DURALEX INTERNATIONAL

Duralex is a designer and manufacturer of tempered glassware and tableware.

History. The adventure begins in the 1930s. Saint-Gobain acquires a glass factory in La-Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin, near Orléans, which was once owned by a vinegar maker and then a perfumer who produced their bottles there. A few years later, the company, a pioneer in tempered glass technology, made its first attempts to adapt the process to the manufacture of crockery. And in 1945, the Duralex trademark was registered.

The 1960s and 1970s were years of expansion and international development for the brand. Duralex and its products became familiar to millions of consumers around the world. As a logical consequence, the internationalisation of markets saw the emergence of new competitors... And the turn of the 1990s was a difficult one. Saint-Gobain decided to sell Duralex to refocus on its other businesses.

Initially owned by an Italian glassmaker, the company then passed into the hands of various buyers who were unable to restart the business. In 2008, the company was taken over by a group of managing shareholders. This time, significant resources were invested to save and develop the production tool and to clean up the company's management. The brand returned to profit, which benefited in particular from the modernization of production facilities and the implementation of sustainable management systems, such as the installation of a particle filter, waste recycling, etc. The company was able to regain its profitability. At the same time, a project to rejuvenate the brand was launched: a new logo, new graphic territory, redesigned packaging, etc. Product innovation was also initiated, with priority given to the regular creation of new models and the launch of new colours.

Products. Glasses, coffee cups, mugs, bowls, salad bowls, plates, baking dishes..

Jobs. 250 jobs in France. The brand generates annual sales of around 31 million euros, 80% of which is exported.