FLORYCHANTE LTD

Florychante Ltd. is located in the Riche Terre industrial estate 10 kms from Port Louis, Mauritius, and is part of the Rogers Group who have major holdings in most of the island's economic activities. The factory occupies the lower quarter of the building illustrated above. Mauritius is of volcanic origin and there is little suitable clay on the island. Its manufacturing activities require the importation of prepared clay body, initially from RSA, and then later from UK.

The company earns most of its income from the supply of ceramic goods to the island's very high quality hotels. It services the smaller consumers and gift items for tourists through three of its own retail outlets in the major population centres.

It originally started as a small craft unit, but developed over a period of years to its current size of approximately 35 employees involved in manufacturing. The management and administration is carried out under the control of the Rogers Group executive. The company has to compete in quality, price and delivery against other external suppliers when tendering for the lucrative hotel business to provide tableware, buffet items, and miscellaneous ceramic accessories.

Over the period that the company expanded, its quality and productivity declined due to no staff having ceramic qualifications or experience. High losses and poor quality were resulting in the loss of valuable business, therefore the management requested technical assistance from Centre for Industrial Development (CDI) Brussels. Five missions were carried out, with the possibility of further inputs at a later date. The result being that Florychante reclaimed its position as the main suppler to the hotels, and the training and skill transfers resulted in new equipment being commissioned. Key staff are now more aware of the basic ceramic principals governing their manufacturing industry.

The positive results achieved from technical aid to Florychante Ltd. were featured in the CDI Partnership Magazine.