fine china

the illustration we placed on the cover of our 2000 annual report depicts the hare and the tortoise in another race; this time it takes place in the 21st century, and again the tortoise is winning. a hare one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the tortoise, who replied, laughing: "though you be swift as the wind, i will beat you in a race." the hare, believing the tortoise''s assertion to be simply impossible, assented to the proposal; and they agreed that the fox should choose the course and fix the goal. on the day appointed for the race, the two started together. the tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. the hare, fine lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep. at last waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw the tortoise had reached the goal...

the illustration we placed on the cover of our 2000 annual report depicts the hare and the tortoise in another race; this time it takes place in the 21st century, and again the tortoise is winning. a hare one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the tortoise, who replied, laughing: "though you be swift as the wind, i will beat you in a race." the hare, believing the tortoise''s assertion to be simply impossible, assented to the proposal; and they agreed that the fox should choose the course and fix the goal. on the day appointed for the race, the two started together. the tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. the hare, fine lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep. at last waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw the tortoise had reached the goal...

our company is one of the most recognized brand names in consumer housewares in the united states and the leading brand name in glass tableware. its products are sold in major retail channels of distribution in the united states and canada, including china mass merchants, department stores and specialty housewares stores. around 600 b.c., the greek philosopher aesop wrote the timeless fable "the hare and the tortoise." this story, which was first handed down through oral tradition, imparts the moral of the tortoise winning a race against the hare, not because he was swift of feet, but because he was steady in determination. at our company, we think we are like the tortoise: sound, stable and focused on the goal.