World tableware and gift glass markets

Big changes have happened in production and selling patterns
Glass tableware producers across the world have experienced fluctuations in recent years. The economic downturn in Asia in 1997/98, which spread to Latin America and Russia, slowed the development of fast-growing markets though accompanying currency devaluations spurred tableware exports from Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand.
China also became a major exporter of glass tableware. This has all put downward pressure on prices for standard glassware items, leading more retailers to buy tableware from Asia.

Apart from Japan, the economies of the developed world grew throughout the 1990s and their demand for glass tableware followed the same trend. At first the manufacturers in north America and Europe accommodated the growth in low price tableware imports by focusing on premium marker segments. Production of glassware in France, for instance, rose 14% to nearly 520,000 tonnes.

Strong growth of exports from southeast Asia from 2001 suggests further import penetration into the mature tableware markets of the west and more production being moved to emerging markets. After strong growth in 2000 in most major markets, the after-effects of the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001 plus increasing economic slowdown in the US and western Europe impacted tableware sales. September 11 also hit US outbound tourism, normally a big customer for many glassware producers, but initial estimates suggest a slight recovery towards the end of 2002.

In 2001 France remained the world's biggest exporter of tableware by value at $980 million, followed by Germany at $412M; Italy at $388M; Czech Republic at $224M and Turkey at $191M.

France still ranks as leader by volume, at 383,000 tonnes in 2001, but Indonesia is rapidly catching up.

Western Europe

The major trend since 1997 has been the strong growth in imports, rising by 56% to nearly 350,000 tonnes, but exports have grown by 5% to 400,000 tonnes.
France is the leading producer as well as exporter, and is home to the world-leading producer Arc International.
Italian production of mechanical glassware has been falling but handmade glassware is still significant. CALP is the leading firm here.

German glassware production has been rising. The industry comprises around 40 companies and produced 110,000 tonnes of glassware in 2000.

Ireland's Waterford Wedgwood heads global rankings for premium crystal glass products and holds a strong position in the US market.

Eastern Europe

The Czech Republic has been the leading producer of domestic glassware in the region with 80,000 tonnes annual output, but problems caused by the strong value of the local currency have led to closures and production cutbacks during 2002. A leading producer is Sklo Bohemia, which completed a major upgrade of its production line in 2001 and is owned by Bohemia Crystalex Trading.
Poland is eastern Europe's biggest importer of glass tableware at nearly 23,400 tonnes. Imports have been rising over recent years, and gaining ground over exports.
North America

Despite rising competition from cheap imported goods the strength of the US and Canadian economies in the late 1990s led to growth in glassware shipments from both countries. In 2000 US domestic glassware sales grew 9%, local production by 9% and shipments by 16%.

Since then things have slipped back with economic uncertainty and the September 11 attacks. Lancaster Colony is to close one of its two factories during 2003.

Libbey is north America's leading producer of tableware and beverage ware. It has twice been rebuffed in takeover bids in recent years; for Oneida in 1999 and Anchor Hocking in 2002.

Latin America

With the exception of Argentina, Latin American markets for tableware recovered strongly from the 1998/99 slowdown and industry turnover in Brazil was expected to reach devaluation levels in dollar terms by 2002. However the September 11 events and worldwide slowdown have dented those hopes and estimates suggest a slight decline in 2002 output.

Mexico's glassmakers have been complaining to their government about low price imports. The country is the leading glassware producer in Latin America but problems include the strength of the local currency and rising natural gas prices.

Asia Pacific

Asia's glassware industry registered strong growth before the late 1990s currency crisis led to sharp falls in output- South Korea saw output fall by 25% in 1998, for instance. Sales recovered strongly in 2000, but continued stagnation in the major import market of Japan plus the fallout from September 11 and economic slowdown elsewhere in the world have made times tough again.

China has now overtaken Indonesia as the region's leading exporter of glass tableware by volume.

By value, Indonesia is still the main base for tableware making and exports account for nearly half of all output there.

Japan is the region's biggest importer of tableware ahead of Hong Kong and Australia, and the region's biggest tableware market.

South Korea and Thailand have become major exporters of glassware with Korea in particular moving into lead crystal and opal-ware. Malaysia also has growing exports, and the fastest growing import market for glassware in Asia is China.

Africa

The main interest here lies in the rapidly developing glassware industry in Egypt. Encouraged to sell into Europe following the demise of Demaglass, by growing domestic consumption and good domestic supplies of raw materials and natural gas, Egypt's makers of glassware are investing to increase their output.

A cooperation of Glass/GlassInternational - "World Glass File" und OGIS GmbH