26 February 1998: Dartington Crystal, the UK producer of clear English crystal, has recently become the sole UK distributor for Muurla, the Finnish glassware producer, the company said.
Commenting on…
26 February 1998: Dartington Crystal, the UK producer of clear English crystal, has recently become the sole UK distributor for Muurla, the Finnish glassware producer, the company said. Commenting on the new distributorship, Richard Barnes, UK sales director of Dartington Crystal, said, “Muurla shares a number of similarities with Dartington; we both manufacture products that are contemporary in design, yet still handmade using traditional craftsmanship. There“s real synergy between the two brands which I am confident will benefit Dartington, Muurla and our retailers.” Muurla gives Dartington its fifth glass product portfolio, the others being J. Marcolin by Dartington, Designs by Dartington and the Capredoni Collection, as well as its principal crystal collection of over 400 products. Muurla said its extensive product range draws its design influence from Finland“s 200-year-old glass making history. The glassware is made from Finnish iron-free sand, providing maximum clarity to the end product, said the company. Muurla glass is made using a number of manufacturing techniques, including baking, blowing and centrifuge, all combined with traditional handworking by craftsmen. The company was established by a local family from the village of Muurla in south-west Finland in 1975. It was here, says the company, that business people joined forces with glassmakers to develop new and innovative designs, while employing traditional glassmaking methods and craftsmanship. In the past, Muurla was known in Finland for its candleholders, which were specially designed for Christmas. Today, the collection includes vases, candleholders and gourmet tableware. The company currently employs over 50 people. Muurla is distributed via a network of specialist glass distributors in Austria, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Israel, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and US.