Tile by tile the beautiful story gets told
Indian manufacturer floors the competition
Two globally renowned tile brands – Restile and The Tile Story – under Bell Granito Ceramica Limited (BGCL) exhibited at CEVISAMA – the leading international trade event for the ceramic, bathroom equipment, and natural stone sectors – held at Feria Valencia in Valencia, Spain, from February 26 to March 1, 2024.
A reputed player in the global tiling industry since 1993, BGCL is headquartered in Gujarat, India, and is renowned for crafting the finest marble designs and vitrified full-body tiles using cutting-edge technology.
Restile was among the first companies in India to manufacture full-body homogeneous vitrified tiles and unpolished smooth tiles. It manufactures 100% vitrified tiles featuring 100% naturally pressed designs and boasts a unique characteristic of 0% digital printing or glaze coating.
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Catering to a diverse audience, from architects to dealers and homeowners, Restile’s product range is designed to meet various needs. Initially favoured for high-traffic areas, the brand’s technical porcelain has since become preferred for residential projects.
Restile’s absolute through-body/full-body porcelain, with designs extending from top to bottom, stands out for its durability, resistance to harsh conditions, and technical prowess compared to traditional materials like marble, granite, and stone.
Restile’s technical porcelain, produced through a metal punch process, provides enhanced durability, physical and technical properties, easy maintenance, dust-free characteristics, no open pores, and a smooth, unpolished matte surface finish. The product’s beauty is further exemplified through various surface finishes, including unpolished (matte, sandy rustic, flamed rustic) and polished.
In an exclusive interview at CEVISAMA 2024, Viren Rathod, Director of Bell Granito Ceramica Limited, elaborated on prioritising quality, innovation, and strategic global expansion.
Excerpts from the interview:
Can you provide a brief overview of Restile and The Tile Story?
The Tile Story is our latest venture that focuses exclusively on producing and selling mosaics. Both Restile and The Tile Story offer unglazed tiles, setting us apart from competitors who typically coat their surfaces. Our emphasis on quality and a smooth finish distinguishes us in the market.
What is unique about Restile?
Dedicated to delivering high-quality products and services, Restile employs stringent quality control measures to ensure the highest standards, from thorough testing of incoming raw materials to systematic online tile quality monitoring and random batch checks.
Embracing sustainability, Restile prioritises environmental responsibility. It implements measures to control production processes, minimise wastage, recycle materials, and reuse water waste. The company has been harnessing solar power to fuel its factory since 2019.
Can you share details about the company’s history?
In 2010, my uncle and father took over the company. We injected capital, introduced new machinery, revitalised operations, and made significant strides in the tile manufacturing sector in India.
Where is your production based?
Our production hub is located in Vadodara, Gujarat, India.
What is your current market focus, especially in the Arabian Gulf region?
We are actively engaged in projects in Kuwait and Oman, with a limited presence in Dubai. However, we are keen to expand in the Middle East. Meanwhile, the US market remains significant to us due to its immense potential for mosaic products.
How do you navigate challenges in international markets, particularly in the face of anti-dumping measures?
Anti-dumping measures are in progress in several of our export markets, and we are aligning our prices with Chinese production costs. Our strength lies in machinery expertise, maintenance, and quality production, contributing to our success in the global market.
Can you shed light on your design process and factors influencing product lines?
Our designs are inspired by stone and granite, aligning with our production capabilities. The current global trend is leaning towards larger sizes, but we focus on our current size due to its high commercial demand.
How do you tackle the challenges of local production in the Middle East?
We distinguish ourselves through superior quality. Our tiles exhibit a unique finish and higher strength than competitors – making us a preferred choice.
How is your company navigating disruptions in global supply chains resulting from the Red Sea conflict zone?
The ongoing disruptions are indeed affecting our customers’ purchasing decisions. Some customers are holding off until the situation stabilises, particularly in regions like Europe and Asia. Air freight is not viable for our products due to weight constraints. We are closely monitoring the situation for any potential impact on our operations.
Featured image: Viren Rathod: ‘We are all about quality and more.’ Credit: Arnold Pinto
