Arc International is a French manufacturer and distributor of household goods. The company was established in Arques, Pas-de-Calais, where it is still headquartered, as a glass-making firm under the name Verrerie des Sept Ecluses in 1825. In 1892 the name was changed to Verrerie Cristallerie d’Arques, and after a series of acquisitions in the 1990s the group was renamed in 2000 to the current name. It is the leading manufacturer of crystal and glassware in the world.[2] It is privately held and has been owned by members of the Durand family since 1916.[2] Arc International currently licenses the Pyrex brand of cookware for sale in the European Union. Competitors include Lenox Group, World Kitchen and Waterford Wedgwood.
The company reported 16,500 employees and gross sales of €1.4 billion in 2006, reinvesting 3% of its turnover into research and development.