Arc International, the French glass tableware giant, is to acquire a rival in Iran. Its target is Noritazeh, a company based south or Tehran and to which Arc has been supplying technical assistance and support. Noritazeh was formed in 1999 by a tableware importer from Dubai with a single furnace producing clear glass tableware. It started to build a second, larger furnace in 2001 and sought assistance from Arc to optimise the running of its existing installations and to complete the work on the second furnace. Now Arc has decided to inject capital into Noritazeh, and intends to take a majority shareholding in the company. The move gives Arc better access to the market in Iran, its third largest after the USA and France and one that offers potential for substantial future growth. It also offers Arc the chance to expand into other attractive markets, including the Gulf states.
