MILAN — Bernardaud, the porcelain maker founded in 1863, said Monday it has acquired fellow Limoges porcelain maker Haviland. Both companies are based in Limoges, France, a region thick with forests and fresh waterways, ideal for producing fine porcelain.
In a statement, Bernardaud said it acquired 100 percent of Haviland’s shares. The purchase price was not disclosed.
“This merger represents a historic opportunity for both companies to combine their skills, know-how and resources, ensuring the preservation of an exceptional legacy while preparing for a prosperous future that respects their distinct identities,” said the company, which was an early exporter to new markets like the United States and remains a family-run firm. Haviland will continue to produce its collections in its Limoges workshops, while benefiting from Bernardaud’s resources and expertise, the firm added.
Steeped in a Common History
Both Haviland and Bernardaud share a rich history that emerged in the mid-19th century. They also share an industrial expertise unique to Limoges and its artisans. Haviland was started before Bernardaud in 1842. David Haviland, an American trader and patriarch of the Haviland family, had already created an import company of ceramics and porcelain in 1838 in New York. In search of Limoges’ “white gold,” he traveled the Atlantic to settle in Limoges in 1842, where he founded his own manufacturer. Haviland said the company would later count the wife of Napoleon III, the Empress Eugénie, President Jacques Chirac, Prince Rainier of Monaco, as well as U.S. President Abraham Lincoln among its global clientele.
Small Enterprises Fueling French Economy
Despite the impact of rising inflation and shipping costs, the world of French handmade goods — from its wine to its porcelain — is holding strong.
In November, Institut pour les Savoir-Faire Français, formerly known as the Institut National des Métiers d’Art, said France’s specialized craftsmanship sector now generates more revenues than the pharmaceutical industry.
Spanning 234,000 companies, the category produces combined revenues of 68 billion euros, according to the study published with market research firm Xerfi Specific and which quantified the work of manual activities via a broad survey of skilled artisans such as woodworkers, stone cutters, leather-goods makers, weavers, glassblowers and more. By comparison, the pharma sector generated revenues of 62 billion euros in 2022, according to French pharmaceutical lobby Leem.
