Cristalería Vitrofín, Santa Fe, is preparing to put a second furnace into operation as the glassworks looks to build on its first success in direct sales to a foreign buyer. Vitrofin, which was reborn as a workers co-operative two years ago, recently sent a US$20,000 consignment of wine glasses to a Mexican restaurant chain, an important move according to co-operative president Carlos Millán, because it is "the first direct sale we have made to another market". In its previous incarnation, the firm exported to the USA, Brazil & Europe, but always through distributors. Following the Mexico order, the co-operative is now preparing a US$40,000 order of 60,000 glasses for delivery in 2006 to a US client. Vitrofin also made contacts in Venezuela in the context of the first international meeting of companies restarted by workers, held in Caracas, October 2005.
