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Pottery and Ceramic News |
Stoke-on-Trent Enson Pottery Bottle Kiln Works re-opens as training centreApril 2013
The Centre of Refurbishment Excellence is expected to specialise in training for restoration of historic buildings. An open day has been held at the grade-II listed site for local residents. Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which owns the site, said the restoration had retained much of the original character of the 1843 factory, including four bottle kilns. The America Hotel, which is based on the site and where many of the pottery workers used to drink, has also been restored as part of the project. For more information see This is Staffordshire Photograph © Copyright Chris Allen and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence. |
Moorcroft celebrates 100yearsApril 2013 
ONE hundred years ago, visionary potter William Moorcroft signed a deal that would seal his place in the history of the ceramics industry. His agreement with the prestigious Liberty and Co, of Regent Street, London, would establish W Moorcroft Limited as an independent company in Stoke-on-Trent. William had already established a reputation as a designer at Macintyre & Co in Burslem,Stoke on Trent, but now he would be able to build his own factory in the Mother Town and establish a lasting legacy of his own. A century later and the company it still going strong at its Sandbach Road base, having gained a worldwide reputation for creating unique and beautifully artistic pottery. Photograph © Copyright John Salter and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence. For more information see This is Staffordshire |
Earth and Fire International Ceramic Fair: 21, 22 and 23 June 2013Key informationDates: Friday 21 to Sunday 23 June. Times: 10am to 5pm each day. Parking charge: £5 per car Earth and Fire is one of the country's premiere ceramic events.For three days in June, over a hundred potters from across the UK and Europe come to Nottinghamshire to sell direct to the public from outdoor market stalls the ancient abbey ruins and grounds. The event attracts collectors, gallery owners, enthusiasts and the general public alike, who flock to Rufford Abbey, Nottinghamshire to meet and talk to the potters selling everything from garden planters and sculptures, to bowls, pie dishes, teapots, mugs, plates and egg cups. Truly a celebration of clay in all its forms, the Earth and Fire also includes a programme of free demonstrations and talks, trade stands selling all things ceramic, and campus stands showcasing the next generation of potters. Many of our regular exhibitors, who have been attending since the early days of Earth and Fire over 18 years ago, will be joining us again, including Robin Welch, Niek Hoogland, David and Margaret Frith, Richard Godfrey, Roger Cockram and John Wheeldon. They will be joined by international ‘first timers’ from South Africa, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and France. We look forward to welcoming you to Earth and Fire to meet and buy from the very best studio potters around.For more information see Earth and Fire 2013 |
Potfest releases dates for 2013 eventsPotfest in the Peak May 10th - 12th Mart event at Bakewell, Derbyshire Potfest Scotland Fri. June 7th - Sun. June 9th 2013 Marquee event at Scone Palace, Perth ... Potfest in the Park,Near Penrith Fri. July 26th - Sun. July 28th 2013 An amazing day out amongst some of the most creative makers in clay from all over the UK, Europe and beyond in the magnificent surroundings of Hutton-in-the-Forest, nr. Penrith, Cumbria .....more details Potfest in the Pens Fri. Aug. 2nd - Sun. Aug 4th, near Penrith Meet the potters, get inspired and get involved. The hustle and bustle of a potters' market. Established professional potters alongside the next generation. Free workshops taught by real potters.... More details can be found at the potfest website |
Support for longer term Antidumping laws for Chinese ceramic imports into EuropeThe European Commission imposed provisional anti-dumping duties against imports of ceramic tableware and kitchenware originating in China on 15 November 2012. The duties, imposed for a period of 6 months, i.e. until mid-May, range from 17.6% to 31.2% for all the Chinese companies that cooperated with the Commission's investigation. A residual duty of 58.8% applies to other Chinese companies that chose not to cooperate. European ceramic tableware and kitchenware producers would highly welcome the imposition of definitive antidumping duties for a period of 5 years, as it is stressed already in the position of the European ceramic industry's position paper of 4 March 2013. Definitive trade measures are expected to be adopted by the EU Member States, taking effect in mid-May 2013. |
Gulgong Clay Push 28 April-4 May 2013, AustraliaJoin us for the biggest ceramic event in Australia this year! Clay Push! With 17 international ceramic masters coming to Gulgong, it is a unique opportunity to join with fellow mud lovers and enjoy a week long immersion in all things clay! Clay Push Gulgong 2013 will be held, as planned, in celebration of the life of Janet Mansfield – potter, exhibitor, author, editor, publisher and convenor of clay festivals in Gulgong. Clay Push Gulgong 2013 is the ninth in the series of ceramics events which have been held every three years (since beginning in 1989) in Gulgong, NSW, Australia. For more information see Clay Push 2013 |
Indian Ceramics Exhibition 2013 (19-21 March) fully sold out for exhibitors15 January 2013 With just over 2 months to go to the 8th Indian Ceramics exhibition, the organisers report that all the available exhibition space has been fully sold out. “Unlike other companies” says Derek Burston, exhibition director, “when we say ‘fully sold’, we actually mean it”, alluding to recent other exhibitions that have taken place in the region that have completely misled exhibitors, and the few visitors they attracted, alike. Since its inception in 2006, Indian Ceramics has grown to become the second largest annual show in the industry, and the largest that there has ever been held in India. “It is always our goal, along with our media partners Asian Ceramics, to ensure we provide a quality meeting platform for the world’s leading technology providers to match up with manufacturers from not just the sub-continent, but right across Asia and beyond, who all view this exhibition as the most important meeting point for them” he concludes. Indian Ceramics 2013 takes place at the University Exhibition Centre, Ahmedabad, from 19-21 March. For more information see Indian Ceramics 2013 |
Annual self guided Ceramic Tour of Arizona, USAJanuary 15 2013. The Self-Guided Ceramics Studio Tour is an annual event sponsored by the Ceramics Research Center at the ASU Art Museum. Ceramic artists across the Valley open their studios to the public on the last weekend in February, February 23rd and 24th. For more information see Facebook page Ceramic Studio Tour |
Ceramic academy bid to save Stoke-on-Trent pottery skillsNovember 2012 By Matt Lee BBC News
Could a bid to set up a ceramics skills academy in Stoke-on-Trent encourage more young people to take up a career in pottery? For centuries, Stoke-on-Trent was has been known as a ceramics heartland, with more than 2,000 bottle ovens and kilns firing millions of pottery products. In recent years however, a decline in British manufacturing has hit the industry hard and many fear traditional skills could be lost. Between 1998 and 2008, the Potteries lost more than 20,000 jobs. The British Ceramic Confederation (BCC) said many skilled people had been lost to the industry forever and chief executive Laura Cohen warned: "Some companies are facing a critical skills shortage." She said: "They face challenges in being able to attract good people with the right skills into the industry and there's been little support to train them." Now the BCC, along with North Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce, has submitted a bid for £1.5m to the government's Growth and Innovation Fund to set up a ceramics skills academy. A decision is due in December. For more information see BBC News online |
New limits for lead and cadmium levels released into foodstuffs being considered in EuropeTuesday, October 23, 2012 The European Commission is looking into revising limits for the release of lead and cadmium from ceramic materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs, as currently laid down in Council Directive 84/500. The Commission is also considering the inclusion of other materials, such as glass, in the new measure. Limits for lead could be reduced by as much as 400 times current levels. New standards are likely to be introduced by mid 2013 Views are now being sought from relevant stakeholders.For more info, see FSA consultation document |
25th October, Ceramics 2012 gains momentumMonday, October 22, 2012  Ceramics 2012 is a unique showcase for the UK Ceramics industry and supply chain. Held each year in Stoke-on-Trent, renowned as the world capital of ceramics and home of the UK pottery industry, it continue to attract businesses from across the UK . The aim is to help grow a sustainable ceramics industry which will provide jobs and make money for the UK economy for years to come. A great opportunity for delegates to gain insights from industry leaders on how to grow new business. Ceramics 2012 will feature exhibitions showcasing some of the industry’s most successful brands and products and provide a great opportunity to meet new contacts with networking breaks built into the schedule. Visitors will also be given the opportunity to attend a range of seminars on the key issues facing the industry today. Our speakers are all experts who have either helped to build a successful manufacturing or supply chain business.
For more info, see Ceramics 2012 showcase and exhibition |
Congleton Bossons pottery creates global interestMonday, August 13, 2012  Heard of Bossons pottery? No? Well same for me! Nevertheless figures and plates crafted decades ago by a small factory in Congleton are fast grabbing a worldwide reputation. Organsier Martyn Chapman has attracted visitors from America and Canada as well as all over Britain to a conference last weekend to celebrate the work of the Bossons company. They were at the fifth annual European Bossons collectors meeting in the town's Lion and Swan pub. On show were art products – such as character heads and wall masks, plaques and figurines – produced at Brook Mills, in Mountbatten Way, between 1946 and 1996.
For more info, see The Weekend Sentinel. |
Pottery invented in China to cook food and brew alcohol is 20,000 years oldBy Pallab Ghosh Science correspondent, BBC News, 28 June 2012 The oldest known samples of pottery have been unearthed in southern China. The US archaeologists involved have determined that fragments from a large bowl found in Xianrendong Cave, Jiangxi Province, are 20,000 years old. The discovery, published in the journal Science, is the latest in recent years that have pushed back the invention of pottery by 10,000 years. It is thought that the bowl was a cauldron to cook food, or possibly to brew alcohol. Read more information at BBC News |
CERAMITEC 2012 May 22 to 25 New Munich Trade Fair CentreManufacturers, users and scientists from across the clay industry will come together at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre this May for an exhibition and conference covering all areas of clay and ceramics. CERAMITEC is where the industry showcases its entire product/service portfolio. The leading exhibition also has an outstanding reputation in the industry as a premiere platform and is constantly expanding its circle of interested participants. For example, the sectors for technical ceramics and powder metallurgy have also succeeded in establishing themselves at the fair. Read more information at Ceramitec 2012 |
Denby pottery expansion could create 600 jobs
Read more information at Ripley and Heanor News
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Portmeirion pottery group reports sales rise8 February 2012 Stoke-on-Trent pottery manufacturer Portmeirion has said a successful Christmas trading period has put the company in a strong position. Portmeirion Group PLC, which also owns Spode, Pimpernel and Royal Worcester, said it made more than £53m of sales in 2011, a 4% increase on 2010. It is the third year in a row it has reported an increase in revenues. Group non-executive chairman Dick Steele said Portmeirion was predicting to make a profit of £6m this year. The company employs 570 staff. Portmeirion said it had seen particular growth in the UK, United States and South Korea. Mr Steele said: "Three quarters of what we make gets exported. We really are an export-led business." The Spode and the Royal Worcester brands were bought by the Portmeirion Group in 2009.Read more information at BBC News
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Spode museum to be launched at former factory site
8 January 2012 A new museum dedicated to Stoke-on-Trent pottery is expected to open next spring thanks to a £50,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant. Many of the items that will make up the Spode exhibition were rescued from the former museum in 2008 when the Royal Worcester company collapsed. The two-year project will be based in the old Spode factory, now owned by Stoke-on-Trent City Council. Spode Museum Trust said it would also celebrate factory workers' lives. It said the temporary museum would "tell the story of Spode and the social and economic history of Stoke". Read more information at BBC News |
£350,000 to restore bottle kilnsFriday, January 06, 2012 
WORK is underway to bring three iconic bottle ovens back to their former glory. More than £350,000 is being spent on renovating the kilns at the Gladstone Pottery Museum, in Longton, which date back as far as the 1770s.It was feared the ovens could become structurally unsafe within a few decades if essential repair work was not carried out, after centuries of gradual erosion had taken their toll. But the £360,000 maintenance project, which is being jointly funded by Stoke-on-Trent City Council and English Heritage, will preserve the world famous bottle ovens for years to come. The work at the museum, which draws 50,000 visitors a year to the city from all over the world, is expected to take around 12 weeks to complete. Read more information at This is staffordshire |
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A former Stoke-on-Trent pottery factory has reopened after a £12.5m redevelopment. The Enson Pottery Works on Chelston Street, Longton, has been converted into a training centre for the construction industry.
12 March 2012
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