30th April 2010 - Tipperary Crystal has been appointed official crystal, glass and ceramics supplier of The 2011 Solheim Cup, the premier team match play competition in women's professional golf, which will be played at Killeen Castle in County Meath, Ireland from Sept. 23-25.

The company will also be official supplier of the AIB Ladies Irish Open in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and the PING Junior Solheim Cup which is likely to feature the now famous Maguire Twins.

Attending the contract signing which took place in Tipperary Crystal’s showrooms in Dublin was one of the world’s leading women golfers, Alison Nicholas MBE, former US Open Champion and The Solheim Cup European Team Captain for 2009 and 2011.

Declan Fearon, Managing Director of Tipperary Crystal said: “The Solheim Cup is one of our most prestigious contracts to date and the fact that a player of the stature of Alison Nicholas is here for the signing of the contract underlines that it is very much a big deal. This will further enhance the profile of Tipperary Crystal in the US market. We opened a new office in Orlando, Florida, in February to spearhead a major marketing drive. Following our debut at the New York Tabletop Show earlier this month we secured significant new US retail business, including department stores like Dillards and Neiman Marcus.”

The Solheim Cup is the biennial, trans-Atlantic team match-play competition featuring the best 12 US-born players from the LPGA and the best 12 European-born players representing the Ladies European Tour (LET). The Solheim Cup is named in honour of Karsten Solheim, founder of the Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, parent company for PING golf equipment. Just like The Ryder Cup for men, being picked for one’s respective Solheim Cup team is the aspiration for every female professional golfer in the USA and Europe.

Tipperary Crystal was established in 1988.   The company has a highly successful strategy of ‘innovation through design’, working with talented Irish designers of international renown, which include Sybil Connolly, Louise Kennedy, Graham Knuttel, Peter O’Brien, Patrick Guilbaud, Rachel Allen and legendary golfer Christy O’Connor Snr.  It is now a recognised leader in creating high-end designs, both classical and contemporary in crystal, glass and ceramics.  The company employs 60 and had annual sales of €10 million last year.

Roddy Carr from Twenty Eleven the Promoting Company for The 2011 Solheim Cup commented;  ‘we are particularly pleased to have Tipperary Crystal an Irish Company join with our other family of international and national sponsors Rolex, Ping, Volkswagen, John Deere and AIB in The 2011 Solheim Cup. I know they will produce some innovate design products for the biggest women’s event ever to take place in Ireland’