THE TOP CERAMIC TILE MANUFACTURER IN VOLUME & VALUE 2009

On the following document and continuing with the line that we draft yesterday, we are publishing the results of our survey of the largest world ceramic groups, a survey that after just three years has become an eagerly-awaited appointment
for all players in the sector (companies, institutes, funds and opinion makers) who make regular use of the data.
To further improve the survey, this year we are presenting the results for 2009 with rankings according to two different criteria.
Along with the ranking by production output - which continues to be the only suitable criterion for making an objective comparison between companies that differ enormously in terms of size, geographical location and product
quality - we have added a ranking by value. The following are a few points to facilitate interpretation of the tables.
For groups operating in a number of different areas of the ceramic industry, the published turnover data refer to the group turnover and therefore include revenues generated not just from the production and sale of tiles but also from
activities in other segments such as sanitaryware, tableware, bathroom furnishing and raw materials, or even direct distribution (as indicated in the column for sectors of activity).
For the sake of uniformity we have excluded shares of turnover generated by other group businesses. For this reason the ranking by value does not allow a direct
comparison to be made between companies with a number of business activities and companies that operate solely in the tile segment.
For the same reason, the two rankings are not intended to provide a direct comparison between volumes and values (and even less to obtain estimates of average selling prices for each group), but to offer the most comprehensive
overall picture possible of the various players in the global arena.
The two rankings naturally include different companies: the top 25 producers by volume are not necessarily the top 25 by value.

RAK, Ceramica Cleopatra and Marazzi Group feature amongst
the top five groups in both rankings, albeit in different positions
by volume and value. The rest of the rankings are much more heterogeneous.
The Chinese companies are not included in the rankings as they
provide only figures for production capacity, although the top
10 are listed in a separate table. Asia accounts for the largest
volumes.
In 2009 the ranking by volume of the largest groups, which together
account for around 15-20% of world production, maintained a
more or less uniform distribution in all continents. In other words, the
ranking for the largest groups faithfully reflects the geographical
location of world ceramic tile production.
The biggest manufacturing presence is in Asia, where 9 of the 25 ranked groups are located.
The Asian producers are also the ones that have been less affected by the fall in production triggered by the international crisis. Europe (including Turkey) is in second place with 8 groups, followed by the Americas with 6 and Africa
with 2 groups. The common factor shared by the groups topping the ranking of world production is internationalisation of production given that the majority have factories located in more than one country.
Italy dominates in terms of value This year’s new feature is the ranking based on turnover generated by the largest world groups.
This classification reveals a very different geographical distribution
to that obtained from the ranking by volume. The groups that generate the biggest turnovers are mainly located in Europe or in any case in mature market where
consumers are more inclined to purchase products with greater added value.
Italian companies dominate the ranking and form the largest national group.
These companies operate almost exclusively in the field of tile production and in spite of having outputs of below 24 million sq.m/year nonetheless generate turnovers that reflect average selling prices - and therefore product quality
- well above those of many foreign competitors. The ranking is topped by the Roca Group (although the majority of its consolidated turnover is in the sanitaryware
segment).
Only three Asian groups feature in the ranking. The ranking does not include groups for which 2009 turnovers are not yet available. To provide as comprehensive a
picture as possible, below the table we have provided the 2008 turnover figures for groups that would in any case have ranked amongst the top 25 world groups in terms of
value.

THE TOP CERAMIC TILE MANUFACTURER IN VOLUME 2009

In the present document we attach the top 20 manufacturers of ceramic tiles during 2009, that's the original and complete list where you can find the name of the company, the volume produced and the potential production capacity.

As you can see the European companies are leaving their position to new growing up countries as UAE, Egypt or Indonesia and Thailand. In this list we can see the power of Mid Orient in the production of ceramic tiles.

Following days we're going to share with all of you the same list for the most important producers in value, where European companies still have the power, even we can see one Spanish company in top 3, Porcelanosa...

Ceramic World Review unveils the rankings of the world’s largest ceramic tile and sanitaryware producers

Rak group, headquartered in the United Arab Emirates and with branches in numerous countries including Italy, tops the 2009 ranking of the largest world tile producing groups in terms of output volumes at 115 million square metres. Next come the Thai group Siam Cement Group (108 million sq.m), known by the brand name Cotto, and the Egypt-based Ceramica Cleopatra Group (99 million sq.m) which also has a branch in Bologna.
Marazzi Group takes fourth position with 90 million sq.m. The ranking also includes the Concorde Group with an annual production capacity of 50 million sq.m and the Iris Group with an output last year of 37.5 million sq.m.

The ranking for the largest groups faithfully reflects the geographical location of world ceramic tile production, with Asian concerns making up the largest group closely followed by European and American producers.

The ranking based on turnover is very different. The majority of players are European, with Italian companies making up the largest national group (8 out of 24). Marazzi Group is in second position with 801 million euro, surpassed only by the Spanish group Roca, which however generates a significant share of its turnover through the sale of ceramic sanitaryware. The ranking also includes Panaria Group, Cooperativa Ceramica d'Imola, Casalgrande Padana, Florim, Ceramiche Ricchetti, Granitifiandre and Emilceramica. And although the 2009 figures for Concorde Group and Iris Group had not yet been released when the magazine went to press, these two are certainly amongst the top 25 world groups.

By contrast, Italy has only a small presence in the ranking of world groups in the ceramic sanitaryware sector, where the market is controlled by large multinationals headed by the Spanish group Roca, which last year produced 30.5 million pieces. Next come Ideal Standard and the American company Kohler with around 21 million pieces. In 2009 Italian sanitaryware production topped 5.2 million pieces, mainly manufactured in the Civita Castellana district in the province of Viterbo

Ceramic World Review unveils the rankings of the world’s largest ceramic tile and sanitaryware producers

Ceramic World Review unveils the rankings of the world’s largest ceramic tile and sanitaryware producers

RAK CERAMICS world's largest ceramic tile manufacturer 2009

UAE. RAK Ceramics has announced that it has been officially recognised as the world's largest ceramic tile manufacturer by the Ceramic World Review, the best known and most widely circulated international magazine devoted to ceramic tile and sanitaryware production technologies.
RAK Ceramics dominated the rankings of the top 25 ceramic tile manufacturers in 2009 with a total production output of 115 million square metres from 15 manufacturing facilities located in six countries.
RAK Ceramics further revealed that it remains in a strong position to boost its current production capacity of 117 million square metres as expansion programs are underway to cater to new markets in different parts of the world.
In 2008, RAK Ceramics was ranked in fourth position with a production output of 106 million square metres and through its well-executed, long-term strategic plans, RAK Ceramics has expanded and increased its production facility even during the current economic slowdown.
Dr. Khater Massaad, CEO, RAK Ceramics, said: "Being recognised as the biggest tile manufacturer in the world underlines RAK Ceramics' unmatched ability to consistently satisfy the demands of customers in terms of product quality and quantity.
These distinctions from the Ceramic World Review likewise validate the success of our strategy to target and strengthen our presence in high-growth markets around the world, cementing RAK Ceramics' status as a premier global brand and the number one choice for all types of ceramic tiling requirements."
"The Ceramic World Review has noted that the internationalisation of production has been a common trend among companies that have figured prominently on the list. In this regard, we remain strongly committed to pursue aggressive expansion programs in new international markets and maintain our status as the undisputed global leader in the ceramic tile industry," added Dr. Massaad.
RAK Ceramics produces ceramic tiles, sanitary ware and tableware through its worldwide production and distribution facilities which collectively employ a workforce of 15,000 people. RAK Ceramics pointed out that the establishment of production plants in different countries has been a key factor in the company's highly successful globally focused marketing strategy, wherein up to 74 per cent of products are exported to over 150 countries.
RAK Ceramics is a US$1 billion global conglomerate in the ceramic industry, offering a product portfolio comprising over 8,000 designs in ceramic tiles, Gres Porcellanato, and several models in sanitaryware.
The company continues to be a global pioneer in the world of ceramics through innovative products such as the RAK SLIM, a new brand of 4.5-millimetre thick tile that sets new industry benchmarks in thickness, strength, cost and ease of use.