Vinh Long is one of a few provinces in the Mekong Delta (MRD) that have clay resources with good quality and that can be used to produce bricks, terracotta pottery with exploitable reserves up to 278.88 million m3.

Tile and brick production, closely linked with agriculture has become one of the major products of the cottage industry sector in Vinh Long. According to the Statistical Yearbook of 2005 – 2010 period, the total output value of this industry accounted for 37.19% of the total rural industrial value and 56.88% of the output of building materials manufacturing sector in the province.

According to Vinh LongDepartment of Construction statistics, by the end of June in 2012, all over province there were 1,082 brick producing establishments with 2284 furnaces. Most are concentrated in Mang Thit Commune, Long Ho Dictrict. The total annual production of bricks is around 75 million thousand pieces.

Outdated technology

Despite being one of the key craft productions, brick kilns technology in Vinh Long are mostly handmade (round furnace). Furnace capacity only stays at about 80,000 to 120,000 bricks /cycle (one cycle lasts over 30 days).

Traditional round furnace cannot handle furnace exhaust, causing serious impacts to the surrounding environment. Rice husk is mainly used with an average consumption rate of 0.6gr husk per brick. Though husk is an agricultural by-product with large reserves in Vinh Long, in recent years the price of husk is also increasing due to large demand.

In addition, the manufacture of tiles and bricks is majorly household-based and small-scale producion. On average, each tile manufacturing facility has approximately 2.11 furnaces, while ceramic manufacturing facility has 7.43 furnaces.

Round furnace technology reveals the poor productivity, low efficiency and high costs, making it difficult for the output. Manufacturing bricks in Vinh Long is no longer able to compete with the other advanced production technology.

Converting to continuous furnaces

With the difficulty of manufacturing ceramic tiles, Vinh Long Department of Industry and Trade has implemented scientific research at provincial level with the goal to find an innovative technology in brick kilns, overcoming environmental pollutions and improving competitiveness.

As a result, Vinh Long Department of Industry and Trade has studied successful " Vinh Long continuous furnaces ".  New baking technology has tested and  began activities from September in 2012.

An advantage of Vinh Long continuous kiln over traditional round furnaces is that they can handle dust at environmental standards (Department of Construction allows replication by Official Letter No. 1683 / BXD-VLXD 08/13/2013). Continuous furnace technology makes use of the heat, so baking time is shorter, continuously produce bricks, leading to higher capacity, yields 10 times higher than the traditional oven.

With continuous baking technology, power consumption drastically reduced leading to less production costs, reduced product cost 37.16%, increased the competitiveness of the product. Specifically, consumption of husk only 150gr / brick (compared with 600gr / brick with traditional baking technology). According to Vinh Long Department of Trade and Industry province with bricks production in 2011 is 741.561 million bricks, if produced with continuous furnace will benefit over 212 billion / year.

Using continuous kiln technology produces more even bricks while the rate of completed tiles is higher. Another advantage of continuous kiln operation is convenient, simple and more secure, reducing the dangers and harms to workers operating the oven.

According to data from Vinh Long Department of Trade and Industry, the province now has more than 20 local establishments. Enterprises producing bricks and ceramic were transferred to continuous furnace technology. Manufacturers produced with continuous furnaces are operating effectively. Products of Vinh Long continuous furnaces are of high quality, competitive and consumed not only in the province of Vinh Long, but also sent to other provinces as Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, Ben Tre, Tien Giang, ...

The initial results achieved above is an important condition to help restore the famous  Vinh Long brick production  brand. Converting the traditional technology into continuous furnaces, living up to regulations on environmental managements and improving competitiveness have contributed vastly to restore manufacturing bricks in Vinh Long. This is one of the objectives of socio-economic development of Vinh Long in current period, creating jobs for rural workers, contributing restructuring of rural industries and reconstructing the new countryside .

By Quang Minh