From IT to clay: how Yaroslavl engineer creates equipment for ceramists across Russia
In a world where technology is increasingly becoming digital, sometimes the surest path to success is through clay. Company history "Goncharam.rf." From Yaroslavl is an example of how technical thought, multiplied by a deep understanding of the needs of masters, creates a popular product. The founder and director of the company Andrey Khramtsov told how a one-time order for a pottery wheel grew full-fledged production, challenging imported brands.
From virtual models to the first round
The idea that determined Andrew’s future came from the outside. In 2015, while working in the IT field, he received an unusual request from potters he knew: help design a mobile pottery wheel.
trips to festivals.
“Since I had a higher technical education and had experience in 3D design, I agreed with interest to participate in the development of the pottery wheel,” Andrei recalls.
The task was not easy: to create not just a device, but a professional tool that meets the subtle requirements of the craft.
Help came from a strong Yaroslavl pottery diaspora, in particular, from a world-class master - Alexei Zolotov.
“He helped us understand all the subtleties, from the lines of bending of the pelvis of the potter’s circle to the convenience of service. We were in constant contact, and Alexei tested the equipment at every stage, says the entrepreneur.
The result of three months of work was the appearance of one of the first serial pottery wheels in Russia. That was the start.
Festivals as a source of inspiration and feedback
To feel the pulse of the industry, the team does not sit on the floor. For 8 years Andrey visited dozens of events: from the “Axe Festival” in Tomsk to the international festival in Skopin, and was also a technical sponsor of the Yaroslavl festival “Living Clay”.
“At the events, it is possible to communicate with famous people in the field of ceramics, find out their needs and understand the prospects for development. And also to meet with colleagues and discuss the situation in the market, he notes.
This lively connection to the community has become a business philosophy. The most important lesson, according to Andrei, is to always be in active contact with consumers in order to respond to current needs in time.
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From workshops to factories: a new challenge
If the company initially focused on equipment for workshops and studios, today market demands have changed. There is a demand for industrial solutions. The one who determined Andrew's future came from the outside.
“Recently, requests for the supply of industrial equipment have increased: machine tools for molding, aluminas up to 1000 kg / h,” says Andrey.
One of the flagships is the vacuum alumina PROF-60, recently sent to Krasnoyarsk, the Voronezh region and Kaliningrad. This is a fundamentally new development capable of processing clay of any humidity. The key advantage is price.
“Similar foreign installations cost at least five times more,” the founder emphasizes. "Goncharam.rf."
Family Business with a Vision for the Future
In 2023, the project reached a new level. At the numerous requests of masters who complained about inappropriate furniture, Andrey, together with his wife Maria, who runs the pottery workshop, launched the brand “Goncharam.RF”.
“When we met, Maria had a pottery shop, and I had equipment manufacturing. It seemed like a good idea to combine these two industries in one place, says Andrei.
Now Maria not only creates content, but also provides invaluable feedback: all new equipment is tested in real-world conditions at her workshop.
Philosophy of "Soviet" quality and import substitution
The company’s approach is based on the principles of durability and maintainability, inspired by the reliability of Soviet equipment.
“So that in any part of the world a person can purchase the necessary parts and replace them. Unlike imported brands, where parts that are not available for sale are used, Andrey explains his position.
Among its own developments, the company is especially proud of the patented alumina mixer "Typhoon", created as a domestic alternative to Japanese units.
Plans: showroom, new models and museum
The team does not stop there. The immediate goal is the opening of a showroom on the basis of its own pottery workshop, where you can get acquainted with the whole line. And in the same space where modern equipment is born, Maria and Andrei dream of opening a small, but unique for the region museum of the history of pottery.
His concept is a visual chronicle of the evolution of craft. In one hall will be collected "ancient" equipment: from the simplest devices for sculpting and wooden foot pottery circles, to the first mechanized machines. The central exhibit here, according to Maria, will be the same old pottery wheel, whose photo already attracts attention.
“This circle is the only one in the field. In the city so exactly, she notes proudly.