Michael Foley

Its a dream for me to put India on the world map of Design.

- Michael Foley, Tedtalk NIT Suthrakal Michael is a product design graduate from NID who graduated in 1995. He joined Titan soon after his graduation and made his first mark with a stunning and contemporary design that gave Titan an aesthetic makeover. In less than a decade he rose to head the titan design studio and became the chief creative advisor to the Titan industries. At Titan, he addressed to products like wristwatches, sunglasses, and fashion jewelery as well as retail design and visual merchandising. His skills were something which the people desired, to a level that was exciting.

In the latter half of 2006, he felt that his work should move to a broader and challenging platform and hence Foley Designs was born. The studio specializes in Product design, packaging, graphics, environmental design, and brand identity. Mike handpicks the team for design prowess, originality and the ability to translate consumer understanding to fresh and inviting design.

His studio has won numerous awards like CII Design Excellence Awards 2011. Winner, Industrial Design(Leisure and Entertainment Products) for the India Formula One Grand Prix Cup Design, Winner Industrial Design for the Commonwealth games 2010 baton and many more.

TATA CERAMICS PVT. LTD.

TATA Ceramics Pvt. Ltd. is not an unfamiliar plant as it is located in SEZ(Special Economic Zone) which is 10 minutes away from my home. I had also done my industrial internship at TATA as part of our industrial training experience. During this internship, while browsing through the products made by TATA, I found out about by Michael Foley. His pieces complimented well with the other classical and contemporary pieces of TATA’s collection.

The plant was built in 1991 and production started in 1994 with the help of British giants, APK Ceramics. It is spread across 8 acres of land and has 95% of their production are imported. The quality of products is considered to be the best according to various clients across the globe. Their product range includes both bone china and fine china tableware, and decorative ware items and their clients are Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Portmeirion, Churchill China, Dunoon, and others.

Tata Ceramics Ltd. use a combination of highly refined, imported and locally sourced materials to produce their unique products. Their processes use accredited manufacturing systems, technical and quality process control systems followed by Internationally renowned brands that yield a superior, translucent, durable and aesthetically appealing Fine Bone China products. The product contains over 40% bone ash, which allows TATA Ceramics Ltd to claim that they produce a “True Bone China product”.

In addition to Fine Bone China, TATA also makes Fine China products which do not contain Bone Ash.

Other major difference between the two products is the appearance. Fine China does not have translucency and is slightly dull in colour when compared to Bone China. Physical properties of Bone China and Fine China are similar and hence, both are equally durable.

TATA Ceramics has played a key role in the product development part of my designs without which my ideas and concepts would have just remained on a laptop screen.

http://tataceramicsltd.com/