To enhance the production capacity the company also built three new 'dryer sets' to match with the newly installed machines with a total cost of Tk 8 million.

Company officials hope the modern machinery will contribute significantly to achieving the new growth target from previous year's 21 percent.

Barkat Ullah Bulu, advisor to the commerce ministry, formally inaugurated the new machines yesterday.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Bulu urged the ceramicware manufacturers to produce international standard ceramic items. "If you manufacture good products, the export volume of your company will go up along with the overall export."

He said the BFCL should try to double their export volume in the next fiscal year.

In FY 2002-03, the company's export was Tk 75.90 million, which was almost double the amount of previous year. In FY 2003-04, its export rose to Tk 102 million. And in current financial year the BFCL is hoping to fetch Tk 150 million from exports.

Rashed Maksud Khan, chairman of BFCL, expressed the hope to double the export volume by re-fixing the growth target.

Rashed Mowdud Khan, managing director of BFCL, said in the last ten years the company expanded its production base by adding most modern equipment.

When the BFCL started its operation in 1986, the production capacity was 1,350 tonnes per annum. Now the company has a production capacity of more than 3,000 tonnes and its domestic market share is 30 percent, BFCL officials said.

Local MP Salahuddin Babu and Savar Municipality Chairman Refat Ullah also spoke at the function.