Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1989. január-június (43. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)
1989-02-09 / 6. szám
Thursday, Feb. 9. 1989. AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZO 11. Hollóháza Success Hungarian Porcelain on the Japanese Market THE trip from Budapest to the "Land of the Rising Sun" takes 23' hours, via Copenhagen and Alaska. Although difficult, it is not impossible. Proof of this is that porcelain from Hollohaza now has a position on the Japanese market. * Dr, László A. Gomze, new manager of the North Hungarian medium-sized unit that was reorganized three years ago, returned from the ancient land of samurais, the Tokyo ’88 International Household Exhibition filled with a sense of satisfaction. "We held 72 business talks over the three days of the exhibition. Local television broadcast a ten-minute report on the Fair, in prime time, and the part presenting the porcelain goods showed only our products, although the French and English ’porcelain great powers' were also present in the exhibition. Our products were not only attractive: our Pannónia tableware was a rarity as it differs from all other styles of porcelain. Its characteristic elements make it both Hungarian and a specialty of Hollohaza."- The products of your 200-year-old factory were probably characterized by fine and detailed craftsmanship five years ago, too. Yet interest for the produts was not as great as today.Why? "To stay with the Japanese market: we had to conquer this ourselves, had to have them discover us. We had been preparing for this since 1986. We extended our relations in 1987 in Frankfurt and Chicago, and at the Budapest International Fairs. When factories learn how to conduct trade, and have good products, the markets become accessible. Marketing is a special science. It requires just as good a professional team as those who make the world-standard poducts in the workshops. Our workers have 200 years of experience at their fingertips, with which we can make gold, that is porcelain that creates markets. But only if the best sales people oversee the products. This is why we strengthened the commercial side, as we want to be present on the market."- This year, your exports over five months were four times the amount of the corresponding period of last year. For the past three years, you have utilized your capacity enlargement solely to develop exports. There is great interest for the Pannónia and the other, studio products. What extra can the Japanese market yield for you? "It is a great honour for us that one of the most prestigious Japanese commercial companies the Marubeni, intends to market our products with exclusive rights. It accepted our complete exhibition collection to compile a catalogue of the products. Seito, which ensures the wholesale network, has guaranteed a starring place for us on the market of hard porcelain, as its Chairman believes that Hollohaza quality is determining. We cannot even begin to appraise the prospects that the Japanese market success will open for Hollohaza. There are 72 firms which would like to purchase our products already today. Personally, I look on this success as recognition of Hungarian universal culture in Tokyo."- How do you think the Hungarian rivals will react to your success? "I hope they will have a positive reaction, as we wish to pursue our market policy not against Herend, but with and alongside it. We think in terms of Hungarian porcelain, and Herend is also Hungarian, only a different kind. Actually, this difference is a guarantee for us to coexist on all markets." You are invited to attend the Spring Bazaar on April 16th which will feature the famous Hollóháza porcelain, like vases, figurines and various interesting decorative objects. The bazaar will take place in New York at the Robert Wagner Jr. High School, 220 E 76 St. from 11 AM to 4 PM. MALÉV-PAN AM: Daily flights, joint operation Under an agreement between MALÉV and Pan American Airlines of the US, daily flights have begun to and from Budapest. Pan Am was offering with three flights a week in winter and four in the summer from New York via Frankfurt/Main. Under the new agreement on the days when there is no Pan Am flight to Hungary, a maximujn of 30 seats are reserved on the MALÉV Frankfurt service for Pan Am passengers arriving from overseas. The two airlines expect that through joint operation and marketing cooperation, their positions will be consolidated on this market. Commercial cooperation is also covered. HUNEARIAN AMTlfS HUNGARIAN GLASSES ON BOARD. If all goes well, passengers on American Airlines will be drinking alcoholic beverages and spooning fruit salad and blancmange from Hungarian glasses and dishes. A preliminary contract was signed recently under which the Salgótarján Glass Factory will supply liqueur, red wine and whisky glasses and also dessert cups to American Airlines. The contract runs for five years, and the Hungarian producer has to supply an annual quantity of 2.5 million glasses. So those who travel by American Airlines on New Year's Eve, will probable toast the New Year from a Hungarian glass. LEVI'S FROM HUNGARY. The latest Levi models cling sexily to Hungarian young ladies, since Levi Strauss of San Francisco set up its first joint venture in Hungary in January. For the world's biggest jean producer, it's a real breakthrough on the Hungarian market. The American partner set up a limited company with four Hungarian retail companies, supplying 50.6 % of the capital. Levi shops in Hungary and Levi purchases from the joint venture are also part of the business. CITIBANK IN A PLANNED ECONOMY. Citibank Budapest; Inc. was set up in 1986. The American parent holds 80 % of the stock and Hungary's Central Exchange and Credit Bank the other 20 %. The Budapest venture is Citibank's first within the framework of a planned economy. The main feature of Citibank's policy throughout the world is to get as close as possible to clients, so as to provide the most appropriate and broadest sphere of services. With the exception of insurance, transferable-rouble business and transactions for private Hungarians, Citibank Budapest can engage in any banking activity, and does so with considerable success. This shows that its first undertaking in a socialist country operates with the same special bank technology as in any part of the world. FOTEX-DEVELOPING FAST. Fotex, a American-Hungarian joint venture, first made its mark for quick film developing. Recently it decided to enter the contact lens market as well. The company was set up four years ago by Blackburn International of America and three Hungarian concerns. Later Kodak joined in. The joint venture made a profit by its second year, in fact earning its starting capital three times over! Through good quality developing at unparalleled speed, it won a place on the Hungarian market almost overnight. Now it is setting up Europe's most up-to-date contact lens factory, in Budapest. To foreign order it produces soft, hard and semi-hard lenses. It also does contract work on air-conditioned, computer-controlled machinery used in a close-circuit system, to an accuracy of a thousandth of a millimetre. 4 ........... ............
