Zippo's one-day sales convention in Malta

Zippo, the world's best known lighter, held a one-day convention in Malta last week. Some 76 delegates, who flew in from 29 European and African countries were addressed by George W. Booth, the company's president and chief executive, who flew in especially for the meeting from Pennsylvania in the United States.

Malta has special significance for Zippo, which since its foundation in 1932 has sold 500 million of its world famous lighters. The island was the first country in the world to start buying Zippo lighters outside the US and Canada after the war.

"When you visit the Zippo Museum in Pennsylvania you see this memento right at the entrance recording Zippo's first ever export order - to Malta," said Alexander Arrigo, director of NM Arrigo, who played hosts to the conference, held at the InterContinental Hotel. "It sort of strikes you as impressive, given the immediate popularity of Zippo lighters right from the company's beginnings in 1930."

Zippo lighters were a favourite icon with wartime troops. In recent years the famous lighter has featured in more than 1,400 films, live stage plays and in TV programmes.