Riedel Glas - Sales Up In 2004

Sales to the US and Canada by Austrian glassmaker Riedel Glas rose to EUR 18.4M in the first half of 2004, up 35% year-on-year. The company is aiming at sales of EUR 100M for 2004 (EUR 90M) In 2003, Riedel Glas saw its biggest sales increase in the US and Japan, but profits on those markets fell because of unfavourable exchange rates. The company produced some 7.8M glasses in 2003, including 600,000 which were handmade and mouth-blown, at its plants in Kufstein, western Austria and Schneegattern, northern Austria. Riedel plans to further expand its stores chain, which accounted for some 50% of all sales in 2003, opening stores in Zurich and Zug in Switzerland.