Ceramic World Review unveils the rankings of the world's largest ceramic tile and sanitaryware producers (2009)

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.

Read the full article published on Ceramic World Review 87/2010