Research On The Sustainable Development Of Foshan's Ceramic Industry

Recently, the ceramic industry of Italy and Spain enjoy a top position around the world, which might not be changed in a certain period. Meanwhile, according to the increase of the production capacity; the position of China' s ceramic industry is rising. And it formed a production structure of "Three Shan, two Jian and one Hai " . As the biggest province of structural ceramic, Guandong shares a very important status in China, especially in the products of wall brick and ground tile, which enjoy a leading position in the field. In Foshan city, basing on the growth for the last thirty years, structural ceramic shares an output 80 percent of Guangdong. And the structural ceramic markets are the best of the nation. Those showed a strong impress of industrial cluster.The ceramic industry in Foshan has become one of the largest production bases. There are more than one thousand product lines in the city. And Foshan is the largest distributing center of China, which enjoys five ceramic wholesale markets, two exhibition centers and two ceramic sales streets. And it is also the largest structural ceramic export base. From 2000 on, the exports of ceramic products in Foshan have average raised by 50 percent, which has become a new growth pole of the foreign trade in Foshan. At present, there are five "China resound brands" , seven "China famous brand product" and twenty-eight "China' s ceramic famous brand product" . These have formed a name card to the world. And Foshan also enjoys a professional human resource according to industrial cluster. At percent, there are about one hundred thousand employers in the industry field. The technology stays an outstanding position in China. And there are six provincial level technology centers in the city. The Foshan ceramic industry firms hold perfect quality control and testing systems and advance equipments. A perfect industrial line and cluster have been formed. It is clear that Foshan has enjoyed an outstanding position in ceramic industry cluster.But in the meantime, ceramic industry is the typical resource consumption and pollution one. Many ceramic companies in Foshan had to quit due to the cost raise cause by the limited of resource. Regarding to statistics, the discharge amount of steam is the biggest of all industries, and sulfur dioxide reached the second. These are easy to lead to the contradiction between industry growth and city development. Also, because some companies are short of R & D and core competences, this led to homogenization and technical disputes and met technical barriers and anti-dumping while exporting. On the other hand, because most of the ceramic companies in Foshan are pirated-owned, they are still on the management of a family-like form, which is hard to expand due to short of experience of capital operation. Recently, the local government demands ceramic companies upgrading and integrating. Companies should have to adjust strategies from quantity to quality, brand and service, strengthen technical innovation, pose market on high or middle classes for more added value, focus on global market. Also companies should have to different products for strengthening core competence. Meanwhile, the local government might strengthen the ceramic cluster, pay more attention to talents, standardize personnel flowing activities for sustainable development in the industry. This article gives suggestions as following.1. Re-evaluating to improve market position for creativity. It is sure that the industry should have to follow a way for economy, technology, environmental protection, culture and modernization.2. Strengthening innovation to improve competition. The local government should promote the industry to create new technique, brands and standards.3. Optimizing industrial structure to promote industrial upgrade. Companies should create new industrial types, expand industrial chain and optimize industrial complements.4. Developing recycle economy to promote clean producing and resource reuse in order to improve energy structure.5. Promoting companies' cooperation to prevent excessive competition.6. Optimizing industrial complements and promote different exhibitions' integration. The industry should develop modern logistic, professional ceramic markets and cultural travel and market agents as well.7. Expanding exports to facing challenges from international market in technical barriers, anti-dumping. The local government might also rectify the ceramic export market and encourage products exports of self-owned brand.