How is Orient Bell positioned in the current market for tiles amongst other strong brands?
Established in 1977, Orient Bell is, today, one of the largest manufacturers of ceramic and vitrified tiles as well as the first to manufacture ultra-vitrified tiles in India. It boasts exponential growth not only in market share but also in technological advancements. It has a successful market share of 6.0% (7th largest) within the organized tile market, marking an overall market share of 50%.
There is an increasing trend these days for large-sized tiles in interiors of homes, offices and commercial buildings as they create a uniform, joint-free look, and give an illusion of expanded space
Anil Agarwal, Orient Bell
Orient Bell has the maximum number of patents for four varieties of specialty tiles for different applications. The company does continuous research to produce tiles that offer high performance, high durability and compelling designs with various finishes and textures.
We have opened a chain of signature showrooms that display the complete product range by aiding retailers in concept selling as the showrooms provide a blended experience of compelling designs, product aesthetics and practical application. We are associated with premier construction and consultancy agencies of the country, and count some of the leading influencers, developers and government institutions as our customers. At least 60% of our sales is institutional and 40% is from retail.
Please tell us about one such invention by Orient Bell
Our Forever Tiles (Patent Application No.: 685/CHE/2011) have a surface that is highly abrasion, scratch and stain-resistant, and have very low water absorption. The tiles are rated 8 on Moh’s scale of hardness where diamond is on 10 and iron is on 4. So, if you try to scratch them with any knife, the knife will get scratched! The invention is a corundum-based coating composition and the method of applying it on the ceramic tiles for producing tiles with extreme abrasion and scratch resistance. These tiles also have self-cleaning property, tested by Queens IPS Lab, UK. Their application areas are in home interiors, driveways, pathways, kitchens, high traffic areas, shopping malls, and commercial spaces.
Orient Bell has recently launched big sized tiles. What kind of demand is there for such tiles?
There is an increasing global trend for big sized tiles as they help create a uniform, joint-free look, which is ideal for modern interiors and generate an illusion of expanded space by covering a wider surface area.
We have launched polished glazed vitrified tiles in sizes of 1200x2400mm,1200x1200mm, and 800x2400mm for the first time. Made at our Sikandrabad (UP) plant, the tiles have special applications such as Reactive, Glossy, and Lustre, and have new and brighter colours like aqua, green and yellow etc, designed to reflect opulence, luxury and aesthetics. Orient Bell has used digital printing on a 400 dpi machine to ensure sharper and clearer designs. Most of the designs are inspired by nature and crafted by the best designers. With these tiles, Orient Bell has now added a set of more than 400 new SKUs in its range of wall and floor tiles.
We use Itaca ink from Spain. The ink gives bright and vibrant colors on the tiles while printing. These colors retain the original look for years and don’t fade away with time, and can be clered with a cloth.
Any further plans?
Orient Bell has always been at the forefront of innovation in home décor. Our continuous drive for excellence and customer satisfaction has earned us accreditations ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 for quality, environment, occupational health and Safety Management Systems. We have four patented (pending) technologies, and we will continue to innovate and launch world-class products and will focus on increasing our depth in the market, including tier 2 & 3 cities, which have a lot of potential for tiles such as ours.
We believe in giving back to the society, and we believe that inclusive growth can only be achieved if we eradicate grassroot problems and provide optimum solutions. We also organize workshops to train masons for installation of the tiles and certify them once they complete their training. Orient Bell’s CSR initiative EkAcchaBhavishya provides a platform to educate young minds who are deprived of education.
