New product ranges & an EUR 90M restructuring programme should see Waterford Wedgwood return to profit by 2007, new group CE Peter Cameron told shareholders, Oct/05. The group continued to experience a difficult trading environment & sales remain down by 7% in the first half of its financial year. Cameron said the company had targeted cost savings, & when fully implemented would make the group profitable at current or even lower trading levels. As well as cost reduction, the company aims to go forwards with the launch of a range of new products throughout Wedgwood, Waterford Crystal & Rosenthal, adding the company's restructuring/profitability plan did not foresee greater levels of manufacturing outside of the current locations in Ireland & the UK. He said key drivers for company growth would be Germany & the US. High oil prices, a decline in the importance of traditional department stores, and a weakening dollar in the US, were among the factors contributing to tough trading conditions, he said
