Business Plan Talavera

Steps for an Export Plan

COMPANY PROFILE

• Key elements

Company name

Ansar Talavera, S.A. de C.V.

General data

• Direction: Margaritas No. 255, Colonia Bugambilias, Puebla, Puebla.

• Telephone: (01 222) 130 02 82

• Fax: (01 222) 245 68 60

• E-mail: ans@infosel.net.mx

• Web page: www.talavera-ansar.com

• Legal representative: Lic. Armando Sánchez Merchant

• Products: talavera’s pieces

• Countries which it exports: United States

Mission

Ansar Talavera has defined its mission as follows: “We are a Mexican producing company of talavera poblana, which is manufactured with technology of the highest quality and creativity. Our mission is to work with professionalism and dedication, make unique pieces of its kind, feel proud and fully identified and engaged with customers, and provide excellence in service with quality and responsibility.

Vision

To become the leader in the production and the sell of talavera poblana, by extending the range of products and through the excellent service that is offered, and to extend the market by exporting to different international markets.

Objective

Ansar considers that its principal objective consists in satisfy the local, national and international market demands, with talavera and ceramic of high quality, beautiful and exclusive products and an excellent service the company wants to ensure the client’s preference.

• Business description market target

The products of this company are made for all the population, the talavera pieces can be bought by adult people, teenagers, kids, families, or any person of any race or religion.

Obviously those pieces are made especially for the persons that like the Mexican culture and have the ability to appreciate the crafts of our country, which have a very good quality and are made with a lot of creativity.

• Staff description

The company is managed by the accountant Irma Merchant, general manager. The legal advisor is Victor Hugo Sanchez, and the production manager is Armando Sanchez, who also is responsible for all international relations. They all have extensive experience in their areas.

The experience in the international area depends on the foreign activities of Ansar, which began 15 years ago, allowing the governing body more knowledge of national scope.

Ansar Talavera also is constituted by a team of more than 80 people, which are distinguished craftsmen with extensive experience in the multiple ceramic manufacturing processes.

HISTORY OF COMPANY

• Background

Since 1988 Mrs. Irma Merchant Larios sought a way to engage with art, particularly the Mexican handicrafts. For that interest and in order to satisfy their interests, she decides to join in the “Casa de la Cultura” of Puebla, where she becomes familiar with the process to create the Talavera.

From that moment begins a constant struggle to excel in talavera industry, culminating in the desire to express art in Talavera.

Initially performing its functions in a small workshop located in Cholula, Puebla, it counts only with 7 employees and a few lathes. At that time the company was called "Ceramica Cholula", later it was changed for a name that now is synonymous of quality, "Ansar".

With 14 employees and with greater unmet needs, coupled with growing demand, the company decides to relocate to a larger venue, to allow them to develop the production, placing offices and a showroom, the place is located in the direction Margaritas no. 255, colonia Bugambilias.

In 1991 the company won the competition of the Universidad de las Americas for the elaboration of Puebla Talavera dishes that the King Juan Carlos of Spain would have to use in his visit to Puebla.

During its quest for expansion, the company achieves to infiltrate the international market with the advice of Bancomext and Rossana Imports Inc, where it put 13,000 pieces. Since that moment the company has been in constant growth, that’s why they need to hire 30 more people and expand the installations.

The company currently has over 80 employees, and exports to the United States, Britain and France.

• Product

The Talavera is a Spanish heritage that began in the XVI century and reached its apogee during the XVII and XVIII centuries. Now the Talavera is considered an element of luxury and elegance.

Talavera has been developed in different products such as pots, dishes, ornaments, tiles - coatings, among others.

In this case the product to be exported is Talavera coating, this product is complementary to the construction industry, and is replaced by ceramic coatings, the main competition of the product.

Talavera coatings are a type of ceramic tiles, used to give a rustic and elegant touch at the walls and floors of various buildings such as hotels, restaurants, offices, homes, etc.

The design varies according to colors and patterns. During the production process, first it is outlined the whole picture in only one color, subsequently the piece is decorated with natural colors. There are several techniques in decoration, which are performed by the same painters who started the process.

Some of the most used colors are blue, green, purple, turquoise, pink, red, peach, yellow and orchid.

The designs are classified in 4 types:

• Classic: Design that counts with only one color, cobalt blue.

• Colonial: It has 2 combinations of colors.

• Baroque: It is characterized by being filled with different colors.

• Special: It consists in the design of more difficulty because its brilliance and complexity.

The company doesn’t count with any type of patent, because it considers the fact of be a craft and cultural property, and it is impossible protect themselves with a patent. The procedures and materials used in the preparation are also used by competitors.

The product does not have a certain life cycle, its use can last up to more than a decade, does not require constant maintenance, only through conventional cleaning products.

• Domestic and International market experience

For his great knowledge in the production of Talavera, the quality it offers and the beautiful and varied pieces that it produces, “Ansar Talavera” has become one of the most important producers of Talavera in Mexico.

It has a production capacity of 15000 pieces per month, reason for which has an infrastructure and management team capable of meeting the demand of local, national and international markets.

Currently the company "Ansar" participates in the international market by exporting to the United States.

Business conducted in this country are made, mostly through the representation of the company Latin Accents, whose relationship is exclusive to the import of products produced by Ansar, this relationship has allowed the product is distributed in the following U.S. cities: Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wymonig.

Indeed there are direct relationships with some customers; however, these are the minority.

Ansar has penetrated to other countries besides the United States; this is because large companies that are its American clients have distributors in different countries, which has allowed greater expansion and internationalization, even when the relations with these countries are not in a direct way.

• Infrastructure to produce

Production Process of Talavera:

Ansar maintains the tradition of the manufacture of parts in the lathe, forging pieces and other actual processes, blending tradition and the benefits of modernity.

Once the pieces are elaborated, they need to dry gradually in periods of 2 to 5 days. When the parts reach the necessary qualities to be burned, baked at 100 centigrade degrees.

After a strict quality control they are carefully glazed, according to the needs of the pieces.

About ecology, Ansar deals to be a company that does not pollute because their installations meet all regulations governing the environment in Mexico.

The varnishes used in Ansar are processed prior to application of the pieces, giving security to the workers, who use them, and to the final consumer, who is the most important.

Our raw materials are free of plumb and cadmium, heavy metals harmful to health.

It has certificates of the United States FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for analysis of their products at the highest solubility parameters of plumb demand worldwide.

Workers have no risk of poisoning or diseases linked to high level of plumb in the blood because they work

...