Jinliangxing Brick Factory

As the city planning and population become more focus to the urban area, buildings are exploited on its potential in height. However, the frequent earthquake in Taiwan urged the need of more persistent building material: rebar replaces wooden stake and concrete is substituted for brick. These changes resulted in the closing of traditional building material factory, some of them were even simply abandoned among village. Brick was a building material introduced by Netherlands in its governing period over Taiwan. The manufacturing was further progressed by Japanese modern techniques of mechanical cutting and quickened kilning. The progression of the industry speeded up the development of city and industry, resulting in nearly a thousand brick factories all over Taiwan in its most flourishing period. For now, less than 45 factories still maintain operative.

Same as the paper manufacturing industry at Puli, Nantou, when quality of product no longer rival with the market shrinkage, tourism seems to be a feasible way out. Jinliangxing Brick Factory near coast of Miaoli opens their gate to public, allowing sightseers to observe their manufacturing in a close distance: Gathering raw material, stirring, squeezing, drying in the shade, kilning, packaging and delivery. Unlike many factories providing boring sightseeing experience, which only allow visitors see the process behind the window, visitors here could freely go to almost every part of the factory. Upon entering the factory, you could see piles of red brick being stacked neatly, waiting for trucks come and deliver. The black semi-manufactures are placed aside as well. Staff of the factory would come over to inspect the quality and toss away the faulty. The ground is full of powder by collision of red bricks, so it is recommended to ask the staff for a face mask and avoid wearing new shoes to here. You might go deeper in the factory to see the hot kiln or go up stair to overlook the whole site from height. At the end of the factory are tools of cutting and squeezing and operating excavator. Throughout the visit, no interpreter would show up, not a single information board is set and no staff would come to limit visitors’ movement, the whole scenario is just like a realistic and amazing experience as owners patrolling their property.

If you are coming with your children and the manufacturing process does not interest them very much, you could use the entry ticket as coupon to do some brick craving and build small house with tiny bricks.