IN THE SPOTLIGHT
mal trend despite the markets were directly with users on design issues. We remain focused on running an severely impacted. In Italy we have just launched a new efficient and profitable business, Following the end of the lockdown, protecting our growth in the UAE, e-commerce portal and are developwe implemented a phased ap- India, and Bangladesh and pro- ing new product presentation tools to proach to reopening operations in gressing our growth plans in Saudi support our sales network through reBangladesh, where we have seen an Arabia. We will also look to diver- mote meetings. increase in sales. Credit for all of this goes to our marsify and improve profitability in key In other markets, we have been pur- export markets. We are focused on keting department, which has once suing a development project in re- implementing measures to limit the again demonstrated its ability to recent months to exploit available po- impact of Covid-19 on our tablewa- spond with great professionalism. re business. tential and opportunities. I should add that we are the first comTile International: What about Inpany in the world to have adopted a dia, where you are one of the leading remote product development system sanitaryware manufacturers and where you started up that allows us to carry through projects for new collecyour third slab production plant last year? tions in collaboration with partners and suppliers all A. Massaad: Here too, government-imposed lock- over the world, overcoming difficulties caused by travdowns had a significant impact, but we are pleased to el restrictions. see that the market is showing signs of recovery. Tile International: Before the pandemic, RAK CeOur operations across India began reopening from the ramics was investing in an expansion of its international start of June. Production in our Samalkot plant is cur- presence by opening new showrooms in various counrently running at approximately 50% capacity to meet tries. Are you maintaining the timing of these openings? reduced demand. Our first plant in Morbi is operating L. De Muro: After opening the showroom in Riyadh at 100% capacity, as is the second plant producing our and planning an upcoming opening in Jeddah, we conMaximus Mega Slab tiles following its opening in July. tinued with our plan to renovate all the showrooms in In addition to this, our trading and manufacturing busi- the UAE and some of the locations will soon be comness in India has improved to near pre-Covid levels. pleted. As for Europe, we will have some news to anTile International: Right from the onset of the crisis, nounce shortly. you reacted swiftly by deploying alternative marketing Tile International: In 2019 the European market actools and sales channels to support your customers. counted for 16.5% of your total turnover. What kind of Can you tell us about these new tools? presence do you have in the region? Leonardo De Muro: First, I must stress just how impor- L. De Muro: Europe has always been a strategic martant close relationships are for this sector. I simply can- ket for RAK Ceramics. While the market is obviously not imagine a socially distant future for our business. dominated by Italian and Spanish players, we have a Relationships with agents, distributors, dealers, devel- strong and well-established presence in both the tile opers and designers all over the world are based on and sanitaryware sectors. We have three separate but face-to-face meetings. It’s in the nature of the product coordinated hubs serving the entire continent: in Italy that we need in-person events such as trade fairs and for Southern and Eastern Europe, in Germany for Cenmeetings where potential buyers can actually touch tral and Northern Europe and in the UK for the British the surfaces and finishes and get a direct, physical idea market. of the quality of a new product. Having said this, the ex- Tile International: Product innovation is another key perience has irreversibly changed the way we do busi- aspect for supporting growth and consolidating your ness. For this reason, we immediately devoted all our brand’s reputation. What are you working on at the energies to organising initiatives such as the “show- moment? room virtual tour” (we had already launched virtual re- L. De Muro: We had been planning a series of major ality tools at ISH 2018), as well as expanding our ac- product innovations in 2020 and at Cersaie 2019 had tions through our social media profiles, including pres- already presented a number of new products. These entations of new products via webinars and engaging included large slabs with new sizes and finishes, the
38 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 2 / 2 0 2 0
