Number employed at €25m centre could reach 220

UP to 220 people could yet be employed at the €25 million House of Waterford Crystal visitor and manufacturing centre which was officially opened yesterday.

Sections of the south-eastern capital were closed to traffic yesterday as the city at large celebrated the “rebirth” of Waterford Crystal.

Up to 80 full time and 33 part-time jobs have been created at the city centre site where top-end crystal products are being made at a former derelict ESB premises.

However, according to WWRD Holdings, which owns the Waterford Crystal brand name, this figure should double in the coming years.

Tourists will be able to watch the city’s master craftsman at their work hand-shaping and hand-blowing the crystal as the centre will host visitor tours.

A new continuous melt tank furnace is on site and will produce two tonnes of molten crystal each day. It’s estimated that up to 40,000 pieces of crystal will be made at the facility each year.

The House of Waterford, situated on the Mall, also includes a large shop with the world’s largest collection of Waterford Crystal and is also the international headquarters for the company’s design team.

Waterford Wedgwood went into receivership 18 months ago with the loss of 480 jobs at the Kilbarry plant on the outskirts of the city. The closure of the plant dealt a devastating blow to the south-east where it had operated for more than 220 years. It was bought by US-based private equity firm, KPS Capital Partners in February last year and Waterford Wedgwood Royal Doulton (WWRD) Holdings was formed. Waterford City Council provided €8 million in funding towards the new centre which it’s hoped will prove a major tourist attraction.

Mayor of Waterford, Councillor John Halligan, said that the House of Waterford Crystal was bringing the “extraordinary story of Waterford Crystal to a 21st century audience”.

“Waterford Crystal goes back hundreds of years in this city and is of huge social and economic importance to this city. We are delighted that this story will live on. It is a truly great brand that brought Waterford city to a global audience,” he said.

Chief executive of WWRD, Pierre de Villeméjane, said that the opening of the House of Waterford was the culmination of a “huge amount of hard work” on behalf of WWRD, KPS Capital Partners and Waterford City Council.

“We are extremely proud of the House of Waterford Crystal and its commitment to quality, heritage and cutting-edge design represents everything that the brand stands for,” he said.

Co-founder and managing partner of KPS Capital Partners, Michael Psaros, declared yesterday an “extraordinary day” in Waterford Crystal’s “extraordinary tradition”.

“This facility is a triumph for WWRD, a triumph for the extended Waterford family, a triumph for the employees and a triumph for the brand. We are the proud custodians of an extraordinary 220-year tradition.”