Rising Demands of Ceramic Sanitary Wares in Africa

The demand for sanitary wares has been increasing in emerging economies such as Africa. Currently, the continent lacks innovative products, affordable prices, and efficient distribution systems. The market is fragmented and lacks new ideas. This is why manufacturers are faced with multiple challenges in this region. However, this growth can be facilitated by new technologies. In this article, we discuss some of the key challenges in this region.

Growing Demand for Sanitary Wares in Emerging Economies

The global economy is being hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has somewhat affected the demand for ceramic sanitary wares. In addition to the disease itself, COVID-19 also affects global supply chains and has caused a change in the competitive order for manufacturers. Currently, global sanitary ware suppliers are facing an oversupply situation. This situation has been directly caused by movement restrictions and has affected the supply chain. However, the situation is expected to improve once the social distancing from the virus ends.

This increased demand for sanitary wares in emerging economies has helped some companies expand their business to these countries. One such company, the Orient Ceramics has also established its name in many countries of the world. It has a huge portfolio of sanitary ware market reports, covering various industries and regions.

Lack of Affordable Products

A lack of affordable ceramic sanitation products in Africa has led to increased levels of sewer blockage and septic tank cleaning. According to a report, sanitation workers are paid up to thousands of dollars each month to remove sewer blockages.

Product Innovation in Ceramic Sanitation Wares

The product innovation in ceramic sanitation wares has been one of the several reasons for its rising growth in Africa. For starters, the cost of these sanitary wares is very affordable, especially for those in the lower middle class. Therefore, rural populations are likely to purchase ceramic sanitary wares. Other factors that may help in the market growth include stringent government regulations, exchange rate volatility, and fluctuating raw material prices.

The price of ceramic sanitary wares in the EU has been affected by the cheap supply of products from Asia and Eastern Europe. This has resulted in a decrease in the price of these items in Western Europe, forcing European producers to seek refuge at the upper end of the market. Moreover, many companies have moved production to Eastern Europe, where wages are low, resulting in the loss of middle-market share.

Fragmented Market of Ceramic Sanitary Ware

The global ceramic sanitary ware market is highly fragmented with several regional segments and sub-regions. This segment comprises toilets, basins, and shower enclosures. The segment has been divided into white and black sanitary wares, with the former accounting for the largest share by 2022. Despite their differences, the curved segment is expected to continue to grow due to their popularity as they complement almost every interior theme and are easy to maintain.

The Bottom Line

In addition, to all the above things there is a growing work-from-home culture in the region, which has boosted the demand for sanitary ware. Meanwhile, a number of construction projects in the region have been delayed or cancelled. Large-scale vaccination drives are anticipated to propel market growth between 2022 and 2025. While the place is currently experiencing a difficult economic environment, it is believed that the growth of the ceramic sanitary ware market will resume once the virus has been recovered.