Waterford Wedgwood currently owns twenty-one percent of Royal Doulton.听 Doulton's share price has gone up three pence today with the news taking them to just over eleven pence each.听 Doultons is closing its last factory - based at Nile Street in Burslem - by the middle of next year.听 It's then going to open a smaller production site on Festival Park to make specialist items.听 Outsourcing In the past both companies have outsourced production work overseas.听 Wedgwood recently closed its factories in Hanley and Tunstall to move work to China where costs are lower, while Royal Doulton already has a factory in Indonesia.听 Now the two companies have admitted they're in "advanced discussions" for a takeover which is not hostile.听 Waterfood Wedgwood has already studied Doulton's books but the companies say they need to resolve a few other matters before the deal can be done. The future...
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Will the combined force of two of the world's most famous pottery companies be a good thing for the industry, or is it the end of a long-standing legacy for Royal Doulton? Will a potential merger revitalise the industry in the UK, or will the current trend of outsourcing, which both companies have embraced continue? You gave us your views... See below This messageboard is now closed - but feel free to make fresh comments - all you do is click on the messageboards link (on the left-hand side menu of this page)
seren Jones
Royal Doulton has been in the world for so long and some things are very goog in value. But imagine Wedgwoods and royal doulton it will be great these would be one thing in coman wich is making a lot of money and they will. Its the best brilliant idea. Darren K Rankin
I think its very sad that Royal Doulton will be taken over by Wedgwood but if this is the life line that Royal Doulton needs to survive it has to be done. I do think that both the companys need to look the off-shore production as its not what most of the collectors want!! The collectors of the figurines want figures made in the UK and not overseas. Looking at the figurines and products that are made overseas the quality (that we were acustom to) isnt there but the price is the same or higher than the UK made products.I have spoken to quite a few collectors and they are with me and wont buy figurines or collectables that are not Uk made as this is why we buy them in the first place I do hope that Royal Doulton and Wedgwood Will listen to the collectors and take this on board before puting all their production overseas and loosing many of their loyal customers. Linda Bell
No, I don't think a takeover would make the companies stronger, I think it would weaken them. Royal Doulton has a long standing reputation and very high standards in their products. But then, I never agreed with the idea of going off-shore with production. When we buy the products, there is a certain amount of craftsmanship goes into each piece, but I feel that the standards may fall, with most stuff, even the collectables, coming off a production line. pete sk
When will people realise that if this takeover craze is allowed to continue we will have only a few companies of which we will be able to purchase merchandise from, meaning they (the remaining businesses)will tell us what we can purchase and what color we can have it in and please don't laugh it wont be long. Name any business where the consumer has greatly benefited from a takeover or merger versus the competition climate we had beforehand. Of course the wedgewood takeover of royal doulton will not benefit any us. Jim Clarke
Isn't the point that Stoke desperately needs a NEW industry? David Thurman-Newell
As an ex-employee of the closed twyford bathrooms site in queenborough,kent, i am not surprised by the current trend of outsourcing/take over bids. When we learned of the intention of the sanitec group to by the then caradon plumbing solutions bathroom division,we were given assurances that it was in the best interests of the company and its future.The said factory closed on the 23rd may 2003. Allen
At a business level it has to be good news. Both businesses are precarious financially, maybe a combined Wedgwood/Doulton can survive. At a company level, who knows. Both companys have a long history of bying up the competition to close them down. I'm sure that Wedgwoods and Doultons would never agree with that statement but thats the reality of whats happened in the industry. Both Wedgwood and Doultons combined have closed more factorys in the name of profits than any external factors have. Those companies that are surviving and prospering are all independants, able to determine their own future. The way forward for the pottery industry is to encourage more of the small independants. Our own council should be doing more to encourage investment in manufacturing in the city. Our own council only pays lip service to the industry that made the 'potteries' famous. Its a wonder that the gem that is Gladstone has survived so long. On that note, how many of the local population have been there to support it? How many even know where it is? We can do little about reopening coal mines, that other huge resorvoir of jobs that used to be available locally and thats probably a good thing. So many were killed in the deep mining industry. 'Pots' is another matter. Ceramics will always be needed and its disgraceful the lack of support that our very own industry has received from all quarters. National government, local government, national and local population, (how many insist on buying local pottery) and the Unions, have all played their part in bringing down this once great industry. Ken Jones
What do the workforce want? I have never read or heard anyone ask them. Certainly Bagnall & Oakes (CATU) hav'nt asked them. So, Im taking this opertunity to ask.Bagnall & Oakes are busy this time of year, the Christmas party wont organise itself, thats why Im asking now. Alan Rickards
If this move can halt the decline of the UK pottery industry then it can only be for the good. PAL
Both Waterford and Wedgwood have a reputation associated with quality and the merger will enhance the name of Royal Doulton. It is a pity that merger did not come before Doulton sold off some of the Minton and Doulton museum pieces, as Wedgwood our proud of the heritage of the pottery industry. Garfield
Lets hope this can bring an end to all the outsourcing that has occured in recent times Jed, Basford
I bet Doulton's can't believe their luck, it's obviously good for both sides but I bet Doulton's Festival Park plans don't go ahead - more redundancies I predict! leeroy
it's a joke... they'll still move all the work abroad. i know it's cheaper -but it doesn't help all the skilled people in the UK who aint got a job | 
