Zibo in the fireworks, recreating the prosperity of Jiangbei pottery construction in the past with its "texture"
September 9, 2024 Source: China Ceramic Network Editor in charge: Liu Sitao Read: 15820 28
After a long absence of bustling traffic, since the environmental storm in 2016 and three years of 'masks', Fortune City has once again seen bustling traffic, and Zibo seems to have come back to life

Just this morning, a senior bricklayer shared this heartfelt emotion on his social media account. What triggered this sentiment was the successful holding of two series of activities related to ceramic construction at the 2024 China (Zibo) International Ceramic and Glass Expo (referred to as Zibo Ceramic Expo).

On the morning of September 5th, 2024, the China Jiangbei Ceramic Tile Expo (referred to as Jiangbei Ceramic Expo) officially opened at the China (Zibo) Ceramic Headquarters.

On the morning of September 6th, the 19th China (Zibo) Ceramic Agents/Distributors Summit (referred to as Zibo Ceramic Distributors Summit) and the 5th China (Zibo) Home Decoration Expo officially opened at Zibo Fortune Ceramic City.

The holding of these two exhibitions also helps people remember that the earliest thing that made Zibo famous throughout the country was not barbecue, but ceramics, which are known as Chinese treasures; Originally, it was not the barbecue grills that brought smoke and fire to this city, but the kiln fires that have been passed down for thousands of years.

 

Exhibition 'Set up a good platform'

Innovation "sings the lead"

Many people are unaware that the Zibo Ceramic Expo has a long history. The first Zibo Ceramic Expo was held in 2001, one year earlier than the founding of the Foshan Ceramic Expo. More importantly, the organizing committee of the first exhibition has a luxurious lineup, with the organizers being the China Federation of Industrial Economics, the China Association of Foreign Investment Enterprises, and the People's Government of Zibo City.

The First Zibo Ceramic Expo

On September 5, 2014, the first batch of settled enterprises in the China (Zibo) Ceramic Industry Headquarters Base project officially opened for business. On the same day, the first China (Zibo) Ceramics Headquarters International Trade Week (predecessor of Jiangbei Ceramics Expo) was grandly opened, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the Zibo Ceramics Expo.

In 2024, the Jiangbei Ceramics Expo will welcome its 10th edition with the theme of "Crossing Over", symbolizing that in the new era, the ceramic industry is crossing traditional boundaries with unprecedented courage and determination, exploring new paths for future development. The Zibo Ceramic Expo, which is celebrating its 24th edition, is themed "Empowering the Future, Towards New Life" and provides an innovative platform for manufacturers from all over the world to promote their brands and share new products.

A Zihe Avenue, two ceramic industry centers, and two professional ceramic tile exhibitions are competitors who tug of war and compete with each other, as well as neighbors who promote progress, innovation, and development. Industry insiders bluntly state that the exhibition level of Zibo Ceramic Fair is not inferior to Foshan, and it is much better and more professional than other ceramic fairs in other ceramic production areas.

As the saying goes, a single branch alone is not spring, but a garden full of flowers blooming in spring. It is precisely because the ecosystem of Zibo Ceramic Exhibition has a certain degree of uniqueness that this grand event can come as scheduled every year, providing a continuous stream of innovative content, products, and services to visitors from all over the world.

 

Guangdong ceramic enterprises enter the market

National Focus on Jiangbei

An interesting phenomenon at the Zibo Ceramic Expo is that representatives from mainstream production areas across the country are participating. In addition to local brands/ceramic enterprises in Shandong, brands/ceramic enterprises from Guangdong, Fujian, Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Hubei and other places can also be seen at the exhibition site.

It is worth mentioning that many of them are well-known brands/ceramic enterprises from Guangdong, such as Dajiao Lu, Arrow, Quansheng, Hilton, Shenghui, Zunyi, Fuqiang, Baite Te, and so on. Zibo has important strategic significance in the Jiangbei market. Participating in the exhibition is not only to reach more customers, but also to have a learning and exchange mentality. "The booth manager of a Guangdong ceramic company said that the popularity at the exhibition site was better than expected.

As the largest production base and operation center for building ceramic products in the northern region, Zibo is located in central Shandong, adjacent to Haidai, with obvious regional advantages. In recent years, it has become commonplace for ceramic companies from Guangdong and other regions to set up northern operation centers or central warehouses in Zibo in order to gain the initiative in the circulation of the Jiangbei ceramic tile market.

Today, the 800 square meter flagship store of Hongtao Ceramic Tile Jiangbei Operation Center grandly opened in the prime location of China (Zibo) Ceramic Industry Headquarters Base. At this point, well-known Guangdong brands/ceramic enterprises such as KMY, QD, Meierqi, Arrow, Dajiaolu, Mati, Xinzhongyuan, Huapeng, Yingpai 2086, Shunhui, Shunhui Tiancheng, Zhidao, Shunchang, etc. have all settled in Zibo.

In addition, Huili Ceramics, a leading ceramic enterprise in the Jiantao production area of Hebei Province, opened its Zibo operation center in the Fortune Ceramic City in 2022; The new exhibition hall of SKI, one of the top ten imported brick brands, was completed in the Fortune Ceramic City this year, becoming the first and currently the only pure original imported brick platform in Zibo. Industry insiders joked that Zibo is a market where even bosses and sales executives have to personally come and run business, and its importance is self-evident.

 

Specialized and innovative as a spear

Texture craftsmanship as a shield

The biggest difference between Zibo Ceramic Expo and other ceramic exhibitions is that it mainly focuses on showcasing distinctive and differentiated categories, as well as specialized and new brands. At the exhibition site, it is difficult to find a popular product, but personalized products can be seen everywhere.

Mosaic tiles, K-brick tiles, carpet tiles, luxury stone tiles, mold tiles, step tiles, handmade tiles, art tiles, small flower tiles, courtyard tiles, landscape tiles, colored tiles, foam tiles, mosaic tiles Even various accessories such as waistlines, skirting boards, etc., can be said to be something you can't think of and cannot find.

In the context of severe overcapacity and shrinking market demand in China's ceramic industry, the Zibo ceramic production area has significant innovation advantages. With the spear of "specialization, refinement, uniqueness, and novelty", it is expected to break through the industry dilemma first.

What is even more surprising is that Zibo ceramic enterprises have achieved great success in the research and development of textured brick technology, and have taken the lead in launching new textured surface products such as replicated glaze, marble, wax glaze, deep mold, laser micro mold, and adhesive positioning dry grain. At the Zibo Ceramics Expo, Zibo ceramic enterprises represented by Jianuo Co., Ltd. released the group standard for "Micro Light Texture Ceramic Bricks" (T/SDTC 001-2024), further filling the gap in the standard for "Micro Light Texture Products" in the ceramics industry.

Against the backdrop of increasingly fierce price competition and continuous decline in product quality, the Zibo Jiantao production area has successfully established competitive barriers and avoided the quagmire of "price wars" by relying on "texture bricks" and "process innovation" as a shield.

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Seeing this, many ceramic enthusiasts may wonder why Zibo is a place full of hope and prosperity in a generally low kiln opening rate and negative atmosphere?

Those who are familiar with the development of Zibo ceramics understand that firstly, Zibo's ceramic industry has a profound historical accumulation, gathering a group of ceramic professionals with unique craftsmanship. These people may have brand awareness but are not good at marketing. Whenever they have a budget, they mostly invest in process research and development, which has given rise to such a rich variety of differentiated products.

Secondly, after undergoing industrial transformation, the existing ceramic enterprises in Zibo do not have production capacity advantages or cost advantages, so they can only take the boutique route. The production mode of slow firing in small kilns and flexible customization has also made Zibo the cradle of "small and beautiful" brand OEM, which has created the current situation of "looking at Zibo for textured bricks".

Finally, the times make heroes. It is not difficult to find that the success of many enterprises stems from a precise grasp of "trends" and "trends". The market preference is guided by user needs, and meeting user needs is precisely the key "trend" for enterprises to follow the trend. With the younger consumer group and diversified decoration styles, the trend of ceramic tiles is changing rapidly. However, Zibo ceramic enterprises can always accurately predict the topic and update their products at a faster pace, so as to make them all taste delicious.

Do you agree that Zibo is one of the most promising ceramic production areas in China? Welcome to bricklaying.