CERAMICS firms have traditionally bemoaned the rise of cheap imports from the Far East as being a key factor in the decline of volume production in North Staffordshire.
Replica Handbags ReplicaBut manufacturers returning from a high-profile exhibition in China say they have seen changing attitudes begin to emerge in the region, which could pave the way for increased business for Potteries companies.
A group of firms visited Ceramics China, in Guangzhou, last month, led by Adrian Allen, managing director of international marketing services firm Anderen and chairman of the International Trade Committee at the North Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce.
Mr Allen said that in 30 years of exhibiting internationally, he could not remember a show that produced so many serious enquiries.
Blurton-based Anderen has already landed a Pounds 150,000 contract as a direct result of attending. He said: "As China moves away from lowcost, low-value products and looks to improve quality, there are many opportunities for UK our customer base shift away from Europe towards the Far East and southeast Asia.
"In direct correlation, we have also seen the Ceramics China exhibition develop from a predominantly Chinese show into a truly international show with visitors from not only throughout Asia, but also from Europe, Africa and South America."
A spokesman for Taylor Tunnicliff and Ceramic Gas Products, both part of the Longton-based Mantec Group, Burberry Shoes said: "The interest shown in our product range was brisk, resulting in many new and interesting leads for us to follow up within the China market."
Mr Allen said funding provided by government export agency UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) was essential in helping the North Staffordshire delegation make the exhibition. He said: "For us, Ceramics China is a 'must-do' show. To succeed in China you simply have to be there with an ongoing and regular presence.
"China is a tough market to break into and requires a long-term investment in both time and money. This is why the continued support from UKTI is so essential.
"We have a core of companies now who exhibit at the show annually and who work together as a group supporting each other."
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"Added to this is the potential for taking the UK's vast experience on environmental management techniques to a market that is ready to significantly invest in this area."
Etruria bone ash supplier Jesse Shirley has attended the show for the last three years and directors say the Chinese market is "potentially huge". Technical sales manager John Whitehurst, pictured below, said: "The two previous shows that we attended were consistent in that the visitors we saw were very keen to use imported raw materials, but only at local Chinese prices.
"This year however, there was a major change in mentality and glimpses of a change in attitude towards the need to use a higher quality raw material to improve yields, production costs and perception by the market place. "That seemed to be uppermost in the minds of the many bone china manufacturers that we met." China is now the biggest export market for Hygan Products, which designs and distributes synthetic sponges and other tools for the ceramics industry. This is the seventh year in a row the Hartshill Replica Watches
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