Ceramic Sanitary Ware Global Industry Analysis, Trends and Future

Development of the global economy and improved status of living has been a major contributor to the growth in demand of ceramic sanitary wares. The upsurge in real estate developments across the globe has enhanced this demand.

Additional micro factors enhancing the demand pull of ceramics is lower energy costs and labor costs, which make production easier and manageable. Changing preferences among consumers towards luxury products of higher value has also caused a significant shift in the demand curve. Luxury ceramic hygienic wares include spas, shower systems, bigger sized baths and saunas.

According to research, the Asian continent and pacific regions are global leaders in production due to lower production costs and a high number of small to medium scale manufacturers. Likewise, these regions have the greatest demand for the products followed by Europe and the Americas.

Segmentation of the market

Certain elements of manufacturing and usage have led to segmentation of the market these are classified as;

  • Manufacturing technology; here there are two important techniques and these are slip castings and those done by pressure casting. The slip casted products have greater market share as compared to pressure castings.
  • Type of products; these include under and over counter wash basins, wall mounted, semi counter, and pedestal types.
  • Closets ; Water Closets are the high and low level types as well as the closed systems
  • Bidets; the over-rim and rim type bidets.

Certain geographical regions have preference for particular designs of these products, which has resulted to this kind of segmentation.

Future of Ceramics

Innovative Designs are Important Demand Drivers

The changing shifts in lifestyles especially in the United States market has led to development of casual lifestyles creating a shift from traditional shapes and colors to more customized designs. The development of platinum and gold colors for decorations in up market sectors have created a new demand that was not previously there. Similarly, pastel and citrus decorations have greatly boosted the dinnerware market segment.

Future of ceramics

There is great expectation that the market for the ceramic wares will continue to grow in leaps and bounds. The Asia- pacific region is expected to retain its dominance in the market for the next 3 years. From a production of over 325 million units in the year 2014, the production is expected to hit 445 million units by the close of the year 2016. Production reports indicate that the Asian market share could increase by up to 52% with that of Europe following at 18 % market share.

The Asian continent is also expected to maintain its dominance in production volume due to continued innovation in the regional powerhouses like India and Thailand.

Emerging Markets

The developing nations are also important emerging markets such as the construction boom in Brazil, rapid development in china and the real estate markets in some African nations. In the Americas the market is almost mature and the largest number of sales come from the renovations and redesigning.

New designs of ceramic sanitary ware brands have also emerged from the top producers to create variety and better aesthetic appeals for the user. The future of this industry is therefore great and promising as more and more innovations keep developing.