Ceramic players expect biz of Rs 5,000 cr from four-day expo

Ceramic players expect new orders worth Rs 5,000 crore from the four-day Vibrant Ceramics Expo and Summit 2017 that began in Gandhinagar on Thursday. While growth in the domestic market is expected to be nominal, they expect a major surge in business from overseas. Players are exploring markets like Europe, North America, Australia and South East Asia, which have been mostly unpenetrated by Indian ceramic manufacturers.

"We expect orders worth Rs 5,000 crore, equivalent to about three months of work," Nilesh Jetpariya, President, Morbi Ceramics Association and Chairman of the expo told DNA. Close to 250 exhibitors will exhibit close to 400 brands to visitors from about 70 countries.

The ceramic industry is one of the fastest growing sector in India. Morbi alone has witnessed investment worth Rs 10,000 crore in the past 12 months and another Rs 5,000 crore is in the pipeline which would materialise in about six months. It is also betting high on the printed tiles sector.

"Globally there are only ten manufacturing units. Morbi alone will have 15 units in about a year," informed Jetparia. GST for the sector was recently rolled back to 18 per cent.

GROWING SECTOR

• Morbi is the ceramic hub of India with a turnover of about Rs 30,000 crore in 2016-17.
   
• Exports stood at around Rs 10,000 crore.
   
• Players expect the turnover to rise to about Rs 35,000 crore and exports to about Rs 15,000 crore this year.
   
• The ceramic industry is one of the fastest growing sector in India.