Focus countries
FOCUS BRAZIL
We give the floor to Prime company
Buschinelli Ferri - De Oliveira | Villagres | Brazil
Fernando Secco | Lorenzetti S.A. | Brazil
Joao Gomes de Andrade Neto | Obi Revestimentos | Brazil
Dalton Ricardo Vieira Nin | Lorenzetti S.A. | Brazil
Anil Agarwal, chief operating officer of Orient Bell Ltd
Among the players attending the 2023 edition of Indian Ceramics Asia, the annual event for the ceramic and brick industry held in mid-February in Gandhinagar, there was Anil Agarwal, chief operating officer of Orient Bell Ltd.
The company, a market leader in India in the production of ceramic tiles, has been in business for more than 50 years. Headquartered in the heart of the country, in New Delhi, it is a company that offers customers products characterized by high quality and durability.
At a trade show attended by some 250 brands from around the world, we spoke with Anil Agarwal about critical issues, markets, the future, and Tecna.
- What are the biggest challenges facing the Indian ceramic market?
"One of today's problems," he explained, "is definitely rising production costs and the scarcity of raw materials. Ceramics, as well as all world industries, are machines in constant motion, driven by markets that are always moving forward without looking historical moments in the face. The pandemic first and the energy crisis later are definitely an obstacle that cannot be contained, but must be overcome over time by continuing to work to produce better and better products and innovating as much as possible. Research is an infinite field, and all of us producers need to focus much of our energy toward this goal. The big challenge of energy and raw material supply is everyone's story, not just India's ceramic companies. Anyway, on our side, the outlook remains optimistic: the Indian market is growing, we remain one of the world's largest producers, and exports are steadily rising."
- Tecna is one of the most important events for the ceramic market. What are your thoughts on this important technology hub?
"Tecna is undoubtedly a very important event. To prove this, just think that all innovations are first presented at this fair, so it is definitely an extremely important event for our industry. It is a time that, on a biennial basis, brings together all the major manufacturers and experts; thus turning into a diverse reality that synthesizes the major trends of the moment in various parts of the world. My country, India, at the last edition of Tecna was third among the top ten visiting countries, a sign of the event's strong focus and primary relevance to our market."
We give the floor to the buyers of Tecna 2022: