Introduction of tunnel kiln in modern ceramic industry: Technology transfer and improvement

In the ceramics industry, the system of work always depends on the kiln in use. The industrial revolution in Europe brought the widespread use of the coal-fired round kiln which changed the working style from in-home craft work to factory manufacturing. The introduction of the tunnel kiln to the modern ceramics industry is considered to be an important innovation which was initiated by Kazuchika Okura, one of the founders of ceramic industry in Japan. The ability to make practical use of the tunnel kiln marked the start of mass production system in the ceramic industry. The most up-to-date kiln after the tunnel kiln has been the roller hearth kiln which has changed the production system from the mass production to the `flexible specialization.' In the history of the innovation of the kiln in ceramic industry, as a first step the process of enterprise introduction of the tunnel kiln are clarified which contributed to the rapid development of a modern ceramic industry in Japan, seen from the viewpoint of technology innovation.