The porcelain market - France

Porcelain is a fine, translucent ceramic produced from kaolin by firing at over 1200°C. The primary use of porcelain is for tableware. There are two main types of porcelain: hard and soft. Advanced porcelain manufacturing techniques arrived late in France (19th century), although they were already present in China in the 17th century. Nevertheless, Limoges porcelain is recognized for its quality and is even protected by a "geographical indication". Since 2010, the number of employees in the French porcelain industry has been steadily declining, reflecting the fact that manufacturing processes are increasingly being outsourced outside France. Sales generated by the porcelain market are being severely tested by the boom in ceramic tableware in China, which is gradually replacing traditional porcelain. To withstand the crisis, players in the porcelain market are banking on the development of exports, which already account for almost 50% of the sector's sales. However, with changes in Chinese demand, the structure of exports to customer countries has been weakened. The French porcelain market has to contend with intensifying international competition, particularly from Asia, which is regularly illustrated by the use of counterfeit products. The city of Limoges has taken steps to secure recognition of the brand at national and European level.