ITALY: Credit crisis threatens to shatter Italy's glass art after centuries of glory

Record ID: 784534

  • Title: ITALY: Credit crisis threatens to shatter Italy's glass art after centuries of glory
  • Date: 3rd February 2009
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ACHILLE ERACLITO, GLASS WORKER, SAYING : "We are in deep crisis. A lot of workers are staying at home and a lot of glass factories are shutting down because there is no demand. Unfortunately, that's the situation." SHOWROOM OF THE CENEDESE GLASS FACTORY VARIOUS OF GLASS ARTWORKS ON SHOW (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) GIOVANNI CENEDESE, FACTORY OWNER, SAYING: "Murano's glass industry is more than a thousand years old. There is a crisis, it's true. This means we need to be careful and try and change markets: not the U.S. anymore because their market is saturated, not Europe anymore. We need to turn to Russia, to China, to India and to the Arab Emirates. I think we need to bet on high level luxury products." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING BY WINDOWS OF GLASS SHOP (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEBRAH SELLON, A TOURIST FROM THE UNITED STATES, SAYING: "Certainly, I would think that if you are interested in art glass this is a wonderful place to be: lots of variety, very novel types of art works. I'm not an expert but it's beautiful, and certainly if I were collecting art glass I would want to come here and see this." BOX WITH LABEL SAYING: "GLASS - FRAGILE" ON BOAT BOAT LOADED WITH BOXES FULL OF GLASS WORKS LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 18th February 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVA3IFEHX88MSA7WTE99HC0SE5LL
  • Story Text: Glass makers on the Italian island of Murano, prized through the centuries for their unique skills, face the global financial crisis.
    Murano glass has been prized through the centuries for its refined beauty, but the credit crisis is threatening to shatter the fading Italian craft industry.
    Relentless competition from China and other producers, and a strong euro that killed the U.S. market for its fine glass are the key culprits in cutting sales in half and the loss of about 75 percent of the sector's jobs in the last few years.
    But the financial crisis has dried up even the reduced sales at the glassmakers that line the canals of the Venetian island of Murano and raised stark questions about the future of the 700-year-old industry itself.

    "These are bad times. Like everywhere else in the world, the financial crisis is not helping Murano" said master glassmaker Simone Cenedese.

    "Even more so because our products, at the end of the day, are accessories. The production has definitely slowed down." he added.
    Cenedese's glass factory, the Fonderie Cenedese, is part of Promovetro, an association grouping about 60 small companies, half the number of 40 years ago.
    Veteran glass workers confirm that many of their colleagues have had to stop working in recent years.

    "We are in in deep crisis." said Achille Eraclito. "Many workers are having to stay at home and a lot of glass factories are shutting down because there is no demand. Unfortunately, that's the situation." he explained.
    The days of Americans lining up to tour showrooms are long gone, glass workers say. Murano is having to shift its sights to upscale, one-of-a-kind items and new markets in Asia, Russia and the Middle East where Murano is less known.

    "Murano's glass industry is more than a thousand years old. There is a crisis, it's true." said Giovanni Cenedese, a factory owner.

    "This means we need to be careful and try and try and change markets: not the U.S. anymore because their market is saturated, not Europe anymore. We need to turn to Russia, to China, to India and to the Arab Emirates." he added.

    "I think we need to bet on high level luxury products."
    Cenedese said.
    Murano's woes are symptomatic of the larger crisis gripping Italy's economy, Europe's fourth-biggest, and the hundreds of thousands of small, often family-owned businesses that are its backbone.
    The crisis especially affects glass makers since they are mostly exporters. Yet, tourists who visit the island keep being charmed by the craft on display in the factories' showrooms.

    "I'm not an expert but it's beautiful. Certainly, if I were collecting art glass I would want to come here and see this." said Debrah Sellon, a tourist from the United States.
    Artisans have been making glass on Murano, an island about 1.5 km (one mile) north of central Venice, since the 13th century. It became the centre for European glass-making in the Middle Ages and Murano products have been prized for centuries for their craftsmanship.
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