Producing Lead-Free Pottery, Exporting Products to Neighboring Countries

“There are different types of products that we have produced. Lead-free glaze for making pottery is one of the company's products, We produce pottery that is free of lead and healthy to use,” Alireza Beh Ragham, the managing director of Behnegaran Company told ANA on the Sidelines of Asreh Omid Event about the pottery they produce in their hometown, Lalejin, which is famous in Iran for its pottery.

He said their new products are different from the previous ones produced in their hometown, Lalejin, because they  used to be lead-glazed.

Referring to the product of augmented reality on pottery reliefs, he said, “In fact, we add reality to our reliefs with the help of light.”

The Managing Director of Behnegaran Company also added that contrary to the manually making the pottery, the machines helps them make pottery in groups.

Beh Ragham also talked about the production of white body pottery as another product of their company and stated, “White body is resistant because it is baked at 1,100 degrees Celsius, ... We used porcelain and turned it into clay… it become semi-Chinese.”

He added that they do not have proportionate packaging for their products in their hometown Lalejin, adding that they have prioritized that issue in their Behnegaran Company.

Bah Ragham also said that they reuse the pottery waste.

 “We are trying to return the waste that remains from pottery to the production cycle and use it again, because it helps the pottery industry a lot.”

He said that another product of their company is the clay oud burner which is highly popular in Arab countries, adding that their company has targeted that market to replace China in the market of the neighboring countries.

Beh Ragham pointed to the production of clay chandeliers as the other product of their company and said, “Previously, clay ceramics used to be imported from China, but now we produce simple, mesh and glazed clay chandeliers ourselves.”

The Managing Director of Behnegaran Company further said that they also produce clay figurines as gifts that are presented in some festivals.

He further said they have started training courses for learning pottery for those who might be interested above the age of 10.

 Beh Ragham added their company has employed 40 people and has also created jobs for 20 more people indirectly.

With respect to the help they received from Islamic Azad University in their business, he said that “Before entering the Azad University, we had taken some steps, but after entering the university, we were able to make the products scientifically. Based on this, we have completed some products and some are in the marketing phase now, while some other products are in the wholesale phase. Our expectation is that the university authorities will take a special look at technology units. However, Azad University can find markets much more easily than us as it has much more influence in organizations and government institutions.”

Referring to his participation in the event of the second step of the Islamic Azad University, Bah Ragham said, "I believe there is a very good market in the country. Although I hope a lot that these sales will be in dollars abroad and gain currency, but we cannot jump from the first step to the tenth step. First, this marketing should be done nationally, those who succeeded and achieved results did so. Of course, if it was planned from the beginning, this work can be done in foreign countries…, and it can complement each other. And internal and external marketing should happen at the same time."

The national Asreh Omid Event was held in late May in Tehran’s Grand Mosalla with the participation of 3,000 knowledge-based companies, laboratories, research teams and startups.

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