花盆時代 The Era of Flower Pots

1972-1983

1972 年，林添福前往竹南開設「恒發陶瓷廠」以生產花盆為主，自己印製3000塊土磚蓋築一座長25公尺的蛇窯。當時台灣經濟起飛，人民生活富足，以養蘭花、種花，盆栽為時尚，在地的紅土就是製作花盆的最佳原料。另外紅胎綠釉盆、造型蘭盆也是生產大宗，當時因應產量製作了旋坯花盆模具，盛產期二十幾位員工忙進忙出，一個月可以燒三次大蛇窯。但隨著塑膠花盆興起，陶製花盆庫存堆積如山，林添福依然決定堅守傳統手藝區隔市場，民國七十年（1981）轉型製作精緻的盆景盆、手工鐵砂盆、浮雕花盆，改以瓦斯窯燒製。

在整個台灣的陶瓷發展史中，花盆僅僅代表一種品項，為何以「時代」來形容，1960-1990 這三十年間盆栽園藝之興起，林添福在恒發時期還製作了動物造型盆，民國七十年代，陶瓷業又發生了一次產業的重大變革。台灣引進了先進的隧道窯和滾軸窯，採用天然瓦斯的燒窯技術，可以大量產出光潔亮麗的成品。設備先進的工廠在人力成本與良率方面，都比傳統蛇窯要經濟得多，面對這樣的困境，林添福也想過要跟上時代，無奈申請天然瓦斯卻無法通過。另一個打擊，二十年前陶器被鋁製品取代的情況一樣，陶花盆被打不破的塑膠花盆打得哀鴻遍野，以生產陶花盆為主的恒發，此時可用兵敗如山倒來形容。勤奮工作的結果，就是堆積如山的滯銷品，「恒發陶瓷廠」的蛇窯只能在民國72 年（1983），停火歇業了。

In 1972, Lin Tien-fu established the "Heng Fa Ceramics Factory" in Zhunan, focusing on producing flowerpots. He used 3,000 bricks to build a 25-meter-long dragon kiln. Taiwan's economy was booming at the time, and people were fond of growing orchids and bonsai, making red clay an excellent material for flowerpots. Red-glazed and green-glazed pots, along with styled orchid pots, were in high demand. To meet the production volume, LinTien-fu developed spinning wheel molds for flowerpots, and over twenty employees worked tirelessly, firing the large dragon kiln three times a month. However, with the rise of plastic flowerpots, ceramic pots piled up in inventory.

Despite this, Lin Tien-fu decided to uphold traditional craftsmanship and diversify into making exquisite bonsai pots, handmade iron sand pots, and embossed flowerpots using gas-fired kilns starting in 1981. In the ceramic history of Taiwan, flowerpots represent a specific category. The period from 1960 to 1990 marked the rise of bonsai gardening. During this time, Lin Tien-fu also crafted animal-shaped pots. In the 1980s, Taiwan's ceramic industry underwent significant changes with the introduction of advanced tunnel and roller kilns using natural gas, which produced shiny and polished finished products efficiently.

Lin Tien-fu considered upgrading to keep up with the times, but faced obstacles in obtaining natural gas. Additionally, just like how aluminum replaced ceramics twenty years earlier, plastic flowerpots dominated the market, causing challenges for Heng Fa, which primarily produced ceramic flowerpots. Despite diligent efforts, unsold products accumulated, and the "Heng Fa Ceramics Factory" dragon kiln ceased operations in 1983.

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