Mannington’s newest porcelain offering, Tempest.

By Louis Iannaco
The upsurge in the popularity of porcelain tile has been one of flooring’s major developments in recent years. Until just a few years ago, many tile producers did not even include porcelain as part of their product mix but now offer it in ever-growing proportions. Some factories have switched totally to porcelain production, while others have made it, at the very least, a significant part of their businesses.

Some of the reasons for this upswing have to do with porcelain’s style and versatility as well as perception. Many believe there is a certain prestige that goes along with having a porcelain floor in their homes, and marketing of the product certainly has played a key role in this belief.

Zack Zehner, director of porcelain tile business, Mannington Mills, said when the company decided to re-enter the tile category in 2003, it researched the marketplace to determine what products customers were looking for. “We learned that porcelain was being requested by name. As a result, we decided to make the entire line 100% porcelain.”

He added that research attributes porcelain’s recent swell in popularity to a number of factors, including: style and design, versatility, durability and quality, and prestige.”

Massimo Ballucchi, director of marketing and product development for Vitromex USA, said porcelain has proved to be a technically and aesthetically superior product. “Our industry has told the porcelain upgrade story and consumers as well as the home design media have embraced it. There has been a surge of articles on porcelain flooring in the home remodeling magazines and Web sites. Consumers use them to make the best decision to meet their needs.”

Jim Dougherty, vice president of sales and marketing for Florim, said the market has definitely evolved to porcelain. “Long the choice for commercial installations, porcelain is now extremely prevalent residentially. In part, the rise of true porcelain ceramic bodies is a matter of marketing.  And, because a true porcelain body offers inherent performance advantages, manufacturers have focused on the strong selling message of porcelain’s moisture- and stain-proof properties.
 
“Gradually,” he explained, “competition in the category grew. As more porcelain products came on the market, consumer awareness also grew.  Over the course of the last six years, consumers’ increasingly savvy in product knowledge have come to actually request/ prefer porcelain body tile.”

In tandem, Dougherty added, porcelain production became a matter of efficiency as well. “By producing only one body type, manufacturers can maximize resources. The focus on porcelain allows for efficient purchase of raw materials and equipment, as well as maintenance on that equipment, investment in technology and efforts in product development, testing and design. We began porcelain production at our Clarksville, Tenn., plant in 2000, and converted to all porcelain production in 2004.”

With its applications spreading, porcelain’s growth has made even larger strides. No longer is it just thought of as a commercial product, or something that just goes in bathrooms. “It is truly everywhere,” Dougherty said. “Tile consumption is on the grow as it becomes the flooring of choice not only for baths and kitchens but for living areas, entry ways and exteriors where climate allows.”

Bill Perkins, marketing and territory development manager, TransCeramica for Graniti Fiandre, said porcelain floor and wall tile was originally developed for extreme commercial applications, demanding a higher breaking strength and chemical resistance than traditional ceramics. “While this is still an important segment of the business, porcelain technology now delivers advanced aesthetic solutions for designers and architects.

Zehner believes with the increase in size and style options—small mesh-mounted mosaics, modular and large-format field tiles, for example—porcelain has become more versatile. “It’s being used in an expanded capacity in both residential and commercial applications.”

While most jobs continue to be traditional tile applications—bathrooms, kitchens, backsplashes—due to porcelain’s richer aesthetics, “It has crossed to living areas, entry ways, mud rooms and more,” Ballucchi said. “One more installation trend is putting it outside, connecting the house to the outdoors.”

According to Lori Kirk-Rolley, marketing director for Dal-Tile, because porcelain performs well in both freezing and non-freezing climates, “It is being used more and more in exterior applications. Whether on patios or on pool decks, porcelain tiles that have a textured, unpolished surface are a good choice for exteriors. Most can also be used as pool linings.” With the technological advances that have been made in the tile category over the last several years, and to porcelain specifically, what does the future hold? The executives FCNews spoke to don’t see interest slowing anytime soon. “The future of technical porcelains is not only bright, but the industry is seen as a leader in providing advanced architectural solutions,” Perkins said. “The key to continued growth is this industry’s willingness to listen to the customer.

“GranitiFiandre customers demand cutting-edge performance and inventive design direction. In satisfying that requirement, we see an exponential change in technology that will continue to deliver environmentally friendly materials designed for longevity and human comforts that were unimaginable just 10 years ago.”

The future of porcelain is strong, Dougherty noted. “With advanced technology and manufacturing capabilities, product designs are getting better and better, as is product quality. We’re creating products for our Esquire and AFI brands that are incredibly detailed and beautiful. We’re enhancing our range of colors, offering more modular sizes with capability to make up to 24-inch tiles, and we’re working closely with our Italian product development team to bring cutting-edge designs to the U.S.”

Ballucchi believes the market will see more through-body porcelain lines and different sizes—rectangular and larger tile. “The most change will come from the aesthetic applications on porcelain body, making products look more like natural stones. This will help the industry differentiate porcelain versus red body.”

Mannington’s Zehner is also optimistic about porcelain’s future. “As indicated by our focus on porcelain, we believe the category will continue to gain market share. Each year we push the envelope on technology, and that allows us to create new, original and innovative looks. We’re currently working on some fantastic products for early 2008 that will use a unique combination of technologies to demonstrate realism as it’s never been seen before. Stay tuned!”