On 5 January 2009, following years of financial problems at the group level, and after a share placement failed during the global financial crisis of 2008, Waterford Wedgwood was placed into administration[2] on a "going concern" basis, with 1800 employees remaining. On 27 February 2009, Waterford Wedgwood's receiver, Deloitte, announced that the New York-based private equity firm KPS Capital Partners had purchased "certain Irish and UK assets of Waterford Wedgwood and the assets of several of its Irish and UK subsidiaries" in a transaction expected to be completed in March.[3]
In March 2009, KPS Capital Partners announced that it had acquired group assets in a range of countries, including the UK, USA and Indonesia, would invest €100 million, and move a number of jobs to Asia to cut costs and return the firm to profitability.[4] In a move that had begun under the previous owners, some 1500 jobs were cut in the UK, leaving 800 workers in the UK producing only the high-end Wedgwood products.[5] KPS Capital Partners placed Wedgwood into a group of companies known as WWRD, an acronym for "Waterford Wedgwood Royal Doulton".
In May 2015, Fiskars, a Finnish maker of home products, agreed to buy 100% of the holdings of WWRD.[6] On 2 July 2015, the acquisition of WWRD by Fiskars was completed, including the brands Waterford, Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Royal Albert and Rogaška. The acquisition was approved by the US antitrust authorities.[7]