The current Internet celebrity product in the ceramic industry is undoubtedly slate. Whether it is product traffic output or appearance, slate has the conditions to become an Internet celebrity in the ceramic industry.
Ceramic tiles, which have always been "trampled on the soles of feet" in the world's impression, also rely on slate to usher in an image reversal: not only can it appear in the kitchen under the hall, but it has also become a dining table, coffee table, countertop, decorative panel and other large items. Exquisite objects in Yazhitang.
From slate dining tables, slate coffee tables, slate bathroom cabinets, slate countertops, to overall cabinets, wardrobe slate decorative panels, etc., slate products such as these in the furniture market have covered other materials of the same category. More than half.
Compared with quartz stone, natural stone, wood, metal, etc., rock slabs have relatively better physical and chemical properties, higher cost performance, richer and more realistic patterns, and are closer to natural marble, wood, fabric, etc. Texture, touch, and features such as easy cleaning, corrosion resistance, high temperature resistance, high strength, high wear resistance, resistance to cold and heat, no radiation, and direct contact with food, make slate quickly take the lead in multi-dimensional competition.
So once slate came out, it defeated the traditional concept of furniture materials, quickly won a place in the field of home materials, and even occupied "half of the country" in the countertop market.
In addition to bringing new profit growth points and momentum to the ceramic industry, in the traditional furniture market, as well as in the field of decoration and high-end customization, the share and growth rate of slate have also exceeded people's imagination. , in the future, after the slate gradually breaks through the limitations of size, processing, transportation, installation, etc., the use space and market prospects of the slate will be broader. In the future ceramic market, a "two-legged" pattern of ceramic tiles and slate has been formed, which is also the reason for the ceramic industry The reason why manufacturers are launching slates one after another.
With the continuous investment in rock slab production lines and the sharp increase in rock slab production capacity, it is only a matter of time before the rock slab market becomes overproduced and oversupply exceeds demand.
The future of rock slab products will continue to be involution and segmentation, and the market will force rock slabs to form more scientific and fair product standards and application specifications, such as furniture rock slabs and furniture rock slabs. Standards, decorative slates have standards for decorative slates, and functional slates have standards for functional slates.
The slate mentioned above is basically used in the field of furniture materials. In addition, what other applications are there for slate? The answer is of course the traditional home decoration and public decoration markets, or the ceramic tile decoration field at this stage.
The most common products for ceramic tile decoration are medium and large sizes such as 800×800mm, 600×1200mm and 750×1500mm.Specifications, for finely decorated rooms and ordinary public decoration occasions, they are still small and medium-sized specifications such as 800×800mm, 600×600mm and 300×600mm, which are mainly limited by their own budgets and marketing routines.
Currently, owners are increasingly demanding tile specifications for improved housing, as well as decoration of large flat floors, large apartments and large commercial places. On the one hand, large specifications are more natural and atmospheric, more suitable for the aura of large spaces, and are also more It can highlight the identity value of a house or place of use.
On the other hand, the prices of large-sized products are gradually becoming more accessible to the people, and there is no longer such a huge price gap as in the past. These traditional ceramic tiles are used in scenarios such as living rooms, lobby floors, background walls, wainscoting, etc.
The conversion from ceramic tiles to rock slabs is basically seamless. For example, with the same specifications of 900×1800mm, 1200×2400mm, 800×2600mm, etc., rock slabs can completely replace ceramic tiles or stone. Of course, the budget for this part still needs to be Much higher than ceramic tiles. After all, the quality and cost of rock slabs are still much higher than ceramic tiles, but they are still much cheaper than stone, and there are more options to choose from.
After solving the problems of processing, logistics and landing services of slate products, the cost of slate at the terminal will definitely become more and more affordable. Many occasions where tiles or even stone were originally laid may gradually use slate. Therefore, the ceramic tile decoration market is currently the fastest and most convenient way out for rock slabs.
The sales channels of slate are different from traditional ceramic tile sales. In the early days, they were mainly furniture factories, stone factories, processing plants, stone dealers, etc. Now the sales channels of slate have gradually expanded to include ceramic dealers and terminal stores. and engineering systems.
In the early days, slate was mainly sold as stone or marble, and it is true that slate is similar to stone in terms of form, function, packaging, processing, transportation, construction and other aspects.
Due to product characteristics, stone or marble generally does not take the form of specialty stores or brand distribution. In the early years, the stone industry studied the brand operation and terminal sales model of the ceramic industry. Unexpectedly, the ceramic industry is also reacting now. Come and learn the operation and sales model of stone.
So it doesn’t matter which sales channel, which operation and sales model, what matters is to be able to sell the product and promote the product in the market.
Looking to the next few years, the competition in the slate market is destined to become more intense. From the perspective of manufacturers, how to solve the contradiction between differentiation and inventory, quality and cost, brand and terminal, etc., is crucial. .
And from eliminationFrom the perspective of consumers, these are good things. This will make the slate products more mature and the prices of slates more reasonable, allowing more consumers to use slates and experience high-quality ceramic products.
Author｜Shi Rongbo
Marketing Director of Xiejin Enterprise, senior ceramic product person
(Article reproduced from Ceramic Information)
