China & Earthenware Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing
Description
Companies in this industry manufacture earthenware plumbing fixtures, tableware, and other ceramic products. Major companies include CoorsTek and Kohler (both based in the US), Duravit and Villeroy & Boch (both based in Germany), as well as Kyocera and TOTO (both based in Japan).
Urbanization and rising incomes in the developing world, along with recovering construction markets in North America and Western Europe, are the chief demand drivers for china and earthenware plumbing fixtures and ceramic electrical products. US real estate revenues are expected to grow 4.8% through 2027, according to Freedonia Focus Reports.
The US china and earthenware plumbing fixture industry includes about 600 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $2 billion.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Demand is primarily driven by construction spending and consumer income. The profitability of individual companies depends on efficient operations and effective marketing. Large companies enjoy economies of scale in purchasing and marketing. Small companies can compete by offering niche products. The industry is highly concentrated: the 50 largest companies account for about 85% of industry revenue.
Imports, which primarily come from China and Mexico, account for about 90% of the US market. China accounts for about half of all US imports. Exports represent about 70% of US production. Leading export markets include Canada, Mexico, and Germany.
PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Major products include wet and dry process voltage porcelain products; and vitreous plumbing fixtures, which both accounts for about 35% of the industry revenue. Other products include stoneware table and kitchen articles; chemical, technical, and industrial pottery ware; statuary and related art goods; and vitreous china, porcelain, and earthenware.
Plumbing fixtures are made with a liquid form of vitreous china, called slurry slip. The slip is thinned with water, filtered to remove impurities, and re-thickened. The slip is then poured into plaster of Paris molds for toilets, sinks, bidets, or other fixtures. Products are then removed from the molds and smoothed before being dried, glazed, and fired. Other china, pottery, and earthenware products are made using methods similar to those used to make plumbing fixtures. Raw materials are mixed, formed or cast, dried, glazed, and fired in a kiln.
Ceramics do not conduct electricity, which makes them useful in a variety of electrical insulation applications including the protection of outdoor electrical equipment and in spark plugs used in internal combustion engines. To make spark plug insulators, liquid aluminum oxide ceramic material is poured into a mold. Hydraulic industrial presses apply pressure to form the insulator blanks, which are hollow to accept the metal electrode core. Grinding machines give the insulator blanks their final shape before they are fired in a tunnel kiln. Insulators are typically glazed, then fired again. The insulator production process is computer controlled to ensure precise tolerances for the bore that receives the electrode, as well as for optimal strength, density, and resistance to moisture.
The process for manufacturing advanced ceramic products is similar to those used to make other types of ceramics. Raw materials are milled and mixed, then spray-dried. Products are then formed in processes including dry pressing, isostatic pressing, and injection molding, and are machined to achieve semi-finished shapes. Sintering or drying is typically performed in batch furnaces or tunnel kilns. Products are then finished by diamond grinding before final assembly using epoxy bonding, shrink fitting, or mechanical assembly. Some parts may undergo metalizing processes, in which metals are added to product surfaces.
Ceramic products can be made with a number of different materials that have desired physical properties for specific applications. Alumina, the most commonly used advanced ceramic material, offers resistance to wear and corrosion at a relatively low cost. In addition to spark plugs, alumina is used to make armor, electronic substrates, semiconductor processing equipment parts, and industrial machinery components. Silicon nitride has superior thermal shock resistance, low density, and high strength. Applications include aerospace and automotive engines, as well as components for molten metal processing machinery. Other advanced ceramic materials include silicon carbide, zirconia, and sapphire.
Urbanization and rising incomes in the developing world, along with recovering construction markets in North America and Western Europe, are the chief demand drivers for china and earthenware plumbing fixtures and ceramic electrical products. US real estate revenues are expected to grow 4.8% through 2027, according to Freedonia Focus Reports.
The US china and earthenware plumbing fixture industry includes about 600 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $2 billion.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Demand is primarily driven by construction spending and consumer income. The profitability of individual companies depends on efficient operations and effective marketing. Large companies enjoy economies of scale in purchasing and marketing. Small companies can compete by offering niche products. The industry is highly concentrated: the 50 largest companies account for about 85% of industry revenue.
Imports, which primarily come from China and Mexico, account for about 90% of the US market. China accounts for about half of all US imports. Exports represent about 70% of US production. Leading export markets include Canada, Mexico, and Germany.
PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Major products include wet and dry process voltage porcelain products; and vitreous plumbing fixtures, which both accounts for about 35% of the industry revenue. Other products include stoneware table and kitchen articles; chemical, technical, and industrial pottery ware; statuary and related art goods; and vitreous china, porcelain, and earthenware.
Plumbing fixtures are made with a liquid form of vitreous china, called slurry slip. The slip is thinned with water, filtered to remove impurities, and re-thickened. The slip is then poured into plaster of Paris molds for toilets, sinks, bidets, or other fixtures. Products are then removed from the molds and smoothed before being dried, glazed, and fired. Other china, pottery, and earthenware products are made using methods similar to those used to make plumbing fixtures. Raw materials are mixed, formed or cast, dried, glazed, and fired in a kiln.
Ceramics do not conduct electricity, which makes them useful in a variety of electrical insulation applications including the protection of outdoor electrical equipment and in spark plugs used in internal combustion engines. To make spark plug insulators, liquid aluminum oxide ceramic material is poured into a mold. Hydraulic industrial presses apply pressure to form the insulator blanks, which are hollow to accept the metal electrode core. Grinding machines give the insulator blanks their final shape before they are fired in a tunnel kiln. Insulators are typically glazed, then fired again. The insulator production process is computer controlled to ensure precise tolerances for the bore that receives the electrode, as well as for optimal strength, density, and resistance to moisture.
The process for manufacturing advanced ceramic products is similar to those used to make other types of ceramics. Raw materials are milled and mixed, then spray-dried. Products are then formed in processes including dry pressing, isostatic pressing, and injection molding, and are machined to achieve semi-finished shapes. Sintering or drying is typically performed in batch furnaces or tunnel kilns. Products are then finished by diamond grinding before final assembly using epoxy bonding, shrink fitting, or mechanical assembly. Some parts may undergo metalizing processes, in which metals are added to product surfaces.
Ceramic products can be made with a number of different materials that have desired physical properties for specific applications. Alumina, the most commonly used advanced ceramic material, offers resistance to wear and corrosion at a relatively low cost. In addition to spark plugs, alumina is used to make armor, electronic substrates, semiconductor processing equipment parts, and industrial machinery components. Silicon nitride has superior thermal shock resistance, low density, and high strength. Applications include aerospace and automotive engines, as well as components for molten metal processing machinery. Other advanced ceramic materials include silicon carbide, zirconia, and sapphire.
Table of Contents
- Industry Overview
- Quarterly Industry Update
- Business Challenges
- Business Trends
- Industry Opportunities
- Call Preparation Questions
- Financial Information
- Industry Forecast
- Web Links and Acronyms
Search Inside Report
Pricing
Currency Rates
Questions or Comments?
Our team has the ability to search within reports to verify it suits your needs. We can also help maximize your budget by finding sections of reports you can purchase.
