Trade & Business

Bangladesh Ceramics Export Industry 2020: Tableware and Tile Market Analysis

Bangladesh Ceramics Industry Overview

Bangladesh ceramics industry is a representative case of successful export diversification supported by steady growth in domestic demand. In 2020, ceramics exports reached about USD 120 million, recording annual growth of roughly 15 percent. Major manufacturers such as Monno Ceramics, Shinepukur, and RAK Ceramics Bangladesh drove this rise, while tableware, sanitaryware, and floor tiles were the top three product groups. Affordable natural gas and quality clay-based raw materials remain the industry's core competitiveness.

USD 120M
Export Value
FY 2020
+15%
Growth Rate
5-year CAGR
USD 500M
Domestic Market
FY 2020
60
Manufacturers
25 exporting firms
50K
Employment
Direct workers
55
Export Destinations
Countries

Breakdown by Export Category

Bangladesh Ceramics Export Categories (2020)
CategoryExport ValueShareGrowthMain Markets
TablewareUSD 55M46%+12%U.S., Europe, Japan
Floor and Wall TilesUSD 30M25%+20%India, Middle East, Africa
SanitarywareUSD 20M17%+18%India, Sri Lanka, Middle East
Industrial CeramicsUSD 8M7%+10%Europe, Southeast Asia
Decorative CeramicsUSD 7M5%+8%U.S., UK, Australia

Floor and tile exports have shown the strongest growth, expanding by 20 percent due largely to the construction boom in India and the Middle East. Tableware sales are also robust because global retailers such as Walmart and IKEA account for a major share through OEM supply contracts. Bangladesh- made tableware has also reached Korean mass-retail channels.

Key Manufacturers

Monno Ceramics (Tableware)
Established1985
Core ProductsBone China, Porcelain
Export Share70%
CertificationsFDA, LFGB, ISO
RAK Ceramics BD (Tile)
Established2000 (UAE JV)
Core ProductsFloor Tiles, Sanitaryware
Export Share30%
CertificationsISO, CE, SASO
01
Natural Gas and Raw Material Advantage
The strongest competitive advantage is low-cost natural gas as the firing fuel and reliable clay inputs. Gas prices are roughly one-third of India's level, substantially reducing kiln costs. High-grade deposits of kaolin and ball clay are mined in Netrokona and Mymensingh; however, feldspar and frit are partly imported from India and China. Some firms are already evaluating LPG conversion as a contingency for gas shortages.
02
COVID-19 and Export Impacts
The pandemic effect in 2020 varied by product line. Tableware was supported by home-cooking and home-dining trends in the U.S. and Europe, sustaining demand (+12%). Tiles and sanitaryware were initially affected by construction slowdowns in early 2020 but recovered in the second half as building activity resumed in India and the Gulf region. On balance, ceramics absorbed the shock better than many other manufacturing groups.
03
Cooperation Opportunities for Korean Firms
(1) Raw material exports from Korea: estimated USD 30 million demand for feldspar, frit, and glaze inputs. (2) Kiln and processing equipment: tunnel kilns, roller kilns, and dryers. (3) Design partnerships: co-development between Korean design studios and Bangladesh factories under OEM arrangements. (4) Import opportunities: distribution of Bangladesh-made bone china tableware in Korea, including value-conscious channels. (5) Sanitaryware: competitively priced bathroom solutions for Korean home-interior distribution.
04
Market Outlook
(1) Domestic: tile and sanitaryware demand is expected to grow around 15% yearly, driven by middle-class expansion and residential construction. (2) Export: target is USD 300 million by 2025. (3) Constraints: gas shortages, grid instability, and higher dependence on imported specialty inputs. (4) Opportunity: labor cost is roughly one-quarter of China, helping Bangladesh attract relocated OEM volume. (5) FTA effect: further use of CEPA and PTA can support market expansion toward India and Japan.

Export Trend

Bangladesh Ceramics Export Trend
2015
USD 45M
2016
USD 55M
2017
USD 70M
2018
USD 85M
2019
USD 100M
2020
USD 120M
2025 Target
USD 300M
Bangladesh Plastic Industry 2020Related manufacturing ecosystem
Bangladesh Leather Industry 2020Traditional export benchmark

Bangladesh ceramics is growing around 15% annually on the back of cheap gas and clay input advantages, while increasingly positioning itself as a China alternative in global OEM supply. Korean firms have practical entry points in both directions: upstream materials and kiln equipment exports, and downstream import of competitively priced tableware and sanitaryware.

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Bangladesh Ceramics Export Industry 2020: Tableware and Tile Market Analysis | Dhaka Trade Portal