The 15th International Fair of Ceramics and Tile industry Fair (CERAFAIR 2006)

The 15th International Fair of Ceramics and Tile industry Fair (CERAFAIR 2006) was held from Aban 10th to 13th, 1385 in salon 8 to 15 in international fair of Tehran and over 140 internal and 23 external companies attended these.

Dr. Seyed Hamid Ghavam Shahidi the manager of board of director and general director of international share fairs in auguration ceremony noted that the number of attending companies in comparison to the past increased about 10%. he said holding fairs is as a means of interchanging of new products and services for extending export .
He added that the quality of tiles and ceramics produced in the country is suitable. At present the only problem in ceramics and tile industry is, identifying the market goals, because now the amount of export in company producing tile and ceramics isn’t very high.

He mentioned that for export of tile and ceramics, it’s needed to form export holdings.
He said: identifying new markets needs new techniques and methods, so it’s necessary that the producing companies by specific holdings increase their export plans.
He added submitting technical and engineering services about production and export of tiles and ceramics is very important. He said: participating in international scopes is only possible by increasing quality and quantity of the production. In free or competitive economy, those producers can compete that have exact schedule for production or export.
The general director of international share fairs pointed to non - oil export in the first six months of year and said: in the first six months of current year about 8 billion $ non - oil export we had in the country. He added the amount of export compared to the past increased about 50/8%.
He answered to the question of “how much export they had in 1384?”
In the last year they had about 10 - 12 million $ export of tile and ceramics that it’s so little vs 120 million square meters of tile and ceramics production.
Shahidi about the facilities of export said: government during a program by decreasing his incumbencies and supporting private sector, reforming rules, decreasing the rate of interest, presents and export bonus, have an expanding program for exporters. He said that in exporting the first rule is by companies. He emphasized that, among the industries that had a great investment on and had good return rate was tile and ceramics industry. He said the biggest threat on this industry is the increasing of tile and ceramics producers inside the country. The general director of mining and industry ministry answered the question of “why industry ministry doesn’t forbid the sequential letter of understanding”.
Recently, in mining and industry ministry, held a meeting for banning issuing the principal letter of understanding in this industry. But this ministry can’t forbid the investment of private sector.
He continued: we should have such program that private sector doesn’t have any aim to invest in this scope.
Mesforoush continued: however there are some negotiation and letter of understanding for making tile and ceramics factories. He pointed that, Iran in producing tile and ceramic is grade 10 in the world. He said: Iran has a big source of mining, energy and cheap potential workers.
At present, the average of Iranian tile and ceramics quality is satisfying. The only problem is saturation internal markets and exporting tiles and ceramics in low amount.
The general director of mining and industry ministry emphasized that joint venture is the best guideline for hunting export markets.
He said: innovation as well as increasing quality and quantity is possible through up-to-date technical information. Making joint investment give opportunity to producers.
Mesfroush affirmed that: all present, We don’t recommend the development of tiles and ceramics.
He said that, in the past year, about 125 million square meters tiles, ceramics and granites is produced. He added: making capacity for producing 350 million meters of tiles and ceramics.
The demand for this product in 1384 was ‘between’ 85 to 100 million square meters. So acculturation for increasing the consumption of tiles and ceramics use should be the first priority in production.
Attending in fairs and submitting information through media has good effect on increasing the consumption using of tile and ceramics.
He said about this matter that the tariff of tile and ceramics import kept up said: this industry needs support to inter into the world trade organization, so that 90% tariff of tiles and ceramics is the only way of competing with entering the cheap imported tiles.
He also said that: the duty of industry ministry is supporting the produces. But about quality control of entering and exiting goods or services, the customs is obliged to do every thing.
We hope that in the future years the Iranian tiles enter into world markets.
A Look at Iran ceramics conditions Iran tiles and ceramics industry offer about 46 years activity with the patterns of industrial mass production is in a sensitive situation because of policy making and environmental conditions.
The gap between supply and demand, on the other hand the production capacity and production amount from 10 million square meters in 1378 reached to 200 million square meters that is very outstanding .
The increase of Iran ceramics for production increase changed from 10% during 1372 to 1382 and the number of capacity increase in the past year compared to the last year reached to 80%. The capacity of tiles and ceramics production was about 176 million square meters that this figure in the current year was over 300 million square meters and it’s predicted that this number increases in the future.
In spite of the export jump in the past year and now, it’s not a safe guideline for activating 50% of installed capacities.
The amount of use according to 10 years average increased about 10% and it’s predicted that in the current year it reaches to 120 million square meters.
This number in 1384, was about 110 million square meters and it’s predicted that next year it will be 130 million square meters.
On the other hand, the pressure of official import is in creasing. The amount of import in 1380 was about 308000 square meters during 3 years by 12 time increase reached to 3/5 million square meters, It’s predicted that it will increase this year.
Although the ceramics industry expert believe that the partial advantages of Iran in this industry and variety of internal products is to some extern that import in current situation isn’t a serious danger for this industry. Two challenges of this industry are shortage of internal use and export.
The observed investigation by this industry experts show that some companies that entered the competition scope by supplying low quality and cheap products damaged the credit of Iran.
The best way for being successful are producing good product by using good material, good price, good plan and knowing the world markets.
There are some problems for example the price of tile in Iran, now is equal with export prices.
Once the interest was in high amount and no attention was given to full price.
Now, we are faced with full high prices in all units and on the other hand according to extra global production and low price of outmoded ceramics in foreign countries warehouse that put on sale with price of one quarter, the problems of export and sale will be more .
In other words according to full price of tile and ceramics in Spain and Italy that’s about 8/38 Euro and China that is 3/5 $ more than Iran we can be hopeful that by promoting the quality and variety of design and getting production, marketing knowledge and entering into global markets we can promote our export from 7% to 15%. Other point is that there’s no industrial export available in Iran and despite all attempts all organs, don’t have full coordination for supporting exporters and producers can’t observe the governing rules on world trade like price stability, on time delivery and…. These factors cause that the valuable markets can’t be owned by Iranian producers in long run.
It’s predicted that by balancing oil price, this industry disuse (doesn’t use) about 50 million square meters of tunnel furnace that have high fuel use. So this number should be declined from the official capacity in the future.
According to Iran’s partial advantages in this industry, besides Iran’s long precedent in traditional and industrial ceramics production, there are some prospects. In front of this industry and case of passing this critical level, Iran will be one of the centers of ceramics supplying for world market needs.
Dr. Jazaieri the expert of ceramics industry and one of the teachers of university about tiles and ceramics said that: one of the necessary points of high - quality production, there’s an interface between mucilage and ceramics producers that this interface doesn’t exist in Iran.
The basic disadvantage of Iran ceramics industry is not having new plan and idea, delivering special schools and making identity for Iranian tile.
He added: the necessary educational facilities and human force for getting these good and making new markets in other countries are enough in Iran. But unfortunately there is no movement for making enough relationship between producer and groups that have this ability. He added that many original designs like “Golabetoon”, “Toranj” … have the best potential in tile designing.