please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . learn how and when to remove these template messages this article needs additional citations for verification . please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . unsourced material may be challenged and removed . april 2013 learn how and when to remove this template message this article contains content that is written like an advertisement . please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view . april 2014 learn how and when to remove this template message learn how and when to remove this template message dartington crystal ltd type limited company founded dartington hall trust headquarters torrington england website http www.dartington.co.uk glass blowers at dartington crystal based in torrington in north devon england dartington crystal manufactures crystal glassware using traditional swedish glass blowing techniques . many of their ranges continue to be hand crafted in their north devon factory and dartington crystal is now one of only a few crystal brands still producing in the uk . contents 1 history 2 products 3 corporate 4 uk manufacturing 5 references 6 external links history edit the company was founded by the dartington hall trust a charity which then aimed to assist the economic regeneration of rural areas through business education and the arts . in the early sixties the trust had become concerned that north devon was becoming depopulated as a lack of job opportunities forced people to move elsewhere to find work . the glass making factory was intended to be a solution this problem conceived as a centre of employment giving local people a reason to stay in the area . to achieve this vision the trust recruited eskil vilhemson a swedish glass manufacturer to be the company s managing director . a team of scandinavian glass blowers came with him to torrington some of whom are still there to this day and the factory opened in june 1967 under the name of dartington glass . a year later in 1969 more glass blowers followed one italian and a couple from denmark . a 46cm high replica fa cup at dartington crystal demand outstripped production in the 1970s and the factory had to be expanded . by the 1980s the modern image of dartington had attracted the attention of wedgwood who took up a large stake in the business allowing for further expansion . in 1987 frank thrower mbe died of cancer but the business still boomed in the late 1980s and early 1990s . in 1989 dartington hall trust sold a controlling interest to the rockware group whose investment in the business allowed a modern batch mixing plant and new retail shop to be built . the business underwent a management buyout in 1994 from btr who had previously acquired the rockware group and dartington hall trust sold their remaining stake in the business . the business was later acquired by us giftware giant enesco in 2004 following the company briefly going into administration . dartington crystal underwent another management buy out in april 2006 safeguarding many skilled jobs in the area . dartington crystal bought scottish based caithness glass out of receivership in october 2006 and also owns royal brierley crystal which is based in the west midlands . pair of crystal glass slippers presented to the city of plymouth by the plymouth committee of the british olympic appeal and mr & mrs m. hockin to mark the occasion of her royal highness the princess royal attending the british olympic appeal gala ball on 15 july 1988 today dartington crystal is the major employer in torrington and surrounding rural areas which is very important to the south west and uk economy some of the most elegant items are still produced at dartington crystal in torrington meaning the factory is the only working hand made tableware producing crystal factory left in the uk citation needed given the demand for this product the company does however outsource some ranges of items from within the eu especially machine made crystal mainly from slovakia s poltar crystal glass factory where dartington still continue a rigorous quality control process . products edit dartington crystal s most famous products date back to the 1970s frank thrower s scandinavian influenced designs such as sharon exmoor and dimple set dartington out from the others who concentrated on the now seemingly old fashioned cut crystal styles . indeed this has given dartington a modern and contemporary image which has kept it ahead of others and makes it much easier to sell in the modern market . today s most popular ranges include wine master florabundance as well as sharon exmoor and dimple which are still made today and are just as popular as they were in the early years . today dartington provides a choice of options in terms of materials design style and cost . dartington provide a variety of crystal glassware that s both classic and contemporary whatever your requirements may be . fine clear crystal is hand made using the finest materials to provide simple and elegant designs for the home or to give as gifts . the luxurious weight feel and sparkle of 24 % lead crystal makes it perfect for those seeking premium quality and classic enduring looks some collections are machine made lead free crystal . quality glassware items from selected european factories have been used to create both clear and coloured items that are competitively priced and have wide appeal . corporate edit the company is also known for its personalised corporate gifts and special commissions including an fa cup replica used in the celebrations of the 30th anniversary of sunderland s fa cup triumph over leeds united . 1 this replica can be seen in the visitors centre at the torrington site . commissions include holland & holland rolls royce motor p & o cruises and chivas regal as well as many other prestigious names . 2 uk manufacturing edit dartington are one of just a few remaining large scale producers of crystal and glass in the uk and they remain an important regional employer with 150 staff . not all of their crystal is made in devon while they design and source other glassware from selected european suppliers . in addition to dartington crystal and glass products the company owns and markets the world renowned caithness glass and royal brierley crystal brands . they also sell and distribute john beswick ceramic character sculptures . references edit trip down memory lane pays tribute to cup final heroes . the northern echo . 2003 05 03 . dartington crystal . dartington crystal . retrieved 3 april 2015 . external links edit dartington crystal v t e glass makers and brands contemporary companies anchor hocking arc international ardagh group armashield asahi aurora glass foundry aventas group baccarat berengo studio blenko glass company bodum bormioli rocco borosil caithness glass cox & barnard corning dartington crystal daum edinburgh crystal effetre international fanavid fenton art glass company firozabad glass industry flabeg franz mayer fuyao glass industry group co. ltd. glava glaverbel guardian industries hadeland hardman & co. hario heaton butler and bayne holmegaard glassworks holophane hoya kingdom of crystal kokomo opalescent glass works kosta glasbruk libbey owens ford liuli gongfang lzos iittala luoyang johns manville mats jonasson m ler s moser glass mosser glass nippon sheet glass ohara orrefors osram owens corning owens illinois pa abah e pauly & c. compagnia venezia murano phu phong pilkington ppg industries preciosa riedel royal leerdam crystal saint gobain saint louis i ecam schonbek schott sterlite optical technologies steuben swarovski tyrone crystal val saint lambert verrerie of brehat waterford watts & co. world kitchen xinyi glass zwiesel historic companies bakewell glass belmont glass company boston and sandwich glass company brockway glass carr lowrey glass company cambridge glass chance brothers clayton and bell dugan glass company duncan & miller dunbar glass fostoria glass company general glass industries gus crystal alexander gibbs gr nvik glasbruk hartford city glass company hazel atlas heisey hemingray glass company j. h. hobbs brockunier and company knox glass bottle company lavers barraud and westlake manufacture royale de glaces de miroirs millersburg glass company morris & co. nachtmann northwood glass company novelty glass company old dominion glass company james powell and sons ravenhead glass the root glass company seneca glass company shrigley and hunt sneath glass company venini & c. ward and hughes westmoreland glass company wheaton industries whitall tatum company white glass company worshipful company glassmakers a. h. heisey alastair pilkington antonio neri dante marioni edward d. libbey frederick carder friedrich henry clay fry henry crimmel henry william stiegel irving wightman colburn john adams john m. whitall lino tagliapietra michael joseph owens otto schott paolo venini richard m. atwater s. donald stookey salviati tomasz urbanowicz w. e. s. turner trademarks and brands activ bohemian glass bomex duran endural burmese glass chevron bead corelle corningware cranberry glass cristallo dragontrail favrile fire king gorilla glass macor millefiori murano glass opaline glass pyrex ravenhead glass tiffany glass vitrite vitrolite vycor waterford crystal wood s glass zerodur related articles list of defunct glassmaking companies retrieved from https en.wikipedia.org w index.php title dartington crystal & oldid 699006756 categories manufacturing companies of the united kingdomcompanies based in devoncompanies established in 1967glassmaking companies1967 establishments in englandhidden categories articles needing additional references from april 2013all articles needing additional referencesarticles with a promotional tone from april 2014all articles with a promotional toneall articles with unsourced 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