Potclays

Potclays, manufacturer and supplier of ceramic materials in Stoke-on-Trent

Potclays is a family-run company based in Stoke-on-Trent (United Kingdom) that presents itself as a manufacturer of clays, glazes and kilns, and as a comprehensive supplier of ceramic materials, equipment and tools. The firm states it has over 90 years of experience and describes itself on its own website as the UK's leading ceramics supplier.

Clay catalogue

The clay section organises the catalogue by type and by colour. Among the available categories are air-dry clays, buff clays, stoneware and porcelain clays, professional red clays, specialist clays, clays for gas and wood reduction firing, coloured clays, crank and raku, economy terracotta, paper clay, St Thomas clays, china clay powder, clay body additions and plastic clays. The colour classification includes white, black, blue, brown, green and red clays, as well as grogs and slips.

Glazes and finishing products

The glaze catalogue is divided into ready-mixed glazes, colours, pencils and crayons, and powdered glazes, colours and frits. The range can be browsed by firing temperature, by colour and by brand. Among the brands distributed are AMACO, Botz, Cerco, Colorobbia, Duncan, Laguna, Mayco, Penguin Pottery, Ritual Glazes by Mayco and Spectrum, with specific references such as AMACO Potters Choice glazes, Velvet Underglazes, Mayco Stoneware, Spectrum Raku or Penguin Pottery's glow-in-the-dark glazes. Potclays also sells its own lines: Potclays Artistic Glazes, Potclays Earthenware Glazes, Potclays Glazes for Porcelain, Potclays Reactive & Low Stoneware Glazes, Potclays Stoneware Glazes 1230-1300c, Potclays Transparent Glazes and Potclays White Opaque Glazes, as well as powdered glazes and engobes.

Kilns, machinery and workshop equipment

The company supplies kilns and their accessories, including front-loading and top-loading electric kilns, gas kilns, industrial kilns, kilns from the brands Kilncare Ikon, L&L, Potclays, Rohde and Silver models, as well as electrical and non-electrical spares, elements, thermocouples, temperature controllers, pyrometric cones, insulation, kiln furniture and extraction and ventilation systems. In machinery and equipment there are mixers, extruders, jar mills, potters wheels, pugmills, reversible lathe, sedimentation tanks, slabrollers, slip and glaze preparation equipment, spray equipment, storage and furniture, accessories and wheelbats.

Moulds, raw materials and tools

The catalogue includes moulds and bisque, with imported and Mayco bisque, as well as raw materials and oxides, basic materials, clay body additions, media and oxides. The tools and accessories section brings together brands such as Buschkraft, Kemper Tools, Tortuga Tools, GR Pottery Forms, Mayco, Garrity Tools, MKM Tools, Mudtools, Relyef Tools, Shimpo and Xiem Tools, along with modelling tools, clay wires and cutters, dipping tongs, palettes, sponges, brushes, sieves, scales, starter kits and personal protective equipment such as aprons and masks.

Training, new arrivals and commercial activity

The site offers resources to learn pottery and ceramics techniques, as well as new arrivals and offers sections. Among the announced new arrivals are additions from Bristol Broomworks Brushes, Sculpt & Send, Small Ceramics, Tortuga Tools, Buschkraft, BTH Potters Wheels, Durston Pottery, Garrity Tools, Walking Apron, AMACO, Ceramind, Mayco, MKM, Mudtools and Scruffy Little Herbert. The company also highlights award-winning training and an internationally recognised reputation for quality, and handles enquiries through its sales email.