Interview Dunoon As Dunoon turns 50 years old in 2024, Tableware International speaks with Peter Smith, sales director, to learn more about one of the most trusted brands in the business
Dunoon at 50... Dunoon is celebrating its 50th year anniversary in 2024 – tell us a little about the company’s beginnings. Dunoon was formed in 1974 by Gordon Smith, prior to which he’d worked for one of the world’s largest tableware manufacturers in Stoke-onTrent. He’d always wanted to run his own pottery company and when he heard of an acquaintance leaving the employment of a large Stilton cheese manufacturers in Leicestershire to start his own business, with government support, making Scottish Blue Cheese in northern Scotland, he believed he could do the same. Government grants and loans were available to encourage businesses to set up in an area of high unemployment, and following a series of meetings and the securing of a grant and various loans, Dunoon Ceramics Ltd was born making pottery in the Highlands of Scotland.
When the company was starting out, was it ever envisaged it would be marking 50 years in business? The first two or three years were particularly tough and very hand to mouth, it was all about survival. So at that time no one would have imagined marking 50 years in business. It soon became apparent that Dunoon needed to make something quite different in the competitive mug market and moved away from using an earthenware body to a high firing stoneware clay to command a better price. The combination of reduction firing and stoneware glazes fired at high temperatures achieved a range with outstanding decorative effects that proved to be Dunoon’s salvation as orders flooded in for these beautiful mugs. How different is the industry now to when you first started working with Dunoon? What was important then that may not be so important now and vice versa? The ‘70s fashion for earthy stoneware tableware waned, so Dunoon opened a bone china factory in 1981 in Staffordshire, England, the traditional home of the British pottery industry. Sadly, many British pottery companies have gone bust in the intervening years, but Dunoon continued to thrive making slip-cast – nice, thin, light to hold bone china mugs with a wealth of beautiful patterns from which to choose. Our market and our customers appreciate Dunoon quality now more than ever. In this world of mass
Dunoon was founded in 1974 by Gordon Smith
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production there is a real appreciation for authentic quality and originality which our customers demand. Although a labour-intensive and inevitably expensive process, the slipcast method of making our mugs (not machine made) is key to our success. Access to international markets and exporting to over 60 countries worldwide deserves mention. Thanks to better communications these days and growth of the web and social media, we’ve been able to develop
Peter Smith
countries – how was that side of the business in 2023? We’ve gone from, in the 1980s a 70 per cent/30 per cent split in turnover on home market and export markets respectively to a 70 per cent/30 per cent in favour of export today. Growth in export has been vital for Dunoon and continues to be so in supplying over 60 countries worldwide. Despite significant product price increases due to massive hikes in our energy costs over the last 12 months, our overseas business
“The first two or three years were particularly tough… it was all about survival” our network of customers initially through importer/wholesalers but more and more direct to retail. The breakthrough was the installation of the fax machine in the mid ‘80s. I remember, prior to this, writing letters to prospective customers in Japan and receiving orders or replies on rice paper weeks later! With fax, email and now Zoom and Teams, access to customers is instant. However, we still prioritise personal contact with regular visits to as many customers as possible, not only to achieve sales but also to engage in meaningful discussions and gain insights into customer preferences and market needs. Your export business is incredibly strong – up to 70 per cent of your product is exported to 60
continues to grow. We’ve continued to invest in a significant number of new patterns from our talented designers, which have performed well in the marketplace. How will you be marking 50 years in business? In terms of design, we are promoting our anniversary edition Flying the Flag mug, which draws inspiration from the Union flag. The design is a montage of some of the finest original artwork from our extensive archives, with the mug backstamp commemorating our 50th anniversary. Encouragingly, a considerable number of our customers have already expressed enthusiasm for this concept, embracing it not only for re-sale but as a collectible item or a promotional piece.