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Rosenthal Buy Gives Sambonet A Full Table BY LISA COWLEY ASSOCIATE EDITOR (TABLETOPMerchandising)
 The acquisition was "lock, stock and barrel", including trade receivables, patents, trademarks- Rosenthal, Thomas and Hutschenreuther brands- as well as Rosenthal's German production sites and 1,200 employees worldwide. The Rosenthal meets Versace licensed tableware will also continue under Sambonet's ownership. DeStefano said the acquisition allows Rosenthal to bring back a design driven focus to the brand, striving to develop new, innovative products. Rosenthal has hired a public relations firm to "position the brand correctly in the minds of the consumers and the retailers," he said. Rosenthal's studio line is "modern, distinctive, trend defining tableware and giftware," according to DeStefano. "A high concept of design is a huge part of both companies. Both are strong European companies with a history of tradition," said Andrea Vianello, vp/Sambonet Paderno USA. Another synergy between the two partners, added Vianello, is that neither source product; they manufacture and design the product, and control the production quality. Sambonet's key focus with Rosenthal in the U.S. will be to promote its "better" housewares Thomas brand, said DeStefano. The high-quality porcelain brand he termed as "affordable design" provides a casual, contemporary look for today's young consumers with functional appeal for everyday use. "The focus is going to be placed on Thomas until the economy starts to rebound." he said. as consumers are looking for value. Rosenthal will also offer more fourth-quarter gift-giving opportunities under its upper-tier Rosenthal Meets Versace brand, said DeStefano. While Rosenthal had been distributing a limited amount of Sambonet-branded product for five years, mostly at independent specialty stores, merging the two companies allows Sambonet broader retail distribution in the U.S., including entering the department store channel with its flatware and giftware, said Vianello. Vianello also said he plans to open a pilot outlet store combining Sambonet, Paderno and Rosenthal, 10,000 SKUs of porcelain, kitchenware and flatware, respectively, under one roof. Paderno is distributed to U.S. retail by World Cuisine. "The acquisition builds the basis for a complete and profitable integration between the matured expertise of Sambonet in the hotel industry and the traditional excellence of Rosenthal in the retail market," according to Vianello. On the hospitality side, the acquisition will now allow the company to provide a one-stop tabletop shopping package to four-star hotels, offering high design metalware, porcelain and kitchenware through the Rosenthal, Sambonet and Paderno brands, he said. © Homeworld Business 2009
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NEW YORK Rosenthal History |
»Andy Warhol Collection« In 1980 Andy Warhol visited Rosenthal AG in Selb accompanied by the gallery owner Hans Mayer and his manager Fred Hughes... Read more |