Arabia (Finland) ceramic wares

Arabia, the Finnish ceramics manufacturer was established in 1873, by the Swedish company Rorstrand, itself a ceramics manufacturer since 1726. The name Arabia was derived from the Helsinki district in which the first factory was located, Arabianranta.

Manufacturing commenced in 1874 with assistance from skilled Rorstrand staff, with the primary market being Russia. Production facilities expanded in the late 1880s and 1890s with about one third of output destined for the Russian market.

In the 1900s export sales began to fall due to higher production costs and import duties in the destination countries and Arabia concentrated on domestic sales.

The company was sold in 1916 to Finnish investors and a program of modernisation and additions to the plant was undertaken. There were a number of ownership changes in the 1920s with the end result that Arabia, Rorstrand and another Swedish porcelain manufacturer, Lidkoping becoming part of the one group.

By more... the 1930s Arabia was the largest porcelain manufacturer in Europe.

In 1990 Arabia was acquired by the Finnish company Hackman, manufacturers of stainless steel kitchen ware, who also owned the Iittala and Rorstrand brands. Further ownership changes saw the Hackman brands acquired by leading Finish consumer goods company Fiskars, who as well as the Hackman brands also own the Gerber, Royal Copenhagen Wedgwood and Waterford brands. less...