Waterford Crystal

looksee

I have been fighting a one-person battle on a tourism forum trying to get the message across that Waterford is worth visiting and crystal is made in Waterford. Not all of it, I know that, but some is made here.

I am getting Irish people from all over the country saying, don't bother going to Waterford, there is nothing there and the crystal factory is closed. Now I have someone telling me with great authority that only a small amount of crystal is finished in Waterford. In other words it is not made here.

Can anyone tell me where I can get the facts on this. There is no wonder we struggle to have a tourist industry in the South East if the rest of the country is saying don't go there!

jonnyfingers

Well it is true that very little crystal is made in Wateford now. The opening of the showroom and tour was part of an agreement that the company who bought Waterford Crystal made before buying the brand, which is why they succeeded in the sale I believe. Only a small amount of artisan pieces are made there with mass production all having been moved overseas. I'm not sure where you would get any facts and figures on this. You could try contacting the company directly.

Bards

jonnyfingers wrote: »

Well it is true that very little crystal is made in Wateford now. The opening of the showroom and tour was part of an agreement that the company who bought Waterford Crystal made before buying the brand, which is why they succeeded in the sale I believe. Only a small amount of artisan pieces are made there with mass production all having been moved overseas. I'm not sure where you would get any facts and figures on this. You could try contacting the company directly.

From what I remember, everything sub €200 is made in cheaper labour markets and the more expensive items - One-Off Pieces, trophies etc. are made in Waterford.

Afterall, it is the more expensive pieces that made Waterford the name/brand that it is today

hardybuck

A very quick google search threw up this gem. Looks to have all you need. 40,000 pieces per year are manufactured in Waterford.

http://www.waterfordireland.ie/things-to-do/getting-acquainted/waterford-crystal-visitor-center

road_high

looksee wrote: »

I have been fighting a one-person battle on a tourism forum trying to get the message across that Waterford is worth visiting and crystal is made in Waterford. Not all of it, I know that, but some is made here.

I am getting Irish people from all over the country saying, don't bother going to Waterford, there is nothing there and the crystal factory is closed. Now I have someone telling me with great authority that only a small amount of crystal is finished in Waterford. In other words it is not made here.

Can anyone tell me where I can get the facts on this. There is no wonder we struggle to have a tourist industry in the South East if the rest of the country is saying don't go there!

There's a very negative perception built up around Waterford which is going to be hard to shake now. The city may not be the most exciting place, but Waterford county is one of my favourites. The coast and beaches are lovely, and Lismore and that area are gorgeous places. Very undersold. Kilkenny and Wexford's tourism industry are doing very well so I don't think it's neccessarily a SE regional issue.
Major pity the Crystal is no longer (in the main) made there but times have moved on. It might be popular as a destination but for the weekend trip away market nightlife, buzz, shopping and transport are key in my view and would be far more important than somewhere where expensive crystal is made.

looksee

hardybuck wrote: »

A very quick google search threw up this gem. Looks to have all you need. 40,000 pieces per year are manufactured in Waterford.

http://www.waterfordireland.ie/things-to-do/getting-acquainted/waterford-crystal-visitor-center

Thank you, there are quite a lot of sites giving tourist type information - even I have trouble believing 40,000 pieces given the speed the men work as they talk to visitors, its just possible though!

hardybuck

looksee wrote: »

Thank you, there are quite a lot of sites giving tourist type information - even I have trouble believing 40,000 pieces given the speed the men work as they talk to visitors, its just possible though!

Sure better again, take it straight from the horses mouth!

According to the company website,750 tonnes of crystal or 45,000 pieces are made in Waterford each year.

http://www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com/Manufacturing_Activities

bluesfan

hardybuck wrote: »

Sure better again, take it straight from the horses mouth!

According to the company website,750 tonnes of crystal or 45,000 pieces are made in Waterford each year.

http://www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com/Manufacturing_Activities

To put it into perspective, when the plant in Kilbarry was going at full capacity, that would have been three days work.

Max Powers

Well looksee, fair play to you,
i think its mad that people on tourism chatroom think there is nothing to see in Waterford when there is history here that every city in Ireland would cut its arm off to have. The 3 main museums are worth a go, the newest one being excellent. Obviously, you have the Crystal factory tour too which is very good. There are excellent restaurants and hotels very competetively priced including hotel of the year, The Granville. Some very nice pubs too. Shopping in the city could improve with the addition of 1or2 major shops would attract people to city centre in their masses from around the SE again. Spraoi, Winterval and other excelllent festivals.
The county has some amazing places, lismore, ardmore etc. Michelin star restaurants and world class retaurants in Dungarvan too (the tannery).

Waterford is improving its tourist product, but its still in good shape with room to improve. COmpare it to KK which has a castle, not much else to see and the town itself is done up very well, added to that their marketing must be excellent, fair play to em. Waterford faces challenges in having a serious unemployment problem which unfortuantely takes its toll on shop closures etc. Its not as bad as Limerick city according to the stats but it could defintely improve.
Another way the place could easily improve is if all the locals, got out supported the city centre and city centre trade. Maybe speak positively about the place to highlight its good points of which there are many.

waterford

Or on a bad weekend in the Dungarvan Plant

looksee

True (about production) but in the current place the workers spend a lot of their time talking to visitors, and have nothing like the number of furnaces in the other places. Still, when there are not a lot of visitors they would probably produce a fair bit.

wellboytoo

People dont seem to realise on here the plant on the Mall is only a showroom, the bulk of the work is done in their plant in the northern extension next to Cresthaven.

stefan idiot jones

I didn't know that Cresthaven had a unit in Prague ?

wellboytoo

stefan idiot jones wrote: »

I didn't know that Cresthaven had a unit in Prague ?

Ah well I tried anyway......

Deise_67

nothing manufactured there its an acid polishing plant ! the mall makes a tiny fraction of overall WC worldwide !

er1983

Old Waterford Crystal building is going to be bulldozed to the ground according to Damien Tiernan on twitter

Max Powers

probably a good thing if it means something will happen there. on saying that, i dont think the old factory side could be bulldozed easily (asbestos etc), presumably that part isnt included. It seems any organisation wants big open spaces for its shops/offices etc so converting is not suitable and more expensive.

Pity WIT cant afford to buy it for future expansion. Makes you wonder when UCC can afford to advertise extensively on the radio at bus stops and at international football matches

callaway92

er1983 wrote: »

Old Waterford Crystal building is going to be bulldozed to the ground according to Damien Tiernan on twitter

Ya they started destroying it yesterday evening.

I don't know why I thought Crystal were moving back there. Must have gotten some incorrect info!

Max Powers

will be odd to see it gone. Dont pass by there very often, someone upload a few pics please.

Sully

What's going in there?

wellboytoo

Everything coming down but the office block afaik, they are all sick buildings not fit for purpose, don't know what the big plan is though.

Junior

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/1009/479287-waterford-crystal/

There's a few photos there..

Max Powers

Office space is good. Realistically if the IDA wanted to help us they would be building loads of large open plan office spaces for businesses/call centres/financial services to move into. doesnt have to be in the IDA estate either, city locations can be good too. all the offices in dublin make for a vibrant lunch time, after 5pm etc.

I know comparing us to Dublin on IDA investment and everything is basically silly at this stage but smaller scale stuff.

mike65

Stick Marks and Sparks in there!

Cabaal

mike65 wrote: »

Stick Marks and Sparks in there!

:pac:

CardBordWindow

mike65 wrote: »

Stick Marks and Sparks in there!

AND HMV!!

fricatus

Max Powers wrote: »

Office space is good. Realistically if the IDA wanted to help us they would be building loads of large open plan office spaces for businesses/call centres/financial services to move into. doesnt have to be in the IDA estate either, city locations can be good too. all the offices in dublin make for a vibrant lunch time, after 5pm etc.

I know comparing us to Dublin on IDA investment and everything is basically silly at this stage but smaller scale stuff.

If I could wave a magic wand I would put a major office-based employer (any kind of place that had 1,000 or so PCs in cubicles, be it call centre, financial services, etc.) into the Gasworks. The contribution that that would make to the vibrancy of the city would be huge.

mike65

Keep workers in the centre so they wander off and spend money on coffee, sandwiches and newspapers at lunchtime and milk and bread on the way home.

TheVandal

I heard the yellow house pub have bought the land with the intention of expanding and creating Waterford's first ever 'Super-Mega-Gastro pub'. They got the land cheap because they "Don't mind the asbestos, boy". Reportedly, the concrete floors of the area will make it easier to bolt stripper poles to the ground in the function room/betting office.

Max Powers

TheVandal wrote: »

I heard the yellow house pub have bought the land with the intention of expanding and creating Waterford's first ever 'Super-Mega-Gastro pub'. They got the land cheap because they "Don't mind the asbestos, boy". Reportedly, the concrete floors of the area will make it easier to bolt stripper poles to the ground in the function room/betting office.

heard that too, apparently the worlds largest fruit machine.....'hold the bells mate'

TheVandal

Max Powers wrote: »

heard that too, apparently the worlds largest fruit machine.....'hold the bells mate'

Can only be operated by 3 people and it dispenses novelty euro coins the size of a face. cash em in at the end of the night.