Quartz 2022
The U.S. Market: Still Lovin' Vein
Previous page: Vadara Bronzo. Above: TAB Quartz Carrara Dark
What’s ahead for quartz surfaces? Will porcelain slab make a big dent in quartz-surface market share? Will more material be made in the United States to directly service one of the world’s biggest market? And, will the future continue with a never-ending sea of white slabs? Stone Update asked a panel of surface manufacturers about what they anticipate in the near future:
- Massimo Ballucchi, vice president, Kitchen and Bath Business, Cosentino North America
- Gail Conroy, vice president of marketing – the Americas, Caesarstone
- Amit Gupta, TAB India
- Summer Kath, executive vice president of design, Cambria
- Sam Kim, senior vice president. product – national, M S International Inc. (MSI)
- Ed Rogers, executive vice president of U.S. Surfaces (Vadara)
- Roy Viana, director, natural stone and slab, Dal-Tile Corp.
Stone Update conducted the survey in late August and early September.
Porcelain/sintered stone/ultra-compact surfaces are rapidly expanding their presence in the premium market. What are the keys to quartz surfaces effectively competing with this new challenger? (If you offer both, how do you balance the two?)
Gupta: We offer natural stone and are a leading processor and exporter of the same – it’s our labor of love and we are still going stronger and stronger in natural stone – still growing …. We made Tabquartz which was new to us, a parallel move and integration, same customers, very similar machines, and we came much later into an established market, and we created our niche, and it worked well for us and continues to. We anticipate significant growth in this part of our business – more than what we have been able to achieve with natural stone. Porcelain/sintered stone/ultra-compact surfaces are making inroads at their pace, but we believe it’s not growing like natural stone and quartz did. It has some real advantages over natural stone and quartz, however. We are watching the trends cautiously and have done some pilot programs to test the waters and the ROI (plant cost vs. sales) still hasn’t made sense. If we invest almost equally in marketing there are possibilities, but TAB believes in moving cautiously and when we feel it’s time to enter, enter we will … We are always surveying and scanning, and the numbers / sales volume has not warranted that we get into this. There’s a much-higher capital requirement, and most porcelain-tile companies in Europe are now also making slabs. Natural stone and quartz from a fabricator perspective don’t require anything new or additional in terms of tools or skills. Porcelain does! It’s only a handful which are comfortable with cutting porcelain. We do believe this market will grow; it’s not going to look back. But there is still some time before we get there. Kath: Porcelain is directly printed on the top to achieve any look desired. However, because of this the pattern and veins are not “full-body”. This means you will see only white or a solid color in the edge and therefore it is recommended to miter all edges. Every Cambria design is “full-body” and therefore your edge profile and countertop thickness options are vast. Fabricating porcelain can be trickier for fabricators. Because it is so dense, it is harder on the tooling than quartz, causing more expense to replace the tooling. Additionally, the slab may crack or break during fabrication. Fabricators are passing this risk on to the consumer as they are purchasing two slabs for every one required to mitigate the risk. If porcelain chips after it’s installed in a kitchen or bath for example, it cannot be fixed and must be replaced. Cambria is chip- and scratch-resistant. . Ballucchi: Quartz surfacing will always hold a place in the market due to key advantages for both consumers and professionals. However, the level of value it brings to the project over an ultra-compact surface depends on the application as the materials share similar properties and Cosentino offers solutions for both. The key is to understand where and how the material is going to be used. High-quality engineered quartz solutions, like Silestone® by Cosentino, are an especially strong fit for kitchens and bathrooms, providing a non-porous finish and high stain resistance. They outshine the performance of natural stone regarding resistance to impacts and scratches, maintenance and porosity, which is exactly what today’s consumer is specifying: no-hassle products that beautifully endure everyday wear and tear. Ultra-compact solutions like Dekton by Cosentino offer many of the same advantages and characteristics as quartz solutions, but with added features and benefits. We’ve seen an increase in demand for Dekton®, especially as indoor/outdoor spaces continue to grow in popularity. Professionals and consumers are opting for ultra-durable, zero-maintenance materials in place of marble, granite and other natural stone because of the highly durable nature of the product. Innovations in manufacturing allow us to truly capture the beauty and movement of natural stone, as seen in our soon-to-launch Dekton Onirika collection by Nina Magon boasting marble-inspired designs - and the durability and versatility of the material allow it to be leveraged for everything from fireplaces to facades to the bottom of your pool.
Rogers: Quartz is primarily a countertop material where porcelain is, at this point, more viable as flooring or vertical surfacing. So, while porcelain has created a buzz in our industry, let’s keep it in perspective. Porcelain is approximately 1% of the overall countertop market and quartz is currently at 20%. Quartz materials offer a depth of color that porcelain is unable to match at this point and the fabrication costs of porcelain compared to quartz for countertops are at present going to be a limiting factor. Yes, porcelain will have its place and is not going to go away, but for the short term we are focused on bringing to market the most realistic hand-crafted materials in quartz and will continue to work in that direction. Viana: Both quartz and porcelain are outstanding for countertop / slab uses in both home or commercial settings. With today’s technological abilities, we are able to bring virtually any design and color to life in large quartz or porcelain slab products and still provide even greater durability than stone. Quartz and porcelain also have the advantage of not needing to be resealed over their lifetime. Because quartz and porcelain slabs are both man-made products, we are able to bring just about any design and color to life on either material. The real key to ensuring that the consumer gets the right product for their project is dependent upon correctly relaying how quartz and porcelain measure up point-by-point on various consideration factors. Across the board, one product is not automatically better than the other. As mentioned, given that the visuals are equally beautiful, the decision comes down to prioritizing which of the secondary considerations is most-important for the installation at hand. Designs – Although both materials have finishes and edging that are highly realistic, quartz has more options than porcelain. Durability – Both are very durable. Quartz has a small advantage over porcelain in the durability department, because porcelain is a thinner product, so porcelain would chip or break given an impact before quartz would be affected. Installation – Although the thinner nature of porcelain made it a smidge less desirable in the durability department, it is this leaner thickness that makes porcelain easier to install than quartz. A porcelain slab is lighter to carry, lift, and put into place during installation than its quartz counterpart. Heat Resistance – Both quartz and porcelain countertops are heat-resistant. The difference is that a porcelain countertop will not damage from heat placed on it while a quartz countertop would damage from the same amount of heat over time. Maintenance – Both quartz and porcelain countertops can stand up to everyday life and look good doing it! Cleaning with soap and water is just about all that is needed to keep each type of material looking good. Harsh chemicals or bleach are not needed and are not recommended as damage may occur. Price – Although pricing is similar, porcelain is generally a bit less expensive upfront. However, given the durability of quartz, the quartz product may last a bit longer, being the more-economical value in the long run. Kim: Porcelain slabs continue to gain share – particularly our own collection called Stile™. We continue to have strong faith in quartz surfaces, as it has a huge lead over porcelain slabs on cost of installation, as well as the truly through-body nature of slabs that lend themselves to easy installation. Conroy: At Caesarstone, we are proud to offer a variety of materials, and we see this as a greater offering for our customers. We invite consumers to start by exploring our expansive selection of designs and color options, and then finding the material that best suits the needs of their project. The choice of material depends on the type of application and the prospective use for the surface. The greatest benefit here is that with so many applications now possible, different materials can be used in one space, creating one home ecosystem solution.
Are the dimensions more-or-less fixed as far as slab area and thickness, or will there be moves to thinner (less than 2cm) or behind jumbo sizes?
Rogers: I can only speak for Vadara, and at this point there are no plans to offer any materials less than 2cm (3/4”). We do have capabilities to look at alternative thicknesses and also larger-format, slabs but right now nothing is on the immediate horizon for either. Viana: There is flexibility in quartz and porcelain dimensions both slab size and thickness. The trend in porcelain is moving towards thicker 2cm and 3cm for countertop and quartz towards thinner 1.2cm – 1cm thickness to capture vertical areas/applications. There are challenges to these changes but as manufacturing in both product categories continues to evolve we will see the above become viable additional format options in the U.S. market. Kim: We offer 1.5mm slabs for various uses—notably builders. Super jumbo sizes are in vogue, but there are markets that prefer regular sizes due to their market dynamics. It is important for fabricators to have access to various sizes and thickness of slabs for their jobs—we carry the full gamut. Conroy: Caesarstone’s primary focus is to be the leader in the countertop space, which means that our materials will come in sizes that are best suited for countertop applications. Our slabs will continue to be available in standard and jumbo sizes in a 2cm to 3cm range. Some slabs are available in 1.3cm upon special order.
Ballucchi: Growing demand for more durable surfacing solutions for flooring, cabinetry and wall cladding, and custom furniture pieces has led to continued innovations in slimmer formats, like Dekton Slim or Dekton Optimma. We’ll continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible by exploring new ways of manufacturing thin- and large-format options and anticipating increasingly custom applications thanks to these expanded offerings. Gupta: For quartz? I think we will stay with 2cm and 3cm and the market will stay with this standard; we are starting to make bigger/jumbo slabs in quartz now. For porcelain, 12mm is the popular thickness. Kath: Cambria launched its 6mm product in the fall of 2020 and it’s an industry leading quartz in a thin and lightweight 6mm slab profile fit for both commercial and residential applications. 6mm thickness retains the elegance and performance of Cambria quartz surfaces with added functional advantages, provides more versatility in design options, and is a complement to the brand’s 1cm, 2cm, and 3cm slab offerings. The extra thin slabs solve a need for commercial clients—in industries like healthcare, furniture, and luxury transportation like yachting and aviation—who routinely encounter weight-sensitivities in projects, as well as for residential clients looking for cladding options on fireplaces, backsplashes, and shower and tub surrounds, or for an answer to unique applications like cabinet veneering and backlighting.
Will we see more of a shift away from variants of classic marble to warmer tones and other new looks, such as onyx or more-striking colors?
Conroy: We have seen an increased desire for warmer tones in the home, as the pandemic has led consumers to make their homes a calm environment. Our answer to this trend is our latest Pebbles Collection, inspired by the warm neutral hues found in nature. We continue to be a leader in design trends, and we are happy to announce we have a few surprises coming in 2023. Kim: The warm trend continues to gain share in the market, and MSI’s Q Collection offers the largest and most comprehensive collection of the warm trend. Ballucchi: Color is on the rise. Consumers are taking more risks with color in their homes overall and are opting for bolder hues, especially in the kitchen and bath, where neutrals have traditionally reigned. We’ve seen an especially strong response to the bright, Mediterranean-inspired colors of Silestone’s first carbon-neutral collection, Sunlit Days, which boasts a color narrative that celebrates the hues found in nature. That said, patterns like marble are classic for a reason, and we’ll see continued appetite for these hues and more modern takes on them as well - and are anticipating strong market interest from the upcoming launch of the bold new marble-inspired veining from Dekton Onirika. Rogers: Absolutely you will. I’m not sure at present how far we would go but we are definitely exploring and expanding what is possible when it comes to quartz veined materials including bolder quartzite looks and other options that up until now have not really been part of the quartz world. How far that will go is hard to say right but we are always actively involved in R&D.
Viana: While marbles are still the highest visual in demand for both quartz and porcelain slab products, we are definitely seeing both materials branch out to offer other stone looks, concrete looks, and overall, much bolder marble designs! Taking their cue from the overall fashion and interior design industries, savvy quartz and porcelain slab manufacturers are definitely beginning to offer warmer tones again without abandoning the popular cooler tones. A contemporary on-trend color palette will include both warm and cool tones within a collection; many times a popular design will be offered in both warm and cool. Regarding boldness of color, we are definitely seeing this! Gupta: Classic marble is on its 15-year run and I think classic marble (just like the drive to green/natural foods and other products) is here to stay. We don’t anticipate people getting bored of the white marble look. It’s almost like when all it was just white marble and green marble and some others and consumers wanted granite. New colors, exciting variations, 25 years of granite on countertops, and people get fatigued by that look. They went back to the marble look. We believe white is a neutral color (unlike most granites) and it will always stay. Keep in mind in the last 30 years the world has added 2 billion more people to be 8 billion people. Countries around the world are building like crazy. And I estimate the market to be twice the size of what it was 10 years ago. And it will continue to grow. There will be room for every product category. I think just as we see in clothing and fashion, or food, it’s just more options, educated consumers, a larger market and larger product offering and accessibility. All of it is here to stay. Kath: Not anytime soon! We see customers wanting more soft and subtle tone-on-tone designs but we also have niche projects with more color options (especially for commercial projects). Tone-on-tone designs continue to trend in popularity.
What will more domestic (North American-based) production mean for U.S. fabricators?
Ballucchi: With rising awareness of and demand for high performance man-made solutions like Silestone and Dekton, Cosentino is working more closely than ever with its network of fabricators and has prioritized maintaining supply, including investing in further North American-based storage and distribution centers. Conroy: Caesarstone is proud to have our U.S. manufacturing plant in Richmond Hill, Ga. Manufacturing and shipping domestically will cut down on carbon emissions from transporting material, which affirms Caesarstone’s commitment to sustainability. This is also a huge win for U.S. fabricators because the product will already be stateside when they place their orders. With around a third of our quartz offerings manufactured here in the U.S., we are excited to see how this positively impacts the market. Gupta: Fabricators care for price, precision, availability and they want to sell a product they can make money on and move to the next one. I think we in North America are part and founders of the global economy. I don’t think North American-based is that important. We have seen that in the last 30 years. We are increasingly global, much, much more than before. Irrespective of the country of origin, they care about what I just mentioned: price, precision, availability. By precision I mean no returns and defects.
Rogers: Great question. It all depends on what that increased production actually looks like. Even producing in North America comes with its challenges such as equipment procurement, raw materials sourcing, available labor pool etc., How much capacity can realistically be added year to year and what types of products will be produced? Viana: More domestic (North American-based) production is good news for U.S. fabricators, retailers, builders, and consumers as product is more readily available and more reliably in-stock, able to meet the quick-turn demands that have become the norm in the industry. Imported products are still a handicap due to uncertainty of availability, long-lead times on the water, port congestion, and many times unreliability of product quality.
Kath: All Cambria products are manufactured from our 1-million-square-foot (and growing) slab production facility in LeSueur, Minn. Because we own our own mines, we control the process from start to finish and have a secure supply chain making it easier and faster for fabricators to work with Cambria and buy from a trusted brand leader. Kim: Manufacturing in the USA has a truly unique appeal, not only for the pride of local manufacturing and shorter lead times, but also for technological advances that are only available in the USA. Our Latta, S.C., plant, for example, features a patent-protected engineering called LumaLuxeTM Ultra that gives quartz surfaces a superior whiteness, dramatic veining, and increased depth found in no other product.