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Description of the business

The Company
Portmeirion Group PLC is a British Group based in Stoke-on-Trent and listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange. A significant force in the homewares industry, Portmeirion has a strong international following and an established reputation for high quality and innovative design. Portmeirion markets and manufactures an extensive range of high quality tableware, cookware and giftware. Its product ranges include ceramics, glassware, textiles, placemats, trays and candles.

In North America, Portmeirion USA, a wholly owned subsidiary company, distributes its product from a warehouse and office complex in Connecticut. The main US showroom is located in 41 Madison Avenue, New York. The Group employs over 500 staff. The Group also has a joint venture in Canada, which has an office and showroom facilities in Toronto.

The Group has several factory shops in the UK.

Trading
Group turnover for 2006 was £28.4 million. Details of the Group's results are available from the Financial Reports section within the Group's website. Click here to go to the Financial Reports section.

Markets
In the UK, Portmeirion is sold by a wide spectrum of high quality speciality shops & department stores. Export sales account for approximately 70% of the turnover and are made largely through appointed distributors and agents in over 50 different countries worldwide. Portmeirion USA alone accounts for some 40% of total turnover and has regional representatives covering the entire USA. Korea is the Group's third largest market.

Portmeirion has broadened its customer base with new collections introduced since the turn of the century. Sophie Conran for Portmeirion is an award winning contemporary range designed for modern day living and is now also a favourite on wedding gift lists. Crazy Daisy, another award winning collection, is bursting with colour and has been very well received by the trade and consumers alike.

Now also catering for the children's market, Portmeirion has built a strong licensed portfolio with Totally Tracy, featuring illustrations of Jacqueline Wilson's Tracy Beaker, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, featuring the famous illustrations of Eric Carle.

Design
Portmeirion has built a strong reputation for great design. The early designs of Botanic Garden, Pomona and The Holly & The Ivy tableware, cookware, and giftware products were designed by Susan Williams-Ellis and her daughter Anwyl Cooper-Willis.

Now Portmeirion is using its renowned skills in design to continue building its reputation. Contemporary collections as mentioned above together with Up the Garden Path and Botanic Blue, to name but a few, bring the story up to date.

Future
The Company has always been forward thinking and design and market led. Aiming to further develop the Portmeirion brand, Portmeirion is looking to build on brands old and new, supported by strong retailer relationships to operate both push and pull strategies.

Portmeirion will continue to find exciting new designers and licenses to add further to the Company's portfolio.


Portmeirion Group PLC Registered in England No. 124842 REGISTERED OFFICE Portmeirion Group PLC London Road Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire England ST4 7QQ	[ home \| contact us \| downloads ] [ terms of use ]