Gianni Mattioli, executive vice president, Dal-Tile
Born in Italy’s “Tile District,” Gianni Mattioli can’t remember a time when he wasn’t around tile. He joined Marazzi after graduating college and has held roles in a variety of areas throughout the business, from finance to marketing to CEO. As the current executive vice president of Dal-Tile, this experience lends him a unique vantage point of the tile industry as a whole.
“Given that Italy has always been at the center of the ceramic industry worldwide, both in terms of technology and product development, these two important factors have given me a unique perspective of our group in particular and the tile industry in general. Having a strong understanding of both has always allowed me to feel comfortable in the many shoes I’ve worn throughout my career,” he said. “I’ve learned how important it is to always consider whatever is happening in my particular corner of the business with a very open eye.”
For Mattioli, the tile industry is an intersection of manufacturing, complexity and design.
“Finding the right mix of complexity and design is key to the long term success of any business, especially capital intensive ones,” he said. “We are manufacturing a very tangible product that people enjoy every day. Tile serves as the foundation for spaces and design; it is very important to creating the look you want and setting the tone for a room.”
Innovation fuels growth
And while the tile industry continues to experience healthy growth in the U.S. due to the consumer’s preference for hard surface, it has also experienced increased competition from other product categories. For continued growth, Mattioli explained that it is critical for companies to stay in “problem-solving mode.”
“In the U.S., there is always ‘another product.’ Just when you think you get a foothold, another product comes along that challenges our current products,” he said. “We have a great product, and we nurture it every day, but the real challenge is gaining market share where ceramic and porcelain aren’t today. The U.S. is very accepting of new products, so it makes it difficult to establish yourself. We combat this challenge by staying on the edge of technology, innovation and the next big thing.”
Indeed, some of the brightest spots for tile include advancements in technology and the subsequent improvements in quality and aesthetics that have opened up new markets for the category, according to Mattioli.
“In our new Dickson, Tennessee plant, we have our proprietary digital application technologies for the next generation of products. We have developed a technique to produce high slip resistance tile with easy cleanability,” he noted. “The digital glazing revolution and its impact on the manufacturing and product development processes has been exciting. The different level of knowledge you must have today compared to just a few short years ago is significant. This revolution is far from over.”
Challenges afoot
Although innovation and technology are largely propelling tile’s growth, in other ways it has created new changes, challenges and opportunities. According to Mattioli, the internet and the escalation of social media has continued to be a weak spot for many companies in the industry.
“The new consumer is very savvy. She knows much more about products than in the past, and she expects a much higher level of service now. Today’s consumer can tweet her disappointment with a product purchase to thousands of friends,” he said. “Our world moves faster than it ever has, so it’s important to stay on top of your reputation, and stay agile. As an industry, we are still struggling in the digital arena, while at the same time looking to find opportunities in the space as well.”
Because tile is such a technical product, another challenge is educating the consumer. According to Mattioli, many consumers are not as informed about tile as they are about other flooring categories, although this is improving given the availability of information on the internet.
“It is important to improve our marketing as an industry and ensure that homeowners are aware of all of the benefits of tile, he noted. “Tile is more than just a beautiful product. There are so many innate qualities that give tile an advantage over other flooring categories. We just need to make sure today’s consumers know about all of the benefits of tile.”
In addition, tile installation requires a high level of expertise and professional talent, and it is a challenge to continue growing this group as a career. “As an industry we need to be dedicated to growing professional installers, because when installed by a pro, tile installations can last decades or longer,” Mattioli explained.
But while the category continues to rapidly change and advance, there are certain unique qualities of the tile industry that remain steadfast.
“Tile becomes a part of who you are,” he explained. “Relationships are so strong in the tile industry – there are such strong support networks and partnerships forged that last decades. There’s a very human aspect in this industry that is unique and it flows through all facets of the business.”
Understanding today’s consumer
With quality options abounding, today is an incredibly exciting time to be a tile consumer. And with research showing the today’s consumers spend a tremendous amount of time personally conducting research online before they ever step foot inside a retail store, meeting and exceeding expectations is important for success, according to Mattioli.
“[Consumers] are much more knowledgeable about products in general and they have much greater expectations regarding the style, design and functionality a product can offer them,” he said. “But this is still an infrequent purchase for a consumer, and there is unfamiliar jargon and terminology to learn, as well as a selection process that can become overwhelming with the number of products and options out there.”
Because of this need to simplify information, Mattioli explained that the key to all of the company’s marketing efforts is making sure each of its brands has a comprehensive marketing and merchandising program that helps walk customers through this shopping process.
“This not only makes the journey enjoyable, but also helps ensure that they purchase the right product for their needs, style choices and personalities,” Mattioli said. “We also spend time connecting with them through social media and other digital conversations to ensure they always have the best information.”
By making the shopping process easier and more enjoyable for consumers, Mattioli has keenly focused Dal-Tile’s brands on equipping channels-to-market for success. The company is continuously working to provide its retailer and distributor partners with superior products wrapped in comprehensive marketing programs and the very best service in the industry.
“Our distributors and retailers know that they can always depend on our brands to give them the highest quality products that feature the very latest designs and features on the market,” said Mattioli. “Everything we do each day has the end-goal of satisfying end-consumers and helping our distributors and dealers increase their sales.”