Traditional importers cease sanitaryware imports
by Surekha GALAGODA
Sanitaryware takes pride of place when building homes or offices.
Home builders pay a lot of attention to the bathroom matching the
colours of the set with the tiles for the floor and the walls. Most
sanitaryware is imported to Sri Lanka from UK, USA, Italy, China and
India. The only local manufacturer is Rocell Bathware.
"Sri Lanka's only bathware manufacturer, Rocell has invested over Rs.
1.6 billion in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that is billed
to be Asia's most modern," said Managing Director Rocell Bathware, Nimal
Perera.
 He said that Rocell caters to upmarket customers as well as to normal
markets with the price of a two piece set ranging between Rs.
8,000-40,000.
The project, a bold and decisive initiative by Royal Ceramics Lanka
Limited to diversify its product portfolio was born in late 2005.
As the outcome of careful conceptualisation, design and selection of
appropriate technology during the last two years, Rocell Bathware
Limited's manufacturing facility will be a state-of-the-art production
facility equipped with the latest innovations in production and process
technologies.
Two of the world's leading bathware technology providers, UNIMAK,
Turkey and SACMI, Italy are the lead suppliers of machinery and
technology.
Foreign installation teams from both UNIMAK and SACMI were involved
with the Rocell Bathware team to install, commission and transfer
technology seamlessly.
The production facility is 180 metres in length with total facilities
covering approximately 180,000 square feet.
Design development of the bathware models were undertaken by two
renowned industrial design companies hailing from the design capital of
the world, Italy.
Lead designers of the design studios Sisa of Milan and Modelli of
Rome have worked to produce a perfect range of bathware masterpieces,
exclusively for Rocell Bathware.
Sourcing some of the world's best raw materials for its manufacturing
process has seen the company tie-up with a host of European raw material
suppliers including WBB of England - the highest quality clay supplier
to the global bathware market. Rocell Bathware will utilise clay from
WBB's mines in England for the development of the bathware body.
Rocell Bathware produces vitreous china (porcelain) bathware products
as well as large format fine fire clay products, "Fine fireclay is one
of the latest innovations in the ceramics industry.
Apart from using advanced production technology, fine fireclay allows
the manufacturer to produce large format products in Ceramic.
This is the latest design trend in the European and North American
markets", said Perera.
The manufacturing facility is equipped with a ninety cubic metre
kiln, semi pressure casting machines, automated driers and robotic
glazing lines, giving it the ability to produce a range of sophisticated
products and to meet quality norms of the European Union.
The products will be on par with world-renowned brands achieving the
same design concepts and quality standards.
In addition, the manufacturing facility has one of the most advanced
and well-equipped laboratories in Sri Lanka, particularly within the
ceramic industry. The laboratory will have the capability to conduct R&D
and product quality assurance procedures, in-house.
An additional second dedicated product-testing laboratory will carry
out functional tests on finished products.
These include equipment to conduct dimensional stability tests, tests
to determine weight bearing capabilities, flush and disposal testing as
well as leakage testing.
Product Manager Rocell Bathware Malaka Ratnayake said just after one
year of operations the company was enjoying market leadership with over
40 percent market share.
Rocell has already shipped bathware products to Australia, India, the
Maldives and Singapore.
He said that Rocell provides a 25 year warranty on ceramic dunting
and crazing, which is the best warranty offered locally.
Competition,
Unlike the competition, which uses warranty as a mere verbal sales
tool with no written provided to customers, Rocell will provide a
warranty certificate with a unique serial number relevant to each piece
or set that purchased.
Ratnayake said that Rocell has been short listed by IKEA (the world's
largest home products retailer) for its global sourcing project of fine
fire clay washbasin products.
In 2010, International Forbes magazine has listed Royal Ceramics
Lanka PLC (holding company) as Asia's 200 best under a billion dollar
category.
Rocell Bathware is currently in the process of obtaining the CE mark
which is a conformance mark on many products placed on the single market
in the European Economic Area (EEA).
Chairman and Managing Director of Rajabdeen and Sons Nawaz Rajabdeen
said that due to the high duty imposed on sanitaryware and tiles
traditional importers such as Mascons , Rajabdeen & Sons have stopped
importing. "We can't compete with mushroom importers.
Therefore, we too buy from them and sell which is less of a hassle.
As a result consumers have to pay a higher price."
He said that importers have to pay around 80-90 percent of the value
of the products as duty. In addition when importing tiles there are
various bottlenecks which must be cleared. So traditional importers have
opted to purchase their requirement from the small timers.
He said according to customs statistics the amounts for building
materials have dropped.
A two piece set in India costs $ 20 but to import it another $ 20 has
to be paid as taxes and duties.
CEO Armz Exports and Imports Jiffry Subair said that except for
imported sanitaryware Sri Lanka has Rocell products.
The products sold by them were imported from UK , Italy, India and
Tunesia.
He said that for a year they import 200,000 pounds worth of products
from UK while for the balance they spend arounds $ 100,000.
He said that a two piece set from UK is sold at Rs. 42,000 while a
two piece set from the other countries are sold in the range of Rs
10-12000.
He said a customer looking for quality can purchase the UK products
which carry a 25 year guarantee for manufacturer's defects.
He said that there are about 10-15 importers of Indian products while
another 10-20 import from China. The Chinese products are priced a
little above Indian.
Zubair said that the latest trend is to purchase white sanitaryware
sets as companies discontinue manufacturing of coloured sets every five
years.
If a piece is damaged and has to be replaced looking for a
replacement becomes a hazzle.
When purchasing marks and spots must be checked out.
Amila Chandrasiri a customer who purchased a Rocell bathware set for
his new home said that he wanted a product made in Sri Lanka.
The 25 year guarantee was another reason. "I didn't want to buy an
Indian or a Chinese set.
They were not of quality. I opted for a white set to match the tiles
and for easy cleaning purposes", he said.
Demand
* Newly built market
Residential and commercial buildings for which sanitary fixtures are
essentially required.
* Remodelling market demand created through rebuilding refurbishing
redecorating or adding in to existing structures.
* Commercial builders market.
Builders of condominiums, apartments for residential purpose, housing
schemes for gated communities and other commercial buildings for
non-residential requirements like office facilities, hotels, super
markets.
In this new construction market, builders or contractors make the
product selection, and price and volume are key factors.
* Secondary Audience include Architects - Recommenders/brand
ambassadors, Opinion leaders - Icons of society.
* Channel partners
Dealers/distributors/business partners, investors, government
authorities - departments, projects as well as the general public -
potential stakeholders.
| Background to sanitaryware
In 1738 JF Brondel introduced the valve type flush toilet. Alexander
Cunnings further improved the technology and gave a better device in
1775. In Cunnings's design water was perennially there in the toilet so
it suppressed odours. Still the working of the valve and fool-proof
inlet of water needed further improvements.
In 1777, Joseph Preiser provided the required improvement. Then John
Blummer in 1778, substituted the slide valve with crank valve. It seemed
then that the technology of pour flush was now perfected. The world was
yet to witness further technological developments. In 1870 , SS Helior
invented the flush type toilet, called optims - an improvement over
Blummer's design. From 1880 onwards, however, the emphasis has been more
on aesthetics to make cisterns and bowls decorative.
The bowls were so colourful that some suggested to use these as soup
bowls. It was in 1880 that the toilet curtains made their appearance.
The trend was called the age of "Belleepoque" in France and Edwardian
(opulence) in England. During 1890 we had the first cantilever type of
toilet. Since then the world has not witnessed any significant technical
change except some change in shape of toilets and reduction in quantity
of water per use.
It was around 1900 that the institution of bathroom came in vogue in
Europe. In India the institution of Gushalkhana (bathroom) was
established by the Mughal Kings in 1665. Oppressed by the heat and dust
the Kings constructed luxurious bathing and massage facilities. But this
was only for the rich.
The ordinary citizens however lived in insanitary conditions. Unlike
in the past, when latrines were tucked away in attics to keep it away
from nose and eye of the family and the society. In contrast the
twentieth century, has given pride of place to toilet in home-rather
these are more opulent, more spacious than anytime in the past. While
the provision of toilet in the house solved household problem of
cleanliness but the challenge remained as to how to dispose of human
waste at city level.
This was also solved when the sewerage system was introduced.
Houseman in 1858, describes beautifully the sewerage system. He said
that "the underground galleries which are the organs of the big city
will work in the same way as organs of the body, without being revealed.
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