A US private equity fund is in talks to take a controlling stake in struggling crystal and ceramics manufacturer Waterford Wedgwood for €600m, according to sources briefed on the negotiations.

WATERFORD Wedgwood (WW) is seeking 250 redundancies at its site in Stoke-on-Trent, the group confirmed through its spokesman.

THE request by troubled Waterford Crystal for a €39 million bail-out has caused divisions within the Government.

IF ever a corporate entity can be said to have put an Irish city or town on the map, then Waterford Crystal is that company.

INTENSE negotiations to secure €35 million state aid for Waterford Wedgwood Group are under way to save the remaining 600 jobs at the group’s crystal plant in Waterford.

PETER Cameron, the chief executive of struggling luxury goods maker Waterford Wedgwood, has stepped down unexpectedly.

Every effort will be made by the Government to find new jobs for hundreds of Waterford Crystal employees facing redundancy, Minister for Finance Brian Cowen today told the Dáil.

Fears are growing tonight for up to 500 jobs under threat at the home of world renowned Waterford Crystal.

JUST over half of Waterford Wedgwood shareholders have agreed to back the company’s latest fundraising drive.

WATERFORD Wedgwood is to give up its listing on New York’s NASDAQ, the struggling luxury goods group said yesterday.

WATERFORD Crystal workers have queued up to take the recommended Labour Relations Commission redundancy package, with a spokesman for the company yesterday saying the offer has been “oversubscribed”.

THE Friday deadline for acceptance of the Labour Relations Commission redundancy package put to Waterford Crystal workers is unlikely to be met.

THE troubled luxury goods group Waterford Wedgwood came a step closer to shedding 1,800 jobs yesterday as shareholders gave the go-ahead for a €100 million rights issue to fund its restructuring.

TROUBLED luxury goods group Waterford Wedgwood has announced it will hold an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders on June 20 in Dublin’s Berkeley Court hotel.

Jim Morahan

WATERFORD WEDGWOOD yesterday struck a takeover deal with the board of Royal Doulton that values the British chinaware manufacturer at €58 million.

THE planned takeover of British chinaware manufacturer Royal Doulton by Waterford Wedgwood came a step closer yesterday after shareholders in the troubled luxury goods group gave the go-ahead to a €100 million rights issue to finance the deal.

SHARES in Waterford Wedgwood fell 33% yesterday after the crystal and ceramics manufacturer twice surprised the markets - with a profit warning and with plans to buy a troubled British rival.

Waterford Wedgwood, the ISEQ-listed luxury goods firm, has completed a three-for-eleven rights issue, raising €38.5m to restructure its debts.The company also completed a €166m bond issue.

FITZWILTON, the holding company owned by Tony O’Reilly and his brother-in-law Peter Goulandris, tripled its losses last year after taking a €28 million hit on the sale of its stake in Safeway’s Irish stores.