October 9/16, 2017: Volume 32, Issue 9
Floor covering retailers are constantly seeking fresh ways to boost their bottom line, whether it’s expanding product offerings or entering new businesses altogether. To that end, with this issue FCNews launches its exclusive partnership with Dal-Tile, a major player in the countertop segment, in producing an ongoing editorial series that demonstrates how retailers can make money via this lucrative category.
A profitable market opportunity. The U.S. countertop industry—which includes anything in traditional countertop or the new, large-slab format—is estimated to be about $5 billion in sales annually, with roughly half of this coming from stone, quartz and the brand new category of porcelain slab. Quartz continues to grow at double-digit rates, and the new kid on the block, porcelain, is quickly becoming a significant part of the slab market and is expected to grow exponentially over the next few years. So, there is obviously money to be made by providing countertop products to retail customers. Also, consumers are already coming into flooring retailers’ showrooms to buy floor and wall tile for renovations, so why send them elsewhere to purchase their countertops? By adding countertops to the total sale, retailers can easily increase their profits.
Daltile: Your trusted partner. The fastest-growing countertop categories (stone, quartz and porcelain) are the product lines that Daltile is already an expert at producing. Daltile, a player in the stone and slab space since opening its first slab yard in 1999, has grown into a leading supplier of countertops over the years, spearheading innovation and evolution in the industry. The brand’s nationwide network includes high-end showroom/warehouse locations that stock and display an incredibly broad range of natural granite, marble and quartzite slabs as well as Dal-Tile’s One Quartz offering. By recently supercharging its existing business in countertops with renewed focus, new investments and innovations, Daltile is giving retailers the opportunity to win an even larger portion of the lucrative countertop market.
By providing superior countertop solutions under the trusted Daltile brand name, the company is making it easier for retailers to execute a “complete sale,” comprising both tile flooring and countertop products.
Sales support, training. Success entails more than providing retailers with trendy products. Daltile’s newly enhanced countertop offering also comes with a comprehensive support package. “This includes training and certification programs for fabricators as well as effective merchandising vehicles for all customer segments,” said Paij Thorn-Brooks, vice president of marketing. “Extensive literature has also been created to effectively educate the retail sales associate, guide the consumer through the selection process, accurately convey the levels of style and design inherent in all of our large-format slabs and train the installer. We have put everything in place to help our retailers successfully add countertops to their existing businesses, and we also have the infrastructure to support them for continued success in this lucrative and fast-growing arena.”
As Daltile further invests in the countertop industry, the brand will continue to be the customer’s leading resource for her product needs. Regardless of the vision or application, Daltile offers customers across the nation the products and resources they need to bring their designs to life.
Leadership in innovation. “Daltile’s new countertop focus is being driven by product and technical innovations,” said Matt Kahny, executive vice president. “We have launched porcelain slabs that deliver the incredible beauty of natural stone along with the durability and performance of porcelain. We have introduced proprietary, high-style granites and quartzites as well as new One Quartz products that cover a diverse array of designs. Innovation in style, design, technology and performance in everything we do.”
Thorn-Brooks credits Daltile with revolutionizing porcelain slabs. “We took countertops to the next level through investment and innovation, and style and design leadership in the porcelain slab arena. Daltile’s new Panoramic Porcelain Surfaces offer the ultimate in design and style flexibility.”
Investments pay dividends. Daltile is investing significantly to develop and implement the tools and technologies needed to offer the products with which retailers can make more money in the countertop segment. “Our greatest investment is the new plant we are building in Tennessee to increase participation in quartz countertops,” Kahny explained. “This facility will be operational in 2018. Our investments also span several additional areas of our business, including establishing new Daltile Stone Centers to expand our network and get closer to our customers. We currently have centers across the country and will continue expanding in 2018.”