WHAT does a 1.8 tonne vehicle have to do with four mugs?

Nothing, unless you want to do a stunt to show how strong your new bone porcelain is.

Which was what happened yesterday when a Toyota Fortuna SUV was gingerly lowered on four Luzerne mugs.

And guess what? The four mugs held up the SUV - one on each wheel - without breaking.

Landex, a 30-year-old Singapore company, is the maker of Luzerne ware. It provides dishware for high-end restaurants and hotels such as Crystal Jade and Ritz Carlton.

New bone, developed by the Japanese over 30 years ago, is an improved version of bone china. It is made of clay, but unlike bone china, it contains no bone ash, which is made from animal remains.

Landex's factory in Fujian, China, was the first to attempt this stunt and the factory had suggested that Landex try the same in Singapore.

Mr Thing Chiew Lek, 49, the director of Landex, said: 'For them to ask us to try it too, it shows how confident they are about our new bone china.'

A heavier test

The Fuhian factory had used a small Honda car that weighed from 0.5 to 1 tonne for the trials.

Mr Lek said that Landex ran a trial run in Singapore last Friday, but with a heavier Toyota SUV. The experiment was a success since nothing broke.

Landex had sought the factory's advice and was told to check for stones in vehicle's wheels, for example, because factors like that could have a different impact on the rim of the mug and cause the mug to give way.

Mr Lek said: 'We are the first in the world to set a 1.8 tonne car onto four porcelain mugs. Don't forget that the four guys (in the SUV) brought it up to 2 tonnes!'

At the strength test yesterday, a Toyota Fortuna was lifted off the ground by four car jacks at each corner.

A mug made of new bone was then slipped under each wheel. Every mug had to sit on a square piece of cardboard to prevent the mug from sliding.

Once the mugs were in place, the car was lowered slowly. When it was deemed safe, the jacks were removed.

Landex employees erupted into cheers and applause at the sight. As if that was not surreal enough, four average-sized men then climbed into the car and brought the weight up to nearly 2 tonnes.

The mugs still held strong.

So what makes Luzerne's new bone so tough?

Mr Leck Tin Heng, managing director of Landex, said that unlike bone china, where the glaze is sprayed on the body, new bone is dipped into the glaze and absorbed into the body, making it hardier.

As for the stunt, Mr Lek said that Landex would like to attempt more in the future.

'We're thinking of trying the same thing, but with an object of a thinner frame and that looks more delicate, like an English teacup,' he said.

This article was first published in The New Paper on December 13, 2008.