Who we are

Who we are

Crystalex builds on the world-renown tradition of Czech glassmaking and takes it into the 21st century and beyond. Originally from Nový Bor, a town which has for centuries been the center of Northern Bohemian glass industry, Crystalex offers the best of Czech glassmaking craftsmanship. We are the biggest producer of drinkware in all Czechia and are among the foremost glass producers worldwide.

Bohemia Crystal

Bohemia
Crystal

For over fifty years, Crystalex products have been carrying the Bohemia Crystal™ trademark which guarantees the highest quality in both material and production processes. Products designated with this prestigious trademark have become synonymous with the tried and tested quality of the Czech glassmaking craft. We are proud that we can continue to offer products which offer historical experience and tradition with modern technologies and the ingenuity of Czech specialists.

Bohemia
Sparkle

All our products are manufactured from Sparkle™ glass, and we have decided to create a trademark which would encapsulate all its unique characteristics under a single banner. The premium Bohemia Sparkle™ trademark caters mostly to the segment of hotels, restaurants and catering (HoReCa). Apart from perfect optical qualities, products designated by this trademark fulfill the demands for professional glassware, including a thicker glass wall and a firmed rim. Crystalex has furthermore expanded the B2B logistical approach, which assures our customers effective service and safe delivery, every time.

Bohemia Sparkle
Crystal.eco

Crystal.
eco

Our glass is one of the most eco-friendly melted glasses ever. We use a fully electrical method of heating the melting unit and inlet channels. In addition, the melting units emit minimal noise, dust and heat, thus burdening the environment as little as possible. We use melting furnaces of our own design, which we continuously upgrade and optimise for the cleanest possible operation in line with our environmental policy and applicable directives. 

Production
and technology

We take pride in our technologies and invest much energy and resources to streamlining and improving our automatic production lines. Crystalex understands that industrial production must move with the times and that we have great responsibility towards our employees, our community, and environment. But our main gift to the environment and the planet as a whole is found in all-electric melting which does not produce nitrogen oxide (NOx) and other pollutants associated with gas and combined heating methods, while remaining maximally effective. We use only certified melting furnaces which we designed and developed right here at Crystalex, and which assure the most ecologically responsible mode of production. Our designers use a spectrum of both traditional and wholly original decorative methods, like pantograph, machine cutting, painting, or screen printing, often combining them in fresh new ways. Crystalex has perhaps the widest range of decorative glass techniques in the entire world, and our products’ fine aesthetic qualities allow us to ship over 50 million pieces of glassware per year to clients worldwide. 

 

Our history…

The Czech lands have been a center for glassmaking since time immemorial, and especially Northern Bohemia has been a European glassmaking hub since at least the 13th and 14th centuries. It is here that advanced German industry merged with traditional Bohemian craftsmanship, giving rise to an art which has been alive and well in this highland region for centuries. Locally-made pure potassium-calcium glass came to be a coveted commodity in the aristocratic households of renaissance Europe. It was during the 17th and 18th centuries that the town of Nový Bor in the Lusatian highlands became the center for Czech glassmaking, and it was also during this time that new production processes and technological innovations made their mark on the ancient art of Bohemian glass. The current owner bought Crystalex in 2009 and the company has since reclaimed its place as a world-class producer of glass and crystal stemware, tumblers, or vases. It has also become a brand respected for its advanced research and development, its dedication to producing meticulous glass products, as well as its progressive logistics and client service.
 

How do we do it?

Success also carries responsibility. Crystalex is a progressive company which is not afraid of taking on new challenges, and we build on the centuries of glassmaking tradition in our region. We always take good care to serve our customers, safely sending glass products to all corners of the world. And despite being an international company in good standing, we’ve never lost sight of our craft, as we know very well that real quality is always born right here at home.
 

Ecological production is a matter of course for us

The Crystalex CZ, s.r.o. strategy is based on the economical and environmentally friendly use of resources and responsible behaviour. Whether it is the energy consumption, cleanliness and safety of the materials we work with or the life quality of our employees and the region, our work always involves the least possible burden on the environment. Our all-electric melting system produces no pollutants.
 

Painting

Crystalex products offer clients a hand-painted palette of colored hues and shades, as well as gold and platinum finishing. Our designers use traditional floral and ornamental patterns, often developing them further to satisfy contemporary aesthetic taste.

Pantograph

Despite enjoying a tradition of over 150 years in use, pantograph remains one of the most challenging techniques for glassware decoration. First, an experienced craftsman must apply wax onto the product and then use a system of needles to draw the desired pattern. The cup is then bathed in an etching bath which finishes the process. The product can be further decorated, for example by adding a gold finish, or by coloring.

Spraying

This technique is becoming ever more popular and can accommodate a wide range of shades and color types. Transparent, matte, shiny or metallic, Crystalex’s spraying method can do it all.

Machine cutting

The machines cut slowly, and with paced perfection they give the glass product improved properties of diffraction, brilliance, and elegance. This modern approach to design and processing unlocks the unique material’s full potential and allows the glass to shine brighter than ever before.

Screen printing

This modern method streamlines glassware decoration without losing any aesthetic value. It can either be performed by hand or can be automated. Our designers engrave a stencil on a screen which is then printed onto the individual products, offering a chic visual style.

Engraving

Engraving is done by a fine diamond mounted on a small disc. The product is placed under a stream of running water and the diamond is used to engrave elegant shapes and patterns onto its glass surface. Although diamond is the hardest element in nature, our specialists are able to cut the glass in soft, smooth lines.