Journey of Bien Hoa - Dong Nai pottery Part 3: Bien Hoa - Dong Nai pottery reaches out to the world market

>>> Article 2: Bien Hoa - Dong Nai pottery with low notes in conservation and development

Since the beginning of the 20th century, Bien Hoa ceramics have been exported and created a buzz in domestic and foreign markets. Ceramic establishments have made efforts to bring Bien Hoa - Dong Nai ceramics to more than 30 countries around the world with new ceramic products, meeting market demand.

Decorative ceramics, decor following new market trends, have more and more export orders. Photo: N. Lien

For the sustainable development of the pottery village, Dong Nai has invested in building the Tan Hanh Ceramic Industrial Cluster (Bien Hoa City) to relocate ceramic production facilities in residential areas in the province. Ceramic facilities in the industrial cluster ensure production workshops, environment, etc. more favorable for export.

Step out into the world

In 1903, Bien Hoa Vocational School (now Dong Nai College of Decorative Arts) was established and became the only school to date that trained in pottery making. In 1923, with the passion to develop Bien Hoa pottery, the Principal of Bien Hoa Vocational School at that time, Mr. Robert Balick and his wife, Mrs. Mariette Balick, opened a pottery training major, marking the development of the pottery profession, especially the white pottery line with the characteristic of Bien Hoa pottery being many bright colors, the patterns on Bien Hoa pottery were created by the delicate engraving method.

Over time, ceramic products of Bien Hoa Vocational School have been increasingly appreciated. Bien Hoa - Dong Nai ceramics soon established themselves in the international market and won many major awards both domestically and internationally such as: gold medals at the Paris International Exhibition (France) in 1925 and 1933; participating in exhibitions in Nagoya (Japan) in 1937; Bangkok (Thailand, in 1953 and 1955), Phnom Penh (Cambodia, in 1957)...

Bien Hoa - Dong Nai ceramics is one of the famous ceramic lines in Vietnam. Bien Hoa - Dong Nai ceramic products are increasingly diverse in design, highly appreciated by partners for their quality and used in interior decoration, gardens, ceramic statues, ceramic paintings.

Entering the world market after a long time of white pottery, Bien Hoa black clay pottery is a unique product, formed from raw materials exploited in Bien Hoa land. Up to now, the traditional black pottery line has also had stable markets. Most of Bien Hoa black clay pottery products are exported to other countries.

Painter Mai Van Nhon, famous for his Bien Hoa ceramic paintings, especially portraits of great people, heads of state, and natural landscapes, shared that Bien Hoa - Dong Nai ceramics have created a unique position for ceramic enthusiasts and consumers at home and abroad. Compared to other ceramic lines such as Bat Trang ceramics, Chu Dau ceramics, etc., Bien Hoa - Dong Nai ceramics were born later but there was a period when they regularly won awards in domestic and foreign exhibitions. Bien Hoa - Dong Nai ceramic products have their own impressions and appeals, recognized by the community and the market through major awards at home and abroad, and he himself is one of the people who participated in competitions, exhibitions, and honors for Bien Hoa - Dong Nai ceramics.

Businesses "go ahead and take the lead"

Bien Hoa Pottery currently has a garden decoration line with famous black clay pottery products from hundreds of years ago and white ceramic products for decoration and modern decor.

Over the years, during their operations, ceramic enterprises have regularly researched and studied the world market to produce new product lines with diverse colors and designs to meet market demand, while still ensuring quality.

Ceramic engraver Le Kieu Oanh (residing in Tan Van ward, Bien Hoa city) shared that engraving is the step before doing the glaze, so the product is engraved precisely and delicately, then after the glaze is applied, it will be clearer and more vivid. According to Ms. Oanh, after more than 40 years of working in the profession, she has witnessed the increasingly sophisticated development of Bien Hoa - Dong Nai ceramics. In the past, the glaze colors for ceramic products were not rich, so the work was simple. Nowadays, there are many colors, requiring engravers and glazers to focus and identify the correct colors to produce products that are true to the original design.

Representative of Hong Tam Ceramic Company Limited, Mr. My Ngan, said that the company has proactively researched the market, diversified products, improved quality and designs to meet the needs of traditional and new markets. Therefore, Bien Hoa - Dong Nai ceramics today both preserve traditional features but still have innovation and modernity. Hong Tam is a company that produces decorative ceramic products, decorating spaces in houses, restaurants, hotels, and gardens for domestic and foreign customers.

According to Ms. Ngan, thanks to proactively researching and producing decorative ceramic products that meet market needs, more and more customers around the world are aware of and place orders. Therefore, despite many fluctuations in the world economy , the company still has stable output and continues to open more markets for its products.

Ms. Ngan added that about 70% of the company's decorative ceramic products are exported directly to the US, Australia, Canada, etc. markets, and 30% of the products are supplied to the domestic market.

Ngoc Lien

Last article: Building a brand for Bien Hoa - Dong Nai ceramics

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/kinh-te/202504/hanh-trinh-cua-gom-bien-hoa-dong-nai-bai-3-gom-bien-hoa-dong-nai-vuon-ra-thi-truong-the-gioi-c9b1bf5/