Today's ceramic industry sprang from these traditional roots but has made giant strides in sophistication. Modern technology has increased the range of products so that the ceramic spectrum now covers whitewares (sanitaryware, tableware, tiles and electrical porcelain), refractories (products resisting high temperatures, such as kiln furniture and furnace linings), glass (including glass fibre and glazes), abrasives, heavy clayware (such as bricks and sewer pipes) and white cement. Additionally, specific technical and advanced ceramics such as substrates for electronics, medical prostheses and sialons etc are included in the definition.

Within each of these broad categories lies a whole range of products of varying complexity and design, from common building bricks to rocket nose-cones, from window glass to gas-fire radiants and from strictly utilitarian sanitaryware to exquisite bone china tableware.

• Tableware

  Tableware describes ceramic items used for domestic purposes, for example plates, cups, saucers etc. Types of product include bone china, porcelain, earthenware, stoneware and hotelware.

  Although all of ECC International's clays for tableware production have excellent colour and strength properties, it is vital to choose exactly the right clay, or combination of clays, to suit individual needs. Our representatives will advise on the choice of the most suitable clays, body formulations and processing.

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• Sanitaryware

  Sanitaryware describes items such as W.C.s, washbasins, showertrays etc. Types of product include vitreous china and fireclay sanitaryware.

  Although all of ECC International's clays for sanitaryware production have excellent casting properties, it is vital to choose exactly the right clay, or combination of clays, to suit individual needs. Our representatives will advise on the choice of the most suitable clays, body formulations and processing.

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• Electrical porcelain

  Ceramic materials having electrical and other properties that render them suitable for use as insulators for power-lines and in many electrical components.

  ECC International's china clays and ball clays provide plasticity and strength for the production of both high and low tension porcelain insulators as well as contributing strength and dielectric properties to the finished product.