Inside VN’s oldest ceramic factory in Hai Duong

VietNamNet Bridge – After more than 55 years of development, and after many ups and downs, one of the largest enterprises in northern Vietnam in the 60s is still producing porcelain products.

Begun in 1960, the Hai Duong porcelain factory launched the first batch of porcelain products in 1962. Household ceramic products manufactured by the factory have been preferred and trusted by Vietnamese consumers for over half a century.

In the early 60s, it was one of the 13 largest manufacturing firms in the North. It was also the icon of Hai Duong province's industry, with towering chimneys which are still there today.

The company is located on land with a total area of 81,771 m2 on Pham Ngu Lao street in Hai Duong city.

Take a look around the porcelain factory. It feels like visiting the

The old machines and equipment have been replaced by new ones. But the honeycomb walls still remain until today.

The banners and propaganda posters on the wall reminds us about the transition from the subsidized to the market mechanism period.

A worker is checking the pipes inside the old water tower that was built in 1960.

The company's canteen was built in the 1970s and it is still used at present.

The flowered enameled tile floor and the blue wall - the style of the 70s.

The Health Station is located in the premises to serve workers.

The factory now uses modern machines and furnaces to improve product quality and reduce fuel costs.

During the war, the factory continued its production, supplying pottery products for the domestic market and exports to Cuba, Laos, Cambodia, Hungary, Poland, and Mongolia.

Each year, the company provides more than one million porcelain products for the local and foreign markets.

The manual enameling process.

According to 2012 data, there were 286 pottery establishments in Vietnam. The Hai Duong firm accounted for only 1.5% of the market share with revenues of VND84 billion ($4.5 million).