How to Start a Tile Making Business

There are limitless opportunities in the tile business. You could establish a manufacturing company, become a wholesaler or distributor.

There are also franchise opportunities for medium sized investors. To start the business you need capital, knowledge of manufacturing process, market base. Choose a niche, focus on target demography, and gain experience.

Types of Tiles

There are different types of tiles in the market. To manufacture them you need to settle on niche.

Types of tiles are roof, floor, ceiling tiles. Materials used depend on the application. You have pebble, stone, ceramic, and light-wood. Some are made from glass, metal, and granite.

Tile Making Materials

• clay
• pebble
• stone
• ceramic
• plastic
• mineral fiber
• felt
• light-wood terracotta
• glass
• metal
• granite

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Uses of Tiles

The type dictates the application such as internal use slabs, walls, roofing or floor tiles. More are paving stones, decorative including decorative art made from stone, glass or ceramic.

Roof tiles are traditionally made from clay, slate, and terracotta. While modern roofing is composed of plastic or concrete material.

Floor ones are ceramic, glass, clay, rubber. The lightweight ceiling tiles are used inside a building. They are designed to add to the acoustics of a room, provide thermal insulation. Other ceiling tiles are mineral fiber, wet felt, stone wool tiles, and gypsum tiles.

How to Start a Tiles Business

Research

The first step is to conduct research, study the industry and come up with a business plan. Carry out a feasibility study, choose a niche sector and learn the trade.

 Buy equipment and locate suppliers of raw materials. The search should focus on costumer needs, popularity of the product. Other considerations are competition, availability of raw materials.

Learn the Manufacturing Process

There are different equipment and manufacturing processes depending on the niche. The equipment could be locally fabricated, branded or imported.

The machinery could be manual, semi-automated or fully automated. The size of the production plant also dictates the cost.

Write a Business Plan

Write a tile business plan to establish long, short term goals. You need to develop business structure, find ideal location, equipment, staff, funding.

Register the Business

Incorporate the business as a LLC, sole proprietorship or partnership. Choose a business name, get insurance for your business. The business my require value added tax, tax identification number.

• Limited Liability Company
• Sole proprietorship
• Partnership
• Business name
• Get insurance
• Value added tax
• Tax identification number
•  Ceramic tiles manufacturing business
•  Lace making
• Jute bag making
• Start a small cement company

Lease a Facility

You need good space for your equipment, storage. Find an area close to the source of raw material or market. The location should be easily accessible with adequate operational utilities. Locate the business away from neighborhoods or residential areas.

Supply and Marketing

You need a good supply chain for the raw materials. Find credible sources that offer good prices, steady supply.

Marketing the product is challenging this is because there are many brands in the market. What differentiate your product would be beauty, quality, and cost. Create a marketing budget and use both online/offline advertisements.