Local ceramics get cutting-edge designs, attract more customers

Local ceramics now have innovative and cutting-edge designs that help the producers get more customers, participants of the ongoing Ceramic Expo in the capital have told The Business Standard.

"We brought some differently designed new products this time and received a surprising response from the visitors. They gave good reviews of our products," said Md Firozur Rahman, senior executive of Akij Ceramics.

"We have developed cutting-edge designs based on our customers' feedback. For example, one of our new basins has the facility to wash legs as well. Similarly, many are designed with different features, shapes, colours and sizes," he told TBS.

Photo: Mumit M

"We are constantly developing our tiles with the latest technology and designs to make them more attractive. The items we produced in 2020 are now sold out. Our products are now in high demand," said Rezwan Kabir, representative of Tushar Ceramics.

"In this edition of the fair, we are getting an outstanding response from the visitors although we came here just to showcase our new products. We have brought huge variations in our tiles designs," said Md Shohag, executive of CBC tiles.

Visiting the fair on Friday, the second day of the three-day fair organised by the Bangladesh Ceramic Manufacturers and Exporters Association at the International Convention City Bashundhara, most visitors were seen in the stalls of local manufacturers – two-thirds of 200 participants in total. Some multinational brands from 15 countries are also in the fair.

Photo: Mumit M

The fair is exhibiting a wide range of tiles, sanitary ware and tableware items.

The number of visitors to the fair was 2,500 on the opening day which was over 10,000 until the afternoon of the second day, according to the fair supervisor Tariqul Islam Khan. The attendance was much higher than the previous two times, he added.

Talking to The Business Standard, several visitors said they come to the fair to find out their suitable products from a wide range of options.

The visitors were seen looking at the latest ceramic products of local and foreign brands in the stalls with great interest.

Photo: Mumit M

"Here are many brands from home and abroad. I personally prefer local brands. Many of them, especially Akiz and Mir, have brought new design products at affordable prices," said Saima Haque, who came from Badda.

A retailer named Kibria Hossain who was on the visit told TBS, "Sometimes customers come to my shop and ask for new design tiles, but I cannot provide them."

"In the fair, I have seen some brands showcasing some uncommon design products, which customers are bound to buy. I got familiar with several new brands here. It would help me source a wide variety of products," he added.

 Talking to TBS Bangladesh Ceramic Manufacturers and Exporters Association General Secretary Irfan Uddin said more than 70 factories of ceramics, tableware, tiles and sanitary ware have already been established in the country.

Their annual turnover is about Tk7,000 crore, he added and noted that production in the ceramic sector has increased by 200% over the past 10 years.