The ceramic tile market in Europe Europe - EUF

The ceramic tile market
in Europe
Graziano Sezzi
September 30 th

Let’s Let s start with some charts
• In 1990 Europe (27 countries) represented with
sqm sqm. 902 millions 42 42,22% 22% of world production
• In 2008 Europe (27 countries) represented with
p ( ) p
sqm. 1.467 millions 17,22% of world production

• This figures testify the success of ceramic
tiles as a product p
I th t 20 ll th ld
• In the past 20 years all over the world
there was a boom in the production and
consumption of ceramic tiles

• China today is the major world producer of
ceramic tiles with more than sqm. q 3.000
millions…….
but with more than 1.3 million people
China has to be and is the major producer
of all sort of goods

• This is the ranking of ceramic tile producer in
Europe
• Italy y and Spain p are at the top p
• If we add to the production made in Italy the
production of Italian companies with plants
abroad b d we add dd sqm. 130 millions illi ffor a ttotal t l of f
sqm. 630 millions
• Italy is the second manufacturer in the world

• In Europe globally speaking we can say that
the production is mostly in the southern
countries and the consumption is spread over
all the countries.
• Despite not perfect, the European market is
really a unique market
• In the range of Km. 1.000 - 1.500 there is no
difference ff in buying ceramic tiles in different ff
countries
• European exports are higher than imports

Wh What’s t’ th the situation it ti today? t d ?
• In 2008 Europe lost 8% of the production
and 8,1% of the consumption
• In 2009 according to the estimates Europe
iis going i tto lloose 20% more

• In Italy in the first 6 months of 2009 home consumption
decreased by 18%, export by 25%.
• In the second part of the year Italy should maintain these
figures…….. may there will be a small improvement
because last part of 2008 wasn’t wasn t good
• Spain’ Spain figures are worse
_______________________________________________________
European production and consumption
2008 2009*
Production sqm 1.467 sqm. 1.150 - 21,6%
Consumption sqm 1.238 sqm 990 - 20,0%
_______________________________________________________
* estimates

Everybody y y knows this
situation…
• The only thing we can do is waiting for the recovery and
being ready for the recovery
• Because there will certainly be a recovery
• Somebody says we have already entered the recovery…
• Somebody says that it will happen in 2010…
• The only thing we can do is being sure that there will be
a recovery

Which recovery?
• In some years we could reach the
previous p levels of consumption p ( (let’s say y
sqm. 1.500 - 1.600 millions)…
but we have to consider that besides the
quantity the focus will be more and more
on the quality of the product

Europe is an overbuilt area
• We cannot expect a big increase in new
buildings g
• WWe can expect t an increase i in i the th quality lit
of buildings
both in the residential and non
…..both in the residential and non
residential areas

Is ceramic tile production set for
pro providing iding more quality? q alit ?
Absolutely yes!!!

• Ceramic tiles can have better technical
and d aesthetical th ti l qualities liti th than any other th
floor and wall material
• It’ It’s easy tto check h k thi this walking lki iinside id th the
fair
• Each of you is a better judge than
• Each of you is a better judge than
everybody else

• But ceramic tiles are 50% of the job job…
…the other 50% is installation
Your position will became more and more
• Your position will became more and more
important

Where is the production going?
• Also in this case it’s enough g to walk inside
the fair
… but there are some strong trends
Let’s try to identify some of them

• Larger sizes cm 1.20x1.20 is normally on the market
Today cm. 60x60 is a medium size
• Thi Thin tiles til mm. 3 - mm. 45 4.5
• Rectified sides and thin joints: j continuous surface
• Small sizes (mosaic is a consolidated niche market no matter
which is the material (ceramic tiles, tiles glass, glass stone stone, steel etc)
• Less minimalism and ……more colours, more decoration
• Reproduction of other materials: wood, stones, textiles,
steel…

Let’s Let s conclude
• There are no limits to what can be done with ceramic
tiles … colour, sizes, technical and aesthetical
performances etc...
• No other material can stand with ceramic tiles
• Every year ceramic tiles can improve and introduce on
the market new patterns
• Ceramic tiles can reproduce any other sort of floor and
wall material with higher technical characteristics
• It is not true the opposite

For these reasons
and many others
We are sure that ceramic tiles
will have a strong market in the next
decades