other brands, became part of a new company. This new company was named WWRD Holdings Limited. The sale did not include the old factory or visitor center in Kilbary. The visitor center closed on January 22, 2010. A new visitor and manufacturing facility opened in June 2010.
Acquisition by Fiskars
On May 11, 2015, Fiskars Corporation agreed to buy WWRD Holdings Limited. Fiskars is a Finnish company that makes home products. The deal was completed in July 2015. This meant Fiskars now owned Waterford, Wedgwood, and other famous brands.
Waterford Crystal Products
Most Waterford crystal is now made outside Ireland. It is produced in countries like Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Germany. Waterford makes many different patterns of crystal glasses and items. Some popular lines include Lismore, Colleen, and Maeve.
In 1966, Waterford chandeliers were placed in Westminster Abbey. This was for the abbey's 900th anniversary. Chandeliers also hang in other famous buildings. These include Windsor Castle and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Waterford Crystal also made the 2,688 crystals for the famous New Year's Eve Ball. This ball drops every year in New York City's Times Square. The ball weighs about 11,875 pounds. It is 12 feet wide and lit by many LED lights.
One popular product is the "Apprentice Bowl." It needs 600 precise cuts, all done by hand. Glass cutters would try to complete this bowl in their final year of training. They were only allowed three tries. If they passed, they would get the Waterford Crystal watermark.
Waterford also crafts many sports trophies. They make the crystal shield trophies for the Masters Series tennis tournaments. They also create the AFCA National Championship Trophy for US college football. The trophy for the Masters snooker championship is also made by Waterford Crystal.
They also design winning trophies for Formula One races. These include the French, Belgian, and German Grand Prix. They made a bat and ball trophy for Derek Jeter at Yankee Stadium. A glass tennis racket was made for Boris Becker. Waterford Crystal also designs the trophies for the People's Choice Awards.
Images for kids
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Waterford Crystal Ball, designed for the New Year's celebrations at Times Square
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Waterford Crystal Volvo Ocean Challenge Trophy
See also
In Spanish: Waterford Crystal para niños
- Edinburgh Crystal
- Tipperary Crystal
- Tyrone Crystal
