New Cycle in Tile Industry: Industry Chain Reshaping and Value Innovation Drive Growth

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Amidst the restructuring of the global landscape and China’s economic transformation, the tile industry is entering a new development cycle. According to the latest industry statistics, national ceramic tile production reached 8.5 billion square meters in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 4.5%, with total industry profits growing by 8.2%, marking a crucial turning point in the industry’s shift from scale expansion to quality and efficiency-oriented development. In this wave of change, three core drivers are propelling industry advancement: industry chain value reshaping, process technology innovation, and market channel transformation.

I. Deep Industry Chain Integration and Value Restructuring

The tile industry is undergoing a profound transformation from single-product manufacturing to integrated industry chain services. On the upstream raw material supply side, breakthrough progress has been made in R&D of new functional raw materials. The newly developed “porous structure ceramic raw material,” through special foaming processes, achieves a 35% reduction in raw material density while maintaining excellent thermal stability and mechanical properties. Intelligent raw material proportioning systems are now widely applied; utilizing big data analysis and machine learning algorithms, they can automatically optimize raw material ratios based on product performance requirements, increasing product qualification rates to 99.8%.

In the manufacturing segment, a collaborative innovation model across the entire industry chain is taking shape. Equipment manufacturers, material suppliers, and ceramic producers have established tight innovation alliances, jointly developing multiple breakthrough technologies. Most notably, the “continuous intelligent production line,” through modular design and intelligent control, achieves full-process automation from raw material processing to finished product packaging, increasing production efficiency by 45% and reducing energy consumption by 30% compared to traditional production lines.

II. Technological Innovation Drives Industry Upgrading

Process technology innovation is driving industry upgrading at an unprecedented pace. In surface treatment technology, the newly developed “multi-dimensional forming technology” breaks through traditional process limitations. Through precisely controlled micro-nano structure design, it achieves a leap from two-dimensional flat surfaces to three-dimensional structures on tile surfaces. This technology not only gives products unique artistic expression but also significantly enhances slip resistance and durability.

Systematic breakthroughs have been made in green manufacturing technology. The “circular economy production system” pioneered by the industry achieves 100% water resource recycling and 95% solid waste resource utilization. Innovative “low-temperature fast-firing technology” reduces firing temperatures from the traditional 1200°C to 950°C, shortens firing time by 40%, and lowers energy consumption by 35%. Concurrently, a carbon neutrality technology roadmap has been officially released, with the industry planning to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

III. Market Structure and Consumption Transformation

Consumer markets are undergoing profound change. According to the latest consumer research data, demand for high-end customized products is growing rapidly, with the market share of personalized custom tiles reaching 42%, an 18% year-on-year increase. Consumer attention to product health attributes has significantly increased, with sales of products featuring antibacterial, mold-resistant, and air-purifying functions growing 55% year-on-year.

Channel innovation has become a new growth engine. The deeply integrated online-offline “new retail model” is developing rapidly, with digital store coverage reaching 75%. The “virtual installation system” using augmented reality technology allows consumers to visually experience product effects before purchase, increasing customer conversion rates by 30%. Boundaries between the project market and retail market are gradually blurring, with integrated solution service models becoming increasingly mature.

IV. Globalization and Standards Leadership

The international market competitive landscape is being reshaped. In 2024, China’s exports of high-end tile products increased by 40% year-on-year, with exports of intelligent manufacturing equipment growing particularly significantly by 50%. In standards development, the industry-led “Architectural Ceramics Intelligent Manufacturing Standard System” has gained international recognition, providing a Chinese solution for the global ceramic industry’s intelligent transformation.

Emerging markets have become important growth poles. With the deepening implementation of the “Belt and Road” initiative, intelligent production bases built overseas by Chinese ceramic enterprises have successively commenced operations, significantly enhancing local production capacity. In regions like Southeast Asia and the Middle East, the market recognition of Chinese ceramic brands has greatly improved, with market share increasing by an average of 15 percentage points.

V. Sustainable Development and Future Outlook

Technological innovation will continue to deepen. By 2027, industry R&D investment is expected to grow to 3.5% of main business revenue, focusing on cutting-edge areas including smart materials, low-carbon technologies, and digital design. The industrial ecosystem will further optimize, forming a more complete innovation ecosystem through collaborative industry chain innovation.

Green development will become the industry’s main theme. According to industry plans, by 2025, clean energy usage will reach 65%, with energy consumption per unit product decreasing by 25% compared to 2020. Circular economy models will be fully promoted, with comprehensive resource utilization rates reaching over 90%.

Global development will reach a new level. China’s tile industry will accelerate its “going global” pace, occupying a more important position in the global value chain through technology export, standards export, and brand export. By 2030, China is expected to become a global center for ceramic industry technological innovation and high-end manufacturing.

In this new development cycle, the tile industry is steadily advancing toward high-quality development goals with innovation as the engine, green development as the foundation, and internationalization as the direction. Through continuous technological innovation, business model innovation, and conceptual innovation, the industry will make new and greater contributions to the transformation and upgrading of Chinese manufacturing and the development of the global ceramic industry.