Minh Long: Advancing to Highest Standards, Engraving Legacies across Generations

Minh Long's 55-year journey of excellence (1970-2025) is a persistent flow of Vietnamese identity through its exquisite ceramic masterpieces. On its long journey, Minh Long has continued to create its legacy in every aspect of life, every house and every family through its "Made in Vietnam" products.

VCCI President Pham Tan Cong (far left) and delegates attentively observe as Chairman of Minh Long Company Ly Ngoc Minh (far right) showcases the company’s signature products  

Preserving thousands of stories" after five impressive decades

Mr. Ly Ngoc Minh, Chairman of the Board of Members of Minh Long Company, proudly said: "The journey of Minh Long is not just about building a brand but also about preserving thousands of stories along the way. In every memorable moment in life, Minh Long becomes a silent but persistent witness and connects memories with ceramic works bearing the soul of Vietnamese culture."

Minh Long Company was established in 1970 but actually inherited for three generations in Vietnam from a Ly family with a tradition of porcelain, starting from Mr. Ly Ngoc Minh's grandfather. It is already more than 100 years old. In that flow of time, Minh Long is one of the few brands that has achieved a breakthrough and established a leading reputation in the ceramic industry. The company has a large-scale factory system, modern machinery and equipment, advanced technology (from Germany and Japan), along with experienced professionals and skilled, talented artisans.

“Today's success is not a godsend because Minh Long always keeps the highest quality criteria of all products. A milestone that changed my journey and Minh Long's was the saying by Mr. Do Muoi, former General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, when he paid a working visit to Binh Duong province. After dinner, he asked, ‘Binh Duong is famous for its ceramics, so why can’t you make a tea set for entertaining guests instead of using a foreign one?’ His suggestion was like a spark igniting a fully loaded firecracker. It inspired me to venture into the world, explore, and learn from the best in both Asian countries, such as Japan and China, and European countries, especially Germany, where ceramic technology is the most advanced. From what I learned, I understood that to elevate Vietnamese ceramics, I had to bring the most cutting-edge technologies from around the world to Minh Long while continuously refining and improving them,” said Minh.

After more than three decades of dedication and tireless learning efforts, Minh Long has gradually improved the technology of single firing at a temperature of 1,380 degrees Celsius, the highest German standards, combined with a fully automated machinery system. Minh Long's porcelain is not only of outstanding quality but also chosen as gifts for more than 50 countries around the world. Furthermore, Minh Long has also been picked as a national product during foreign visits by our Party and State leaders and presented to more than 40 leaders of countries around the world, including the Pope, the President of the United States, the General Secretary of China and the Emperor of Japan. In addition, Minh Long-branded elegant porcelain brand has won the "Vietnam Value" Award many times and 22 “High-quality Vietnamese Goods” Cups.

Continuing Minh Long's brilliant history, Minh realized an important truth: "All of us share the common goal of making ourselves, our families and our country happy. But happiness never comes without health." That is why he was determined to create the world's first line of health-preserving porcelain pots capable of withstanding thermal shock up to 800 degrees Celsius, or even 900 degrees Celsius. These pots can also be used on induction cookers - an achievement no other company in the world has accomplished.

“When I look back on my own achievements, I realize that no matter how civilized or successful a country is, if the environment is polluted, it will destroy our lives. From that perception, the health-preserving porcelain cup line is created with a similar mission: Protecting our health, protecting the greener, cleaner, more beautiful environment and never using toxic plastic bottles. Then, Minh Long ‘wrote’ the next pioneering steps on the journey to create porcelain musical instruments, starting with the flute, then the fiddle and the exceptional violin. Each ceramic musical instrument carries its own story, like musical notes telling the story of a difficult but inspiring journey. The dream of making porcelain musical instruments, which seemed to exist only in myths, has been awakened by the passionate and dedicated hands of Minh Long artisans. What seemed impossible has now been done by Minh Long, leaving a unique imprint in the music world,” he said.

VCCI Vice President Vo Tan Thanh awards a Certificate of Merit to Minh Long Company in recognition of its outstanding business achievements and contributions to the business community and local development in 2024

Continuing the enduring journey, promoting the quintessence of national culture

Minh Long recently marked 55 years of enduring and brilliant journey. The five core values that make Minh Long's identity are encapsulated in five chapters: Nurturing, Warmth, Loyalty, Relationship and Transmission - values that not only exist in the products but also act as the guiding principles in all activities.

An impressive thing about Minh Long that not every business in the industry can do is to promote the quintessence of national culture through each sophisticated production. It is not only the story of the founders but also the story of a team, a big family that has come together to preserve and promote core values. Minh also affirmed that the journey of “preserving thousands of stories of Minh Long” has been kept on by the next generation, so that each porcelain masterpiece of Minh Long carries passion and pride for Vietnam.

In every step forward, Ly Ngoc Minh, management and staff always keep in mind how to “not rest on our laurels”, how to continue the successes made by previous generations and how to make Vietnamese ceramics a world-class heritage. That is a difficult target and a constant concern. And to boost its brand identity, at its 55th anniversary, Minh Long I Co., Ltd organized a series of celebratory events, including the inauguration of a factory, the introduction of the Minh Long Ceramic Museum and the launch of a new logo. In particular, the Minh Long Ceramic Museum is a special project initiated more than two decades ago, from the talented hands and passionate heart of People's Artisan Ly Ngoc Minh. And now, Minh Long not only makes high-end porcelain products but also produces clay, glaze, molds, floral paper and electromechanical items, all inputs in the same factory with a closed self-contained system, which is difficult for any company in the world to do. Specially, with the European-standard technology of single-firing at 1,380°C and modern production lines, Minh Long not only optimizes costs but also creates high-tech breakthrough porcelain products in single-firing technology, meeting high quality and aesthetics standards. At the same time, the company honors the cultural identity of Vietnam through its upmarket porcelain fired at 1,380°C (the highest standard of Germany).

“We aspire to elevate Vietnam's ceramic industry to new heights. I hope the world will know that Vietnam also has beautiful porcelain masterpieces, created by talented people. My dream does not stop here. I hope that the next generation of Minh Long will acquire the quintessence of Western knowledge and inherit Eastern cultural traditions, continue this path, keep on the flame of passion and create more breakthrough development not only for the company but also for the prosperity of the homeland. From now on, Vietnamese people will be completely proud of the art culture and ceramic production technology of Vietnam, with unique motifs and fine arts created and expressed through Minh Long's unique technology," Minh said, expressing his aspirations.

By Hoang Lam, Vietnam Business Forum