Association of the Ceramic Industry

The Association of the Ceramic Industry (Bundesverband Keramische Industrie, BVKI) is a German umbrella association that represents the interests of the fine ceramic industry. Its website lists affiliated associations including the VKI, AGV, FSKI, RUV, VDS, IVN, and ASKN, and describes the BVKI as serving as the umbrella organization and central partner for the other associations.

The origins of the association system in the ceramic industry can be traced deep into the 19th century. As early as 1814, a "Vereinigung der 7 Thüringer Porzellanfabriken" was founded. In 1877, the first peak association of the German ceramic industry – the Verband Keramischer Gewerke – was established in Berlin. This new peak association set itself the task of "advising the common interests of the members on the one hand and, on the other hand, through joint assistance of the members with advice and action, raising the intellectual and material well-being of the workers and contributing to the maintenance of unity between employers and their workers." After the Verband Bayerischer Porzellanindustrieller was founded in 1898 at the suggestion of Geheimrat Philipp Rosenthal, the founder of the Rosenthal Porzellanfabrik, the Verband Keramischer Gewerke – also at the initiative of Philipp Rosenthal – sent an invitation to all porcelain factories to a meeting in Berlin on 9 June 1899. This served the purpose of cartel formation. The industry was to be protected from overproduction and price undercutting, primarily by setting minimum prices. By 1921, under the umbrella organization of the Verband keramischer Gewerke, a total of 30 cartel associations had emerged, covering the entire field of ceramics. These included, for example, the Verband Deutscher Porzellangeschirrfabriken, the Verband deutscher keramischer Malereien, the Verband deutscher Luxusporzellanfabrikanten, the Verband deutscher elektrotechnischer Porzellanfabrikanten (founded 1919), the Vereinigten Porzellan-Isolatorenwerke (founded 1910), and the Verband deutscher Spülwaren- und Sanitätsgeschirrfabrikanten (founded 1906).

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