Volodymyr Syrov, Director of Epicentr Ceramic Corporation, answers the questions of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency

Text: Oksana Gryshyna

- How has the ceramic tile market in Ukraine changed since 2022?

- The ceramic tile market in Ukraine in 2024 decreased by 4.3% compared to 2023, reaching 28.1 million sq m (in the pre-war year 2021 - 44.5 million sq m). This decline caused a significant decrease in imports - by 19.5%. At the same time, national manufacturers showed growth: production volumes increased by 4.7%, and exports - by a record 72.7%.

Despite the overall market contraction, Epicentr Ceramic Corporation increased production by 25.3%, producing 7.7 million sq m of tiles. This allowed the company to reach pre-war indicators and even exceed them by 5% (compared to 2021). In addition, we managed to increase our positions and rise from third to second place in Ukraine among all manufacturers. This gave us optimism to move forward and build ambitious plans for the future. Our tasks today are to expand geography, launch new technologies and formats focused on the international market.

- In which countries are your products currently represented? Which regions are prioritized for further export development?

- Currently, Epicentr Ceramic Corporation supplies products to 16 countries, including Poland, Romania, Moldova, which account for the lion's share of all exports. We also export to Belgium, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Slovakia, Austria, Estonia, Qatar and Georgia. France and Luxembourg, to which we did not export at all before the war, have also appeared in our export portfolio. Our priority is to expand into highly developed markets - Germany, France, Great Britain, the United States, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. There is demand for products with high added value there, and we have every opportunity to compete in these markets.

- What kind of products are we talking about? Which formats are the most competitive?

- The largest share in sales is occupied by floor tiles measuring 600x600 mm. Our main focus in production for 2025 is on the Mat surface, then Satin and Glossy.

The greatest interest among international customers is caused by large-format tiles of 1,200×1,200 mm, made using Continua technology. Even among leading European manufacturers, this technology is rare. Demand is also growing for thickened tiles of 20 mm, which are used for decorating terraces, garden areas, house areas and pedestrian paths.

European countries prefer non-standard textures - wood, stone, mixes. Our updated line contains just such designs. We are adding new tile collections with premium Satin and Full Lappato coatings.

The most popular formats remain 600×600 mm and 1,200×600 mm, the share of which in market consumption exceeds 45%, but the company is betting on technological coatings: Super Mat - an ultra-matte surface with high anti-slip properties for commercial spaces; Soft Mat - a satin texture with high wear resistance, which perfectly conveys the depth of color and texture of stone, marble and onyx. Epicentr Ceramic Corporation plant produces more than 360 types of tiles in total, which allows it to satisfy different consumer tastes.

- According to the production development and modernization program, you have announced a goal to reach a production capacity of 18 million square meters in 2027. What capacities are currently active? What volumes do you plan to achieve this year?

- The plant in Kalynivka installed the fourth production line last year, which allowed us to increase the company's capacity to 12.5 million sq m per year. Thanks to investments in the completion of new production lines, the company intends to increase capacity to 18 million sq m per year by 2027. The company continues to innovate, expand its range and strengthen its presence in international markets.

- Your production has been export-oriented from the start. What export targets do you set and what steps are you taking to achieve them?

- The company is actively working to strengthen its position in the international market. In 2024, we managed to more than double our exports, which gives us confidence in our expansion plans. Epicentr Ceramic Corporation is the only Ukrainian ceramic tile manufacturer that presented its own stand at CEVISAMA 2025 in Valencia. By 2021, we exported more than 50% of our products. Due to the war, this figure fell, but our goal is to reach a share of 27-30% in 2025, and in the short term, restore exports to pre-war levels. Participation in the exhibition is the first step in this direction.

With the participation of CFI, Agence française de développement médias, as part of the Hub Bucharest Project with the support of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs