Star Ceramics: From niche innovation to major market player

Star Ceramics is currently one of the top local producers of tiles, sanitaryware, and other ceramic products in the country. Since its inception in 2012, the company has maintained consistent product quality and has experienced continuous growth.

In an interview with The Business Standard, Ehsanul Haque, the head of Sales at Star Ceramics, discusses how the company's innovative approaches helped it gain traction and establish itself as a significant player in the market.

What factors contributed to Star Ceramics' success since its establishment in 2012?

Star Ceramics Limited was founded in 2012 but officially entered the market through product sales in 2013, initially ranking as the 13th company in the country. Our primary goal was to set an example and introduce unique offerings. 

For instance, prior to our entry, the market for 60x60cm tiles was largely dominated by imports. We aimed to pioneer in this sector by introducing larger-sized tiles, setting a trend as local ceramic producers. Thus, our willingness to embrace this challenge, despite initial obstacles, played a crucial role in our success. Today, the high demand for larger tiles, even in rural areas, reflects the revolution we initiated.

Photo: Junaid Hasan Pranto

Regarding the company itself, Star Ceramics is a joint venture between Bangladesh and Lebanon. Currently, we produce 7.3 million square metres of tiles and 0.5 million units of sanitaryware. Our diverse product range includes various sizes and attractive designs, focusing on larger sizes with higher return on investment (ROI). These factors have helped us maintain our brand image in a competitive market.

In an industry experiencing rapid expansion, what market share does Star Ceramics hold?

In terms of quantity, our market share is approximately 5-6%, and in value, it ranges around 7-8%. This is primarily due to our specialisation in larger tile sizes such as 60x120cm, 60x60cm, and 30x60cm PGVT. 

Previously, imported tiles dominated the market, but the increased local production and enhanced quality have reduced reliance on imports. As the industry becomes more self-sufficient, with ample local supply, we hold a comfortable position. However, further government support could facilitate industry growth.

Why did the company focus on tiles and sanitaryware, amidst numerous other avenues?

Our owners identified an opportunity to expand the ceramic and tiles industry in Bangladesh based on their expertise in similar businesses abroad. They recognised the immense market potential in Bangladesh, aligning with their vision from two decades ago. 

Hence, the company embarked on this venture to establish its presence in this sector.

Aesthetics are a big part of tiles right now. So how does Star Ceramic keep up with the innovation in terms of design?

Since 2019, we have introduced theme-based tiles, offering a diverse selection categorised into specific themes such as Dark Night, Platina, Roman, Eden, Palli, Arena, Castle, and Hollywood Glam. These designs are crafted through a blend of global market research and continuous refinement tailored to our cultural context. 

Demand for our themed tiles is significant, and we continuously strive to enhance our product designs to bring freshness to our customers. Additionally, we have a dedicated design and creative team focused on this aspect, ensuring our offerings remain appealing and competitive. Our organised approach includes various teams dedicated to different aspects of the company, supported by our call centres, which prioritise customer satisfaction under our tagline 'Serving You Excellence.'

Export is a big factor in virtually every sector of business. So how does the export scenario look for Star Ceramics?

Future expansion is something everyone plans to achieve and we are no different. There are many other sectors of production we want to venture, which have a huge potential to bloom in Bangladesh. But for now, we are not focusing much on exports because our local demand is higher than present capacity.