Duralex is a French

tempered glass Tempered or toughened glass is a type of safety glass processed by controlled heat treatment, thermal or chemical treatments to increase its strength compared with normal glass. Tempering puts the outer surfaces into Compression (physics), comp ...

tableware Tableware items are the dishware and utensils used for setting a table, serving food, and dining. The term includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, serving utensils, and other items used for practical as well as decorative purposes. The ...

and

kitchenware :'' For a record label, see Kitchenware Records'' Kitchenware refers to the tools, utensils, appliances, dishes, and cookware used in food preparation and the serving of food. Kitchenware can also be used to hold or store food before or aft ...

manufacturer located in

La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin () is a commune in the French department of Loiret, region of Centre-Val de Loire. The village is located in the natural region of France of the Loire Valley and in the metropolis of Orléans. It is one of the 22 town o ...

Loiret Loiret (; ) is a department in the Centre-Val de Loire region of north-central France. It takes its name from the river Loiret, which is contained wholly within the department. In 2019, Loiret had a population of 680,434.

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

.John Lichfield
"Duralex – the glass tumbler that would not be broken"

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

, 27 January 2010. Using a technique developed in the 1930s by

Saint-Gobain Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A. () is a French multinational corporation, founded in 1665 in Paris as the Manufacture royale de glaces de miroirs, and today headquartered on the outskirts of Paris, at La Défense and in Courbevoie. Originally a ...

, moulded glass is heated to 600 degrees Celsius then cooled very quickly, giving it twice the impact resistance of normal glass. The Picardie tumbler and the Gigogne glass are two of the company's best-known products. The "Gigogne" glass is in the permanent collection of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. The brand name is derived from the Latin motto '' dura lex, sed lex'' ("the law is harsh, but it is the law").

History

Acquisition

In January 2021, Duralex was acquired by International Cookware group, the owner (outside the USA) of the rival

PYREX Pyrex (trademarked as ''PYREX'' and ''pyrex'') is a brand introduced by Corning Inc. in 1915, initially for a line of clear, low-thermal-expansion borosilicate glass used for laboratory glassware and kitchenware. It was later expanded in the 1 ...

brand, for 3.5 million euros ($4.2m). International Cookware promised to maintain the majority of jobs, create a turnaround plan through investment of several tens of millions of euros (including modernization of the antiquated Orléans plant) and create commercial synergies with Pyrex, especially in sales and purchasing. The company's expertise in high strength tempered glass was of interest to the American brand, even though its production facilities were outdated. The company's vintage image, with its two best-sellers, the Gigogne and the Picardie, more than half a century after their creation, is also an obstacle to change, as Duralex's reputation does not extend beyond these two models: the company is working towards a more modern image. In 2022, the International Cookware group changed its name to La Maison française du verre.International Cookware, qui détient l'usine Duralex à La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin, devient La Maison française du verre
''La République du Centre'', 15 février 2022

Energy crisis

In November 2022, following the rise in energy prices, the company was forced to cease operations and put its furnaces on standby. The 250 employees were placed on short-time working.

Financial troubles and transition to cooperative

The furnaces were restarted on April 17, 2023, five months later. During this period, the company benefited from 15 million euros in state aid to cope with the crisis. Duralex was placed into

receivership In law, receivership is a situation in which an institution or enterprise is held by a receiver – a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights" – especia ...

in April 2024 for the fourth time in 20 years, which created a six month observation period during which a buyer for the company will be sought. In July, the Commercial Court of Orléans accepted a proposal supported by 60% of employees to transition the company to cooperative ownership, with all jobs to be retained.

Awards

The magazine ''

This Old House ''This Old House'' is an American home improvement media brand with television shows, a magazine, and a website. The brand is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. The television series airs on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) television ...

'' called Duralex's OvenChef glass baking dishes one of the best new home products of 2014, citing the dishes' ability to withstand wide temperature swings without shattering.

References

External links

* * {{Glass makers and brands, state=collapsed Tableware Kitchenware brands Glass trademarks and brands Glassmaking companies of France Privately held companies of France Manufacturing companies established in 1945 French companies established in 1945 French brands