automatic soda lime glass had been largely sold through hardware stores. Ravenhead's new research programme indicated that ladies were responsible for 80% of purchases for the home, so marketing of the retail range was accelerated by packing glass in attractive boxes and marketing through supermarkets, such as Tesco, where its non-food division was still in relative infancy. Ad Graphics and Portland Studios were appointed to radically upgrade packaging design; Ravenhead started TV advertising targeted particularly at the Christmas gift market. In addition, the tumbler ranges were used as give-aways in petrol station loyalty schemes. Within three years from formation of the Retail Division, it moved from a negligible retail market share to approximately 40% of the UK market with significant exports to markets as diverse as Scandinavia, Japan and Australia. Particularly notable products were the Siesta textured range and the White Fire bowl sets; one year, the latter achieved the remarkable levels of one in every two bowl sets sold in the UK. The assertive European development even had Finnish newspapers railing at Ravenhead's national advertising there, saying that their local producers, such as Iittala, had to be protected against this foreign invader. The reality, however, was that Ravenhead had pioneered a catch-up of UK glass design to approach the standards that designers, such as Tapio Wirkkala and Timo Sarpaneva, had achieved earlier in the Scandinavian markets and allied this to mass marketing techniques. Strong market development continued and the company also increased its share of the UK Licensed Victualler business to circa 70% market share. However, in 1980 the United Glass Group decided to relocate its Ravenhead Head Office from its Sunbury/Staines base to its works in St Helens. Many of the Head Office staff left, including Murphy who went to Cadbury Schweppes. Following a downturn in the company's fortunes (and various changes of ownership) in the late 1980s, it went into administration in 2001 and the factory closed. There followed an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office, following reference to it by Merseyside Police, but it was closed for lack of sufficient evidence. In 2003 the Rayware Group of Liverpool, which bought the Ravenhead brand, relaunched it, giving pint pots and other traditional glasses the Ravenhead name, placing the Ravenhead logo and its products in the Group's portfolio. References Glassmaking companies of England Defunct glassmaking companies Glass trademarks and brands Defunct companies of England British companies established in