WWRD Relaunches Corporate Hospitality Division

Multi-Year Plan Calls for Global Growth, Expansion, Customer Satisfaction

NEW YORK, May 3, 2012 /CNW/ - Waterford, Wedgwood and Royal Doulton, (WWRD) announces a worldwide revitalization plan to invigorate its Corporate Hospitality Division with a new mission and global perspective designed to meet the hospitality needs of today's upscale airlines, hotels, cruise lines and luxury restaurants. The relaunch follows an earlier statement announcing an agreement between WWRD and a third party to end their licensing partnership on August 1, 2012.

"We believe that WWRD's corporate hospitality division is now exceptionally well placed to emerge as the clear leader in the highly fragmented multi-billion dollar global luxury hospitality market," said Jonathan Witmer, Group Vice President and General Manager, Global Hospitality. "With the strongest brands in the industry, the highest quality products, extensive industry knowledge, unsurpassed service and comprehensive manufacturing and supply chain expertise, we have an exciting future."

The WWRD Hospitality Division's enhanced core business strategy is direct and to the point: bring the finest in luxury lifestyle products to the world's most exclusive hospitality customers by leveraging WWRD's unique strengths:

• The Strongest Brand: With the Waterford, Wedgwood and Royal Doulton brands, WWRD Hospitality offers to the industry a unique portfolio of luxury lifestyle brands recognized by consumers globally for its quality, craftsmanship and heritage. In addition, unique licensing agreements provide Hospitality customers with access to the high fashion cachet of home and lifestyle innovators like Monique Lhuillier, Vera Wang, Jasper Conran and John Rocha.
• An Integrated Approach to Business: With a significant investment in advanced logistics and supply chain optimization, WWRD Hospitality is committed to driving global speed to market, achieving satisfaction levels which meet or exceed customer expectations in all corners of the world.
• An Exceptional Product Range: From porcelain to fine bone china, from traditional to contemporary, from pret a porter to bespoke and from lightweight to durable, WWRD Hospitality offers customers more choices, flexibility, breadth of selection and deceptive durability within a family of products that have graced the finest tables for centuries. WWRD has also an exciting new Interiors collection under Waterford featuring chandeliers, lamps, tables and mirrors with fine crystal appointments, brushed metal finishes and innovative light source technology in a chic, modern design.
• Global Reach, Focus & Capability: WWRD is a global entity known around the world for its reach and recognition. The formation of a global division focused exclusively on hospitality is unique in the industry, and reflects WWRD's attention to the needs of today's global businesses. This advanced expertise in the marketplace is what distinguishes WWRD Hospitality from its contemporaries.

"As part of a multi-year growth plan," said Witmer, "WWRD Hospitality will aggressively leverage growth opportunities in the Americas, Europe and Asia to more effectively meet the needs of a highly select group of global customers in the growing luxury and upscale marketplace." The growth strategy is already delivering results, with recent customer acquisitions including a new multi-year partnership with one of the world's largest airlines to supply fine bone china for business and first class cabins – one of the largest contracts ever awarded in the industry.

"Our strategy is simple – We provide complete solutions, not just products, for the challenging issues facing our customers today," said Witmer. "We see this new partnership as recognition that we are sharply focused on the right things. This critical combination – world class products and brands, exceptional global service capabilities, and unsurpassed industry expertise – form the basis of the WWRD's new customer centric, global hospitality strategy."

"We are extremely confident of the value that our global corporate hospitality division will deliver," said Pierre de Villemejane, Chief Executive Officer WWRD Holdings. "With data showing that global luxury travel is coming back to normal levels and the continued strength in emerging economies, the Division's leadership team will be able to leverage the brand name recognition, heritage, and expertise that WWRD brings to 'be the best for the best.'"

About WWRD: WWRD is the leading provider of luxury home and lifestyle products worldwide. WWRD manufactures, distributes and sells well-recognized brands including Waterford, Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Royal Albert, and Johnson Brothers. WWRD maintains unique licensing arrangements with some of the most high-profile innovators in the home and lifestyle market, including Monique Lhuillier, Vera Wang, Jasper Conran, John Rocha, Donna Hay and Gordon Ramsay. WWRD products are distributed through premium department stores and independent retailers and wholesalers around the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia and Ireland. The company employs more than 3,000 people worldwide.

SOURCE Waterford, Wedgwood and Royal Doulton

Michelle Westcott-Richards, WWRD, [email protected], [phone]; Robyn Wilkov, Harrison & Shriftman [email protected], [phone]