Achievements
Royal Doulton plc is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and distributors of premium ceramic tableware and giftware. Its illustrious brand names include Minton, Royal Albert, and the core Royal Doulton brand.
The company operates in more than 80 different markets, and the aim is to generate 50 percent of sales abroad as the business globalizes. Group Chief Executive Wayne Nutbeen says, “It’s a strategy that covers the move from in-house U.K. manufacturing to sourcing and overseas production, such as the investment recently made in facilities in Indonesia. And it’s achieving results. By the end of 2003, the average cost of our products was 20 percent lower than the year before. Now we are a $262 million business with some 3,500 employees worldwide.”
The company’s Hotel and Airline Division is the world’s largest supplier of bone china to the international airlines industry. Indicative of its position, the division holds major contracts with British Airways, Emirates, and South African Airlines as well as other leading airlines. All three are noted for their high-quality in-flight service, and Royal Doulton — aware of the need for brand differentiation — prides itself on creating uniquely distinctive product offerings for each client.
In total, Royal Doulton produces around 30,000 different items across a broad range of product groups. .
