The Waterford/Wedgwood crystal and ceramic group has collapsed, according to today's news.

I went round the "Glass", as it's known in Waterford, recently, and the factory was almost bereft of workers in some departments. When I asked the tour guide why it was so empty, she replied, "Oh, they'll all be back next week". Walking round the shop, I spotted many pieces made in Poland and Turkey, rather than Waterford itself. When I asked another assistant why this was so, the reply was, "We have so many orders we can't fufill them all here."

I didn't believe the answers at the time... sad to be proved right. though.