TERRAZZO TILE AND MARBLE ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
|
|
|
Terrazzo, Tile, Marble Industry You need not look any further than the Terrazzo, Tile and Marble Association of Canada to realize, these are good times for our industry. Home building and renovations right across the country continue to hover around record numbers. In fact, every sector – industrial, commercial and institutional – remains hot from coast to coast. It’s a sign of a strong economy, and at the same time it helps fuel a strong economic climate – good news for terrazzo, tile and marble. The TTMAC, as well as the entire industry, remains proactive, too. Innovative machinery, fresh material designs, new installation techniques, and positive marketing initiatives all contribute to the progress of the terrazzo, tile and marble industry – a growing member of the Canadian construction and renovation industries. In
many communities from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) forecasts, residential construction will drop to 216,300 starts in 2005, but there’s no cause for alarm. In fact, 2004 saw a 17-year high of 233,431 units started. CMHC also predicts, residential construction will continue to be strong in 2006, with 201,100 units forecast. Both
Statistics Canada and CMHC predict, renovation spending will hit $38 billion in
2005, and will thus outpace new home construction totals. This would mark an
all-time record for residential renovation spending in Across
the board, Canadian municipalities issued a record value of building permits in
2004, with $55.4 billion topping 2003's $50.8 billion by 9.1 per cent. The
annual level of permits has now risen for nine consecutive years. While the
value of non-residential buildings was $18.7 billion, down just 0.4 per cent
from 2003, the commercial, industrial and institutional sectors remain strong
from the What does all of this mean for terrazzo, tile and marble? Combined with the industry’s proactive measures, it all adds up to good news for manufacturers, contractors and retailers. And, it’s good news for building owners, occupants and residents who are enjoying modern, high-performance, aesthetically pleasing products in their homes and workplaces. According
to CMHC, Vancouver-based
Bridgewater Tile Ltd., and sister company Eurocan Marble & Granite Ltd.,
recognize the strong B.C. market. Specializing in high-end residential, high-end
multi-family residential, and commercial projects, Also active as TTMAC vice president, Vani says, “I suspect a lot of companies are stating that business is great.” He says, “2005 is shaping up as a great year.” An interesting trend noted by Vani is an increase in popularity of glass tile, making a comeback in a variety of applications. Vani
says the residential market in B.C.’s lower mainland is “jumping. There are
constantly multiple offers when property becomes available for sale.” In fact,
he sees the area’s commercial sector “shaping up as a banner period right
through 2008, with the onslaught of the 2010 Olympics (slated for From
“Last year was a very solid year,” says Mercuri, “and 2005 is looking strong as well. The economy turns around every four or five years, and right now things are fantastic. There is a lot of competition, mind you, and we need to do everything under the umbrella to be able to survive – terrazzo, epoxy, protective coatings, carpet, vinyl, some ceramic tile. Our population is small, so we must do a bit of everything.” With luxury homes on the uprise, Mercuri says it appears all homeowners are looking for something “classy and unique – something different. We see a lot of patterns, and larger ceramic tiles.” With
plants in “Overall, the biggest trend in the industry is the size of the tile and stone,” explains Boldt. “We’ve seen sizes go from 12 in. x 12 in. and 16 in. x 16 in. porcelain tile, now up to 24 in. x 12 in. and 24 in. x 48 in. And with many renovations taking place, tile and stone are the ultimate finishes. Old 4 in. x 8 in. quarry tile is being replaced with 16-inch, 18-inch and even larger tiles. The new look is definitely larger.” “Fifteen or 20 years ago, 10 per cent of the typical residences would include tile or stone,” says Boldt, “but now its anywhere from 25- to 40-per cent of the homes with surfaces tiled or stoned.” Boldt adds, along with larger tile comes “a different demand for surface preparation, different installation techniques, and different installation products. The bigger marble, granite, limestone tiles are heavier, so the structures have to be able to support those products.” As always, trends are consumer-driven, Boldt says. What’s hot? “Designing for a natural look of stone. Even manufactured tile now is manufactured to look like slate or marble.” A
fourth-generation stone industry professional, Bill Wright, sales manager at
Stone Tile International Inc. in “We’re seeing larger porcelain tiles,” says Wright, “and tile that looks like real stone. We’re bringing in 12 in. x 36 in., 24 in. x 24 in., 16 in. x 24 in. pieces – there are even pieces 16 in. x 48 in. now. There’s a demand chasing the realistic look of custom-cut stone flooring, reproduced as a porcelain tile.” Like
Mercuri, Wright acknowledges “a very competitive market, here in It’s
important to think outside the box when assessing industry strength – in this
case, exploring the industry beyond the 49th Parallel. In the For
example, attendance and participation at the Coverings trade show, which
showcases ceramic tile and natural stone coverings, is stronger than ever, with
more than 26,000 industry professionals from world-wide destinations converging
at the annual event. The Marble Institute of America (MIA) is holding road show
seminars this year in five These
are just two success stories south of the border. Here in “Our
new facility located at As for the terrazzo, tile and marble industry, Edissi says it has “grown tremendously over the years. As a result, the need for a national association such as the TTMAC has never been more important.” When
the TTMAC meets for its 62nd Annual Convention June 15-18 in |