Jordan chalks up business success from limestone riches - in pictures

Humble blackboard chalk has created a Jordanian business success story

A worker packages finished chalk into boxes at the Jordan Chalk company in Karak, around 120 kilometres (70 miles) south of the capital Amman on June 13, 2022. - Long before whiteboards, beamers and laptops entered modern school classrooms, teachers relied on the humble, dusty, sometimes screechy blackboard chalk -- a material that has created a Jordanian business success story. (Photo by Khalil MAZRAAWI / AFP)

The Jordan Chalk Manufacturing Company exports chalk for writing on blackboards to more than 100 countries.

The natural chalk is made into writing material at the company in Karak, 120 kilometres south of Amman.

The company was founded in 2002, with five workers.

Chemical engineer Salah Oqbi, pictured, came up with the idea for the company on a bus ride through the region, which has rich deposits of the soft white limestone.

The company now employs 150 workers.

It produces 10 billion pieces of dustless chalk a year.

The coloured chalk pieces are used for art and play around the world.

Workers put coloured chalk through a machine that makes them into the familiar sticks for writing on boards.

Chalk rods before they are cut to size.

Cutting the chalk.

Packaging the finished product.

Chalk ready to be sent around the world from Jordan.

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