Archive · 11 Aug 2026
Morbi's Ceramic Industry Shapes India's Manufacturing Future as Global Cluster
In a city called Morbi in India, people make a lot of tiles — the flat pieces used on floors and walls.
Over the past 20 years, Morbi has become one of the biggest tile-making places in the whole world.
It is the second-biggest maker of ceramic tiles anywhere.
About 70 out of every 100 tiles made in India come from Morbi, and most of India's tile exports start there too.
Factories there work together with machine makers, packaging companies, testing labs and truck drivers.
Buyers in other countries now want good designs, quality checks, certifications and reliable supply, not just cheap prices.
So the factories are using robots, digital printing and better ovens to make their tiles.
Making tiles needs a lot of natural gas, and when gas prices go up because of world events, it costs more to make tiles.
Even with challenges like that, the companies keep investing in new technology and better products.
One company, Storico Ceramica, makes enough tile each day to cover more than 57,000 square metres of floor space.
Morbi, Gujarat, has grown over the last 20 years into one of the world's biggest ceramic clusters, with an estimated 1,000-1,200 manufacturing units.
The cluster accounts for around 70 per cent of the Indian ceramic industry and roughly 90 per cent of India's ceramic product exports.
Manufacturers are shifting from cost- and volume-based production toward value addition, adopting automation, digital printing, advanced kiln systems and precision quality control.
The industry has faced challenges including freight cost increases, inflation, raw material price fluctuations and energy market volatility tied to geopolitical events.
Morbi-based Storico Ceramica produces 57,600 square metres of porcelain tile per day, serving residential, commercial, hospitality and infrastructure markets.
- Who
- Ceramic and porcelain tile manufacturers in Morbi, Gujarat, including companies like Storico Ceramica.
- What
- Morbi has become one of the world's largest ceramic tile clusters, producing a major share of India's ceramic output and exports while shifting from volume-based to value-added manufacturing.
- When
- Over the last 20 years, with significant transformation in the past decade.
- Where
- Morbi, Gujarat, India.
- Why
- Driven by entrepreneurship, technology adoption and ongoing investments to meet evolving global demand for production consistency, design capability, quality assurance and reliability.
- Location
- Morbi, Gujarat, India
- Manufacturing units
- 1,000-1,200 ceramic units
- Global ranking
- 2nd biggest ceramic tile manufacturing cluster in the world
- Share of Indian ceramic industry
- ~70 per cent
- Share of ceramic exports
- ~90 per cent
- Key fuel
- Natural gas
- Storico Ceramica daily output
- 57,600 square metres of porcelain tile
- Growth period
- Last 20 years