Zwiesel Kristallglas AG (Zwiesel Glas) and Fortessa Tableware Solutions, LLC (Fortessa) are intensifying their almost 20-year cooperation and announcing their merger by 4 October 2022.
October 2022. With the announcement of their merger on 04.10.2022, Zwiesel Kristallglas AG (ZWIESEL GLAS) and Fortessa Tableware Solutions, LLC (Fortessa) further solidified their nearly 20-year cooperation.
The combined strength of the two leading houses creates a unique global company within the tableware industry and allows them to now bundle all joint activities. The aim is to become the world market leader for exceptional tableware. As a global market leader in the crystal glass segment for the upscale hotel and catering industry, ZWIESEL GLAS, based in Zwiesel in Lower Bavaria, brings 150 years of experience and competence to the mix. In the past financial year, ZWIESEL GLAS reached profits of over 100 million Euros for the first time.
With its strong market position in the tableware sector, Fortessa already serves 80 percent of the North American high-end hotels and are in most leading lifestyle retailers, making it a premiere player in the market. In this respect both business areas perfectly complement each other without overlapping.
The immense potential of this cooperation was already evident at the beginning of the year with the expansion of United Tables. Under the shared brand, the two companies offer a harmonious interplay of glass, porcelain and cutlery while offering unique professional concepts for an enjoyable get-together at the table.
For ZWIESEL GLAS and Fortessa, the merger is a logical step in the strategic development and international positioning. “We share a strong vision for our future: We want to be the worldwide brands for all moments that make life special”, says Prof. Dr. Buske, CEO of ZWIESEL GLAS. “Through the merger, around 900 people will work in the future to turn this vision into a reality.”
Fortessa’s CEO, Scott Hamberger, adds that aside from the shared vision, the partnership brings promising economic and economic factors. This is even more important in such challenging times as these:” Together we can offer our customers, our companies, our brands and all the people who we work with strength and security into the future.”The existing companies Zwiesel Kristallglas AG and Fortessa Tableware Solutions will continue to operate independently in the future. Prof. Dr. Buske will continue to act as a member of the Management Board of ZWIESEL GLAS and participates in the Supervisory Board of Fortessa. Scott Hamberger will remain CEO of Fortessa and serves on the Supervisory Board of ZWIESEL GLAS. Fortessa will continue to serve the North American market in the future while ZWIESEL GLAS will continue to produce in Zwiesel and Hungary.
Both United Tables, ZWIESEL GLAS will further manage our business for the German-speaking area and the other world markets. Jointly, both partners are doing their part to secure their global positioning as the go-to names for glass and tableware and become the brands for all moments that make life special.
About ZWIESEL GLAS
Zwiesel Glas is dedicated to the most discerning guests and the best hosts in the world. For 150 years, the company has been using the highest manufacturing and craftsmanship skills to create unique products that add a special touch to every table setting and are literally part of good taste around the world. In the anniversary year 2022, Zwiesel Glas was honoured with several prestigious awards: the German Brand Award as “Winner” and “Special Mention” and the renewed selection as “World Market Leader Champion 2022” in the segment “Crystal Glass for Upscale Hotels and Restaurants”.
Further information at www.zwiesel-glas.com
About Fortessa Tableware Solutions (FTS)
Fortessa Tableware Solutions is characterised by the highest quality and unique craftsmanship in the fields of cutlery, porcelain and glass. With over 20 years of experience, FTS now serves 80 percent of North America’s high-end hospitality industry with cutlery, china (under the Fortessa brand) and glassware (with the Zwiesel Glas and Schott Zwiesel brands), making it the leader in this market segment. This also applies to the North American retail business, where FTS products are available in approx. 6,000 retail stores and on more than 80 American websites.
Further information at www.fortessa.com.
About United Tables by Zwiesel
Since April 2022, the extensive quality ranges of the Fortessa brand from the tableware and cutlery product categories and the wide range of crystal glassware series and table accessories of the Zwiesel Glas and Schott Zwiesel brands have been offered under the umbrella of the corporate brand United Tables by Zwiesel, thus combining the best of two worlds. With United Tables, the new food and beverage trends can be implemented in one go without the time-consuming search for suitable articles.
Further information at www.united-tables.de
