Hitemp Ceramic Industries

Down at 870 South Bhopa Road, things stay pretty hot because of what we do at Hitemp Ceramic Industries. It’s an industrial area, so don’t expect any gardens or nice views. It’s mostly just trucks, dust, and the smell of manufacturing. We spend our days around the kilns and the raw materials. It’s a messy job. Our clothes usually have white dust on them by lunchtime. The building is a large shed-like structure that holds a lot of heat, especially during the summer months when the sun beats down on the roof. We don’t have many visitors, mostly just delivery drivers and the occasional supplier. The floor is concrete and usually covered in bits of clay or ceramic pieces that didn't make the cut. We’ve been at this for quite a while now. The machinery we use is old but it works well enough if you know how to kick it into gear. There isn't much talking during the shift because the fans and the burners make a lot of noise. We eat our lunch together in a small corner that’s a bit away from the main heat. It’s tough work, and your back definitely feels it by the end of the day. We don’t try to pretend it’s anything other than a grit-and-sweat kind of business. We just focus on getting the temperature right and making sure the batches come out okay. It is what it is, and we just keep going.