To conserve Vietnam ceramics’ spirit

Wards, like Tan Phuoc Khanh (Tan Uyen town), Chanh Nghia (Thu Dau Mot city), Lai Thieu (Thuan An town), are the cradle of ceramics in Binh Duong. In the flow of the market economy, the ceramics industry here still retains its role, contributing significantly to export turnover of the province and keeping the essence of Vietnamese ceramics.

Ceramic production at Phuoc Du Long Company.

Ups and downs

Binh Duong has been referred as a land with great potential for industrial development, strong development of handicrafts, especially ceramics. The ceramics industry in Binh Duong was born thousands of years ago, which has been proved by many archaeological relics scattered everywhere in the province.

Vuong Sieu Tin, Director of Phuoc Du Long Ceramics Company, at nine years old, he followed his father into pottery kilns to eye pottery artists. His childhood was associated with games of clay objects. That was his and people of his generation’s early lessons of how pottery was made.

Binh Duong's ceramics industry in association with three craft villages of Tan Phuoc Khanh, Chanh Nghia and Lai Thieu with dozens of well-known artists , who are transferring this trade to their descendants. Before industrial development, ceramics were the main export products of Song Be province before (now divided into Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc provinces).

According to Ly Ngoc Bach, Director of Cuong Phat Ceramics Company, in the 80s of the last century, there were thousands of small and large ceramic and porcelain establishments in Binh Duong, their products were exported everywhere throughout the country. Then, Binh Duong ceramics started to have export orders, gradually switched from a traditional handicraft industry to industrialization with higher technology scale and content.

Binh Duong currently has nearly 300 ceramic production facilities, supply 130-150 million ceramic products of all kinds to the market every year. Provincial export of ceramics is annually valued at about 150 million USD, while domestic market consumption reaches 70 million USD. The ceramics industry of the province not only maintains its stability but also continuously inherits and develops. With its characteristic that products are crystallized by skilled workers and the level of production technology, ceramic products in the province have a very high value. This is also the industry that creates the highest added value among key export sectors in the province.

The ceramics industry in the whole country in general and in Binh Duong in particular now has many changes compared to previous years, the number of small ceramic establishments diminished, because it could not stand the competitive pressure. In return, some specialized ceramics enterprises export are growing, affirming its name and reputation on the market. The tendency to share orders is being implemented by ceramic enterprises in Binh Duong, in particular large enterprises receive orders and redistribute them to small establishments for outsourcing. This helps small ceramic establishments continue to stabilize production and reduce pressure of delivery time.

A suitable direction for ceramics industry

One of the biggest changes in ceramics production in Binh Duong lately has been the conversion of kilns. During 1995-2000, production facilities in the province converted equipment from wood furnaces to gas ovens. The number of handicraft ceramic production households and establishments is gradually decreasing, giving way to high-tech production establishments mainly for export. Large enterprises like Phuoc Du Long, Minh Long 1, Cuong Phat ... switched to electric and gas kilns. According to these enterprises, in addition to limiting environmental pollution, electric or gas furnaces give products with more uniform quality.

The process of technology transformation has made a very clear differentiation in ceramics: Small establishments that were not eligible for technological transformation had to narrow their production scale, even closed down. But in return, large enterprises boldly invested tens of billions of VND in new kilns with new technologies to get easy access to export markets, gradually creating valuable and stable orders to help Binh Duong's ceramics industry develop to a new height with high quality products. For example, Minh Long 1’s ceramic products appear in many high-class restaurants and hotels at home and abroad. Furthermore, many ceramic products of Minh Long 1 become valuable gifts in foreign relations between our country and other countries.

Ly Ngoc Bach said that Binh Duong ceramics had been diversified in designs, types, colors, and got high aesthetic value. Currently, the fierce competition of export markets forces enterprises and handicraft villages to make strong changes to adapt to the new situation. While Asian ceramics are increasingly dominating the international market, domestic ceramics enterprises need to understand that each product made must always have two main purposes: function and decoration. By promoting diversity, the mix of Vietnamese and Asian with Western traits is an effective way for domestic ceramic products to match current development trends.

According to Mr. Tin, nowadays, ceramic products are subject to intense competitions in not only domestic market but also subject export markets. This requires businesses to renew themselves by being willing to diversify products, invest in technology innovation to ensure quality, reduce costs, and satisfy consumer tastes.

According to ceramic artisans, we learned that most businesses and artisans hoped for more events of ceramics such as Binh Duong Ceramics Festival 2010, Thang Long – Hanoi’s 1,000 years. The ceramics industry has changed greatly, thus a special festival for ceramics would be really necessary for businesses to update on new trends of the market, thereby reshaping their export market and create opportunities to introduce the province's ceramic products to international friends.

Reported by Phung Hieu – Translated by Ngoc Huynh