In 2020, the development of slate in China has entered an explosive and blowout stage of development. The number of production lines has surged from more than 10 at the end of 2019 to more than 100. This year is also known as China's "Stone Slab" "First year". After entering 2021, the development of rock slabs suddenly "went cold", and the rapid expansion of production lines in the previous year will no longer be seen. Since June, rock slab warehouse explosions and low-price vicious competition have occurred one after another, and many have been involved in rock slabs. Some companies could not bear the pressure and changed their slate production lines back to ceramic tile production lines.
So, after the high moment quickly fell into the trough, where will the next development of rock slabs go?
On December 27, at the Stone Slab Industry Development Strategy Summit and the 2nd Golden Rock Award Ceremony hosted by China Ceramics Network, Nan Shunzhi, founder of Dajiaolu, Li Xiaogang, general manager of KIMS Stone Slab, and General Ceramics Brand Liu Xiaolei, general manager, Deng Shaoqing, general manager of Owen Lai's slate business unit, Zheng Shousheng, founder of Haoxuequan Media, and others launched a peak dialogue around the theme of "What's the next step for slate?" and discussed the current situation and products of slate. A total of 6 topics including , brand, channel, service and future were discussed in depth. The roundtable forum was hosted by Zheng Zhe, editor-in-chief of NetEase Home News Center.
(The following content is compiled from the forum records and has not been reviewed by the guests themselves)< /span>
Current situation
Zheng Zhe: Since June this year, product explosions and low-price competition have occurred one after another, and the development of rock slabs has entered a trough. How do you view the current situation?
Deng Shaoqing: This issue can be discussed from three aspects: front, middle and back. The front end refers to the consumer market, the middle is the dealer/distributor, and the back end is the manufacturer. Due to the concentrated release of rock slab production capacity, it has increased at least four to five times in a short period of time. However, in fact, many rock slab manufacturers do not have self-built channels. Their biggest customers are the well-known large platforms in Foshan and Shuitou. These large customers usually place orders on a wholesale basis. Due to the nature of rock slabs,The market price has been falling, and the goods of the distributor may have dropped by dozens of dollars while they are still on the production line. For middlemen, they will naturally no longer place orders in large quantities like they did at the beginning. At the same time, the kilns of the slate manufacturers are still producing, and the products cannot be digested and can only be accumulated in the warehouse. Looking at the consumer market, slate slabs have been mostly used for background walls from the beginning. You must know that the demand in this market is limited. It was not until July and August this year that the industry began to cultivate the market for slate slabs on walls and floors, and this is the only market. When it matures, it will be possible to digest the huge production capacity of rock slabs. In the end, what led to the price war was not only the explosion of production capacity, but also another important factor, that is, the serious homogeneity of products. When the rock slabs produced by each manufacturer are similar, the only way to seize customer resources is to reduce prices. .
Li Xiaogang: I don’t think it’s a bad phenomenon to see the various states of the rock slab industry today. Because if slate does not quickly enter a rational environment, it will be irresponsible for manufacturers, dealers, and consumers. The more this time comes, the more the industry and companies are urged to calm down and think. Only then can everyone clearly understand which companies are focusing on the research and development of rock slabs. Only the remaining companies will bring positive changes to the rock slab industry. develop. The so-called "cold wave" of rock slabs is something that should have happened a long time ago in my personal prediction, and this "cold wave" comes in time. I believe that after this winter, high-quality rock slab companies will usher in their own success. spring.
Liu Xiaolei: The current phenomenon is actually the only way for the development of any industry, including enterprises. We can divide the entire development path into the introduction period, growth period, maturity period and decline period. In several stages, among them the most important introduction period, companies took too short time to make decisions and entered the market without thinking carefully about the reasons for choosing to make rock slabs. This phenomenon can be best described with a word that is currently popular on the Internet, and that is involution. The reason why the trend of rock slabs has risen so quickly is that the original construction and ceramics companies believe that the cross-border rock slabs will be an incremental market, and they all want to gain more results in this field, but the gap between imagination and reality is still there. It takes time to resolve. As we all know, when people perform long jumps, they can jump higher and further only by squatting first to accumulate energy. The same is true for enterprises. The rock slab industry is currently in a consolidation phase. It is said that if there is an upswing, it will rise in the long term. Only by constantly sorting out the problems during the shock process and adapting to the rules of the game can the industry tend to be standardized and rational. So I think this is a good phenomenon at this stage. Although it may be uncomfortable in the short term, the development of rock slabs needs to go forward.to this point.
Nan Shunzhi: The development of anything is "you will reap melons if you sow melons, and you will reap beans if you sow beans." Looking at the development pattern of the entire building ceramics industry, categories continue to evolve from porcelain tiles, antique tiles, polished tiles, glazed tiles, etc. Rock slabs are a result of innovation in the building ceramics category. The biggest beneficiary at this node is actually the upstream. equipment manufacturers, rather than manufacturers that follow suit. Generally speaking, the time for rock slab harvesting has not yet come. New energy vehicles are a very good example. New things have to undergo years of precipitation before finally reaping the rewards. Regarding the slate market, companies have drawn a big pie for themselves, thinking that slate can be used everywhere, and wishing that the ceilings were covered with slate. In fact, this is the internal thinking of the industry rather than the thinking of consumers. Real consumption What are the needs of the users? I think whatever materials should be used for decoration should be used. Where ceramic tiles were originally used, rock slabs can be used instead. The remaining applications of so-called cross-border replacements for other materials are very few, and there is still a need for Time goes by slowly.
Zheng Shousheng: I think the ceramic industry is now in a very anxious stage, which has led to companies swarming in as soon as new materials and new opportunities appear. Often this At that time, enterprises lacked consumer thinking and did not know enough about the consumer side. Whether enterprises are experiencing involution or anxiety, they are all labor pains that industry development must go through. After the labor pain period, companies with weaker competitiveness will be found to be eliminated. I believe that through the current state of the slate, companies will have a better understanding of the future. Be more thoughtful and prepared. I had an in-depth understanding of the Desai brand in 2018, and found that it actually cooperates with many designers and design institutes, and has therefore entered into many large-scale public decoration projects. What we have to admit is that our domestic slate manufacturers urgently need to learn a lesson in design aesthetics so that they can take the slate industry forward better.
Products
Zheng Zhe: We have seen that in the past year, there have been many new technology and new function slate products, such as hot-bent slate, translucent slate, super Wear-resistant slate, graphene heating slate, etc., from the perspective of users or consumers, what kind of color design and process innovation are what they need and what is the best fit?Meet market demand? What do you think about the future research and development direction of the entire slate product?
Deng Shaoqing: Owen Lai is actually a brand that has been doing special craftsmanship. Process innovation is definitely beneficial to the development of slate. This year's slate companies are feeling the pressure of price competition, so they are seeking changes. The way to change is to achieve differentiation through product technology. I believe that process innovation requires core competitiveness. The so-called core competitiveness is something you write in black and white and cannot be imitated by others. Process innovation realized by the supporting services provided by equipment and raw material manufacturers will produce products that have neither vitality nor vitality. Without market competitiveness, it will soon fall into homogeneity and price wars. Enterprise R&D teams need constant precipitation and the spirit of study to create truly their own process innovation.
Li Xiaogang: As for the research and development direction of slate products, I think it still needs to be analyzed based on the positioning of the product, which can be divided into several aspects. The first is marketing positioning, which requires improving competitiveness by creating differentiated products belonging to the brand; the second is consumption positioning, which requires developing different products for different consumer groups; the third is application fields, which have different effects on product physical properties, size and thickness. The needs are different, so corresponding distinctions need to be made when developing products; the fourth is design aesthetics. The design and color development of products must conform to the current fashion trends and have a sense of beauty and design. Only by fully considering the entire slate product development by combining all aspects of the situation can we be more down-to-earth. This is also more conducive for companies to make products that meet market demand from the perspective of consumers.
Liu Xiaolei: I think product development issues should be viewed from the channels that companies want to capture. If you only meet the requirements at the supply chain level, such as cooperating with some furniture factories, kitchen and bathroom factories, then you only need to improve the physical properties of the rock slabs, because the biggest demand of these channels for the rock slabs is the inherent quality that can be deeply processed. , the demand for color and texture is relatively simple. If you want to upgrade to a larger specification and adopt the concept of slate tiles, then there will be higher requirements for the external appearance of slate products. Whether it is slate or ceramic tiles, the pattern materials are all taken from stone and wood. , metal, cloth texture, etc. Nowadays, in addition to restoring these textures, the texture of the product surface is also receiving more and more attention. In response to this, we combine digital, fine carving, abrasives, dry granulation and other processes to meet the needs. Current consumer aesthetic needs.
Nan Shunzhi: The main reason why large-area paving of rock slabs has not yet been promoted is that the problem of wear resistance has not been solved. From bright rock slabs to dry-grained rock slabs, Judging from the wear resistance of the products, the industry is actually going backwards. The so-called progress is only a breakthrough in size and thickness. Therefore, we only officially launched the super wear-resistant slate after we truly solved this pain point. For consumers, do they really need so much craftsmanship and color? Just like instant noodles, hundreds of flavors have been developed, but people often eat only one or two. This is not a waste of resources. For manufacturers, transition is equivalent to bankruptcy. As long as they can meet the application needs of different scenarios and achieve the application effects that consumers want, there is no need to introduce redundant specifications and thicknesses. There is another phenomenon in the industry. The rock slabs on the walls and on the ground are also pursuing ultra-white slabs. This is actually a waste. As a production company, we should cherish the existing resources.
Zheng Shousheng: I think all product and process innovations serve the space. When developing products, companies must study the consumer side and what each space application scenario requires. products with similar physical properties. It is unrealistic for a single enterprise to cover all aspects in one go. In the future, it will need to be more segmented and focused. Strong companies may feel that they can meet the needs of all fields, but for companies that do not have such strength, it is recommended to study the application requirements of a specific space, such as what kind of rock slabs are needed for hospitals and what kind of rock slabs are needed for hotels. Slabs, what kind of rock slabs are needed for kitchen and bathroom spaces? Each segment has a huge market space worth exploring.
Brand
Zheng Zhe: Regarding the issue of branding and materialization of slate slabs, we have been discussing it since the birth of the slate category. Now two years have passed. What are your different views on this? What significance does brand have for slate companies and even the entire slate industry?
Zheng Shousheng: I don’t think brands and materials should be completely separated. It can also be understood as material branding. For example, in some timber and wood board industries, some excellent brands have been born. It can be said that brands are the only way for future enterprises. What brands really need to do is to focus and establish brand awareness through benchmarking consumer groups, product positioning, supporting services, and distribution systems. Brand awareness will become the first message conveyed by enterprises, designers, and consumers.
Nan Shunzhi: Whether it is ceramic tiles or rock slabs, the essence of both is materials. At present,The ceramic tile industry has moved towards branding, while the slate industry is still in the material stage, and moving towards branding requires a development process. Brand is actually a safe and reliable guarantee provided by enterprises to consumers. Brand represents quality and reputation, and it helps consumers simplify their choices. In fact, the market share of China's building ceramics industry is quite large. Each brand has different ladders and different tracks. Only by being number one in a certain field can it become a professional brand trusted by consumers.
Liu Xiaolei: Although Yanban has been developing for two years, the brand’s IP is actually not very obvious yet. I think the slate industry still needs the existence of a brand. The brand is a carrier of the enterprise. It can be said that an enterprise without a brand has no soul. To build a slate brand, you first need to understand the company's own original intention and mission, which determines what a brand can bring to consumers and what consumer needs it can satisfy. Drawing on the development route of ceramic tile brands, it is not difficult to see that the brand's imprint is very strong. The B-side chooses a brand based on the choice of category; the C-side chooses a brand based on trust. In the future, if rock slabs take the branding route, they must have a clear mission and return to their original aspirations.
Li Xiaogang: In fact, my understanding of brands is very simple. I use a very good product and want to share it with people around me. At this time, I need to convey it through the brand, not the category. I think there is no doubt about the branding of rock slabs, and the watershed of brands will become more and more obvious in the future, because it takes time for a brand to grow and gain market recognition. For newly born slate brands, the previous operating models of traditional ceramic tile brands cannot be implemented and cannot be integrated. Therefore, if some emerging brands can invest in product research and development with a return-to-zero mentality, it is very promising. The future slate brand must win the world with a zeroing mentality.
Deng Shaoqing: In fact, Owen Lai has been deeply cultivating a niche field for more than ten years. Now what we at Owen Lai want to do in the field of slate is to be a service provider for high-end cabinets. As for the material of rock slabs, we also need to build a brand. I think materials have their own living space, and brands also have their own brand practices. It’s just that making a brand may be a little harder and requires persistence, while making materials is relatively simple and crude. As long as the production capacity can be Just make it big and the cost low. However, if a company wants to build a brand and occupy a large market by doing OEM business, it may not be able to do both well. In general, this is a matter of choice for corporate decision-makers, and there is no right or wrong.
Channel
Zheng Zhe: As mentioned just now, the sales channels of rock slabs can be roughly divided intoThere are 5 channels including home, furniture, wall and floor, bathroom, and stone. So which channels do you think are the real directions for stone slab companies to develop their efforts?
Zheng Shousheng: I think slate needs to focus on the development of design channels in the future, because for high-end consumer groups, it is often designers who first use this material in projects, and then consumers will have a certain understanding of the material and brand. Know. At present, many brands are lacking in the level of conversion of designer groups. They only focus on promotion, but have not formed conversion, let alone a sustainable service model. In the future, commercial space and high-end residences will be the mainstream consumption tracks of slate. For these two levels, brands must link up with design institutes, public decoration design companies, and villa design offices... These groups need sustainable technical service support from brands. , which tests the delivery ability of rock slabs very much.
Nan Shunzhi: It stands to reason that the more sales channels the better, but the products and services corresponding to different channels are also different. Dajiulu still chooses to focus on the channel it is good at - retail channels, because the market for slate Education requires designers, so the designer channel will exist as a bonus to the retail channel. Therefore, the choice of channel is still based on the company's own strengths, rather than looking at what opportunities are provided by the outside world. Because the energy of brands and agents is limited, if there is an opportunity but cannot grasp it, then it is actually a pitfall.
Liu Xiaolei: I think companies can selectively choose channels that match themselves. The first is the furniture sector. We have introduced furniture factories as a channel since November 2019. The current volume and sales are relatively stable; the second is the distribution business sector. We should open our minds to welcome new traffic entrances and deploy decoration companies. and designers as a channel; the third is the high-end segment, which requires 3-5mm products as panels, and there are not many companies currently deploying it. All in all, all roads are feasible, and companies should choose the channels that suit them based on their production and service capabilities.
Li Xiaogang: The physical properties of slate itself are relatively superior, so the scope of application has also been broadened, and it can be involved in furniture, home furnishings and home decoration. I think slate is like a cabbage in the farmer's market. It is sold to restaurants and ends up on customers' tables. If it is bought back by a vegetable vendor, it may be resold a few more times before it ends up on people's tables. If a beautiful young woman buys something home, it may go directly through her hands and onto the family dining table. But no matter which channel it is, the brand ultimately serves consumers. Not only that, as a kind of board, slate needs to go through the hands of designers before it can finally be turned into a delicious dish.
Deng Shaoqing: I think which channel to choose depends on the company's own situation, and after choosing a channel, don't change your track easily. If you stretch your hands too far, you will often get nothing in the end. . Slate is a very good product, and it seems that it can be sold through any channel, but it is impossible for a company to sell well in all channels at the same time. PlaceIn other words, whatever your job is, you should walk on that road, and don't have to look at Shu.
Services
Zheng Zhe: We all know that the sales process of slate slabs includes processing services, transportation, logistics, distribution, design, etc. The design environment is very complex, so some people have put forward the view that ceramic tile companies In the process of cross-border development of rock slabs, the biggest obstacle is the inability to keep up with processing service capabilities. Do you agree with this view? How should the problems existing in cross-border development be solved?
Deng Shaoqing: In fact, there are shadows when dealers sell rock slabs. They cannot estimate their own costs. The costs of transportation, packaging, processing, going upstairs, installation, etc. are very high. In addition, damage leads to uncontrollable costs. . It is actually unrealistic for manufacturers to cross-border processing, logistics, and finished product delivery. The way to solve this problem must be resource integration and provide a set of plans to teach dealers how to calculate costs, so that the price of terminal slates can be reduced. Lower it and increase sales.
Li Xiaogang: It can be said that the biggest problem hindering the development of slate is delivery. The traditional ceramic tile industry is not so complicated, and slate needs to pay more attention to service, so KMIS slate has launched a service provider plus dealer model.
Liu Xiaolei: Currently in the market, consumers have a much higher budget when choosing slate than choosing ceramic tiles. In fact, the implementation of services is not mature enough. The entire service system has not yet been integrated at the agent level. People often say that "the general rule does not hurt, but the pain does not work." Only by integrating the service system at the agent stage can the delivery-style operation of slate slabs be realized.
Nan Shunzhi: Dajiaolu also proposed differentiated services during the implementation phase - "five-guaranteed service". In the future, slate slabs must be like the home customization industry, including construction, processing, paving, after-sales and maintenance. , can the entire consumer end be opened up.
Zheng Shousheng: I think the future of services must be fully entrusted services. Full entrusted services do not necessarily have to be provided directly by manufacturers and brands. There will be many third parties in the future. What manufacturers have to do is to integrate third-party resources.
Future
Zheng Zhe: In addition to the process, function, design and implementation service capabilities in product research and development mentioned above, what aspects should be improved in the development of rock slabs. Please use one sentence to express your views or comments on the future development of slate.
Zheng Shousheng: Rock slabs should be expected in the future, but the Xiongguan Road is really like iron, and now we have to cross it from the beginning.
Nan Shunzhi: I think when making rock slabs, you need to think small first and think through each point before doing it thoroughly. This is the most important thing.
Liu Xiaolei: Regarding rock slabs, my point of view is that the road is long and long, and I will explore up and down.
Li Xiaogang: The future of the ceramic industry is the future of rock slabs. We must make rock slabs well in one go.
Deng Shaoqing: The market for slate slabs is still very big. Even with a 50% discount on RMB 200 billion, there is still RMB 100 billion. I hope we can all fight for these RMB 100 billion and don’t be discouraged.
Zheng Zhe: Although today is the coldest day of the year, I believe that after listening to this forum, everyone will find that the slate industry is still hot. The future of rock slabs is still full of hope. Winter has arrived, and spring is certainly not far away.
