Tile of Spain, the official umbrella brand that represents the Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers Association (ASCER), has expanded its distribution to the GCC ceramic tiles market, which is valued at US$7.8bn.

Tile of Spain’s renewed sales and distribution push is a boost to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Green Economy program, which includes increasing the environmental efficiency of housing and buildings as one of the important development areas. The move is focused on bringing sustainability, innovation, and custom-made ceramic building materials to the region.

Tile of Spain, a global leader in the construction of sustainable ceramics and a pioneer in acquiring the first Environmental Product Declarations class III environmental badges, according to the ISO 14020 standard, aims to raise the region’s bar of sustainability and green cities in the 120 billion dollar industry.

UAE – a pearl for the construction and ceramic industry
With the unveiling of large projects like the US$8 billion District 2020 and other ambitious projects like the Dubai 2040 urban masterplan, demand for sustainable, and innovative ceramic designs is expected to soar.

Tile of Spain, a prominent player known for cutting-edge designs and ecologically friendly products, plans to use its members’ wide selection of ceramic products to invigorate the market and in turn boost market competitiveness and attract international corporate ventures to the UAE and the wider GCC region.

Ceramic tiles account for up to 35% of the overall tile market in the UAE, with yearly demand increasing due to new projects announced every month. This is now expected to rise following the UAE’s decision to overhaul the visa residency system – a welcome move that’s likely to drive the country’s real estate market resulting in an influx of property buyers and developers.

“The UAE market is a gem for people in the construction and ceramics industries, and as the most popular hub for export and import, we foresee exponential growth over the next five years. Tile of Spain’s expanded distribution is critical to the region’s vibrant real estate and property development space. We are confident that this strategic move will boost the GCC market, paving way for innovative, cutting-edge design, and most importantly, sustainable property development in line with the sustainability agenda,” said Mr. Vicente Nomdedeu, president and chairman, ASCER – Tile of Spain.

With the implementation of effective anti-dumping tariffs on ceramic tile imports from Asian markets, demand for affordable, high-quality tiles is likely to increase. Furthermore, because the UAE is the most popular trade and logistics hub in the GCC, admission into the country would help the region’s economy grow even faster and attract more business. GCC’s ceramic tiles market was valued at US$7.8 billion in 2020, and it is expected to increase at a CAGR of 7.9% by 2028.

Growing disposable income to propel market growth
UAE’s ceramic tile consumption is predicted to climb by 70% over the next five years, owing to the region’s rising disposable income, ballooning population, coupled with the UAE’s continuous development activity.
The industry’s growth is expecting a positive boost in the next few years with a major focus on design, sustainability, energy efficiency, and health and hygiene. This, according to Mr. Nomdedeu, positions Tile of Spain as a strategic partner whose wealth of expertise will reenergise the market as well as offer the consumer a wider range of ceramic products.

“Owing to our member’s pioneering moves, Tile of Spain is poised to inject the much-needed expertise in the region’s circular economy and bioclimatic architecture. Our combined product offering makes Tile of Spain a perfect fit in the UAE construction and interior design market,” added Nomdedeu.

With UAE’s ambitious vision to reduce energy consumption by 25% and achieve net-zero by 2050, bioclimatic architecture, a model that reduces negative environmental impact and ensures thermal comfort with the aid of nature, is poised to be the next big thing in the region’s ceramic tiles market.