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Creating a design concept for a kitchen or remodeling an outdated bathroom requires an understanding of the products and services available to those looking to undertake such a project. The ProSource Podcast breaks down the home remodeling industry and highlights the merchandise and experience that it requires to achieve your vision. Join ProSource Director of Digital Marketing Content Kevin Devine, as he speaks with those who facilitate the ideal project and offer valuable information for how to choose the ideal products and services that transform your ideas into reality.
Welcome or welcome back to The ProSource
Podcast.
Today I am sitting with representatives
from the Daltile product team,
Laura Grilli,
who's the Director of Product Design,
and Ivo Moyano,
Director of Product Development.
And we are
going to dive into some of the technology
that's featured throughout tile's
product selection
and learn more about how Daltile
products can benefit
trade pros and clients.
Thank you guys
so much for coming on today.
I appreciate your time, and I'm really
excited to dive into Daltile's products.
I know on the the podcast
before we've sat down with Patrick,
and we've had him on,
but we haven't really had the chance
to like, dive in in more niche categories
throughout tile.
And it's always super exciting
when we have new guests on.
So I'm excited to get to know a little
bit more about some of these products.
But first, do you mind?
Whoever wants to go first,
do you mind sharing a little bit
about your background,
how you got started with Daltile and
what you do for the Daltile product team?
first of all, thank you
for having us there, for inviting us.
It's a pleasure. And we are excited too.
My name is Laura, and you said before I,
I've been working with the company
for 12 years,
and I've been working in the tile industry
for 28 years, specifically
in the tile design and product
development first and then product design.
And I am director of product design
for the Daltile
brand, and I work very closely
with the Ivo who makes,
basically
all of our design and idea come through.
All right.
Well, as you said,
my name is even Moyano.
I've been in downtown for 13 years,
and in the industry since 2000.
So I'll make it 25.
Originally, was a vendor
to the industry, to the ceramic tile.
So I come as a as a, glaze and, pigments
and all of that,
vendor, raw material.
Type of products.
And, that was one of my,
one of my customers.
So eventually I ended up working for them.
And I've been in the product
development department since then,
working and, different roles
until I got to be the director.
And we work closely with design,
to create everything,
that we bring out to the field.
Very cool.
So you
guys have a lot of industry experience,
and that's cool that you ended up with
Daltile was your customer,
and then you ended up being part of the
the Daltile team.
That's also very cool.
can you give us a quick
overview of Daltile’s product mission
and what sets the brand
what you think sets the brand apart
from others in the industry?
Yeah.
So Daltile
is part of the Mohawk industries, and,
we are the largest, tile manufacturer
in North America.
We have eight plants in the United States
where we produce,
glazed porcelain, ceramic floor
tile, wall tile, mosaics,
two cm exterior pavers, for the quarry.
So a huge variety of, of products
and but our product offer
is not only limited to what we produce.
Because, for instance, we sell also,
larger panoramic porcelain slabs.
Glass mosaic, I mean, metal Elvet,
I mean, basically all the products
that help kind of creating the,
the environment
and the spaces with the flooring and wood.
And so before we get into
some of the specific, technologies
that Daltile has in the products,
what do you think are some of the biggest
challenges and opportunities and pushing
tile technology forward right now?
Technology.
It's, it's a great tool, but,
everybody has access to it.
And, the more technological
we become, the more difficult
it is to separate, all the countries
and all the manufacturers in the world,
one from the other.
right now we are in, in a moment
with the inkjet technology specifically
where, everybody's
using it all countries,
and that has brought the looks of the tile
a lot closer
between what we could consider
a lower end to a higher end.
So that's where, us
and a lot of companies,
have to work harder nowadays
to actually try to find a differentiation.
Between something that
that's lower end in reality.
But it's closer and look nowadays.
that makes it very difficult.
And we got to get very creative
and utilize the technology
as it comes out, to try to separate.
Well, right at the beginning of when
the technology is born, there's no more.
Hey, let's wait until this technology
is, well, working in the field
and we can just jump in.
We just nowadays, it's like,
hey, let's jump on this really quick
so we can establish ourselves
with this new technology. You
know, that makes total sense.
I, I haven't thought about how
because technology has come so far
in such a short amount of time.
I mean, you have AI and,
that makes total sense that even low
budget options look very nice now.
Like, because you, you still want
to progress further, along with
whether it's low budget or high end.
But you want to be careful that even
the low end doesn't look too nice, right?
Like it has to look nice.
But how do you make that look different
than something that's way more expensive?
That's interesting.
Yeah, yeah, it is kind of hard.
Because those that are make only low end,
the best.
Yeah.
We cover all areas of, of the field.
And yes, it is very hard to separate
sometimes the, the low end,
to the high end,
depending on what we're trying to make.
So, that's the challenge to, the.
Yeah, makers are going to
bring their best, we need to be careful.
Yeah.
And then even, just like I said,
technology advancing so quickly
and just trying to keep up
with the ever evolving industry,
I feel like that alone
sets its own challenges, too,
because probably every month or every week
there's something that a competitor
is doing that just happened,
and you have to jump forward or try to
beat them to the punch right?
Yes. That's correct.
All of the companies
on on, on on the leading edge,
we are trying
to, to do our own new thing,
but as soon as you bring a new thing,
it is not, nuclear science.
So, you know anybody
that's that's real good at what they do.
They're going to be able to mimic it.
Yeah.
Yeah, exactly.
One thing to say is that we never stop.
In any case, you know,
the one of the really the focal point of
that is always been the,
the, the innovation.
And, for instance, later, I know
we got touch base on some of this concept,
but even, AI technology,
I mean, from the moment
it was born, the first time, too,
you know, it keeps on evolving.
And they,
even the team keeps on making improvements
so that we can always add something more.
We can always bring something newer
to even existing technology.
And that is something very important.
I think it's something
that kind of sets us apart.
So. Yeah.
No. Absolutely.
So let's talk about first step wise.
Step wise,
I know it's been around since 2017.
It's now found across
20 to 30 different collections.
Can you explain, maybe
to someone that like myself?
I am not in a product team.
Nor do I know how some of that works,
but how how would you describe
best or easily how stepwise works
and what makes it different
from like a standard slip resistant style?
All right.
Well, luckily I was part
of the development of step wise.
back in 2015.
Step wise, it,
if you want a simple explanation is, it's,
something that we developed
and add to our manufacturing process
that gives us a higher reading
on the deck of looking for that,
and this slip or slip
resistant,
always compared to regular time.
So it's higher than regular tile,
with a, nice enough surface.
That's still cleanable
and and and doesn't touch very rough.
Yeah.
So, so the advantages
and how it was designed is to,
to reach those readings of the cove
with a, a
softer than what used to be surface
that allows it to be clean
without much difficulty.
And yeah, this one is exactly
one of the before it was referring,
you know, to how the technology
keeps on evolving and improving.
This is exactly what they can't do that
in mind
because for instance, originally
and even might remember that,
we were not using this,
type of glaze application,
on all the products
and on the quarter because, for instance,
especially for the dark color, found that
a result was not so,
appealing and said that,
they keep kept on working,
they kept on and, you know, do research,
testing new material.
And, you know, basically,
we can achieve, the same
look that we can achieve
with the regular glaze.
But keeping the clean ability
aspect and keeping also a
pleasing torture, which is, in any case,
something very, very important.
Now that that's great.
And I think for any trade pros,
or any of our trade
pro members listening or their clients
that might be tuning into,
I think this is a great product
for bathrooms,
and maybe even outdoor spaces,
maybe like around a hot tub or something.
That way it's
you're still getting the great look of it
without it being too rough, like you said.
But you're getting that protection
that, like, slip resistant protection,
without sacrificing maybe how it looks.
You're not. It's not.
From what I'm understanding,
it's not going to look like maybe
how stereotypical outdoor tile looks
or like that has that, like rough texture.
You're going to
still feel like it's indoor tile,
but it just has
those benefits added to it.
The safety benefits.
Are there any specific collections
that you would like
to highlight that really showcases
step wise in action?
Or maybe just any of your favorite
collections with stepwise?
I will definitely Calgary
and then Dunston.
These are two of the latest
that we introduced.
They are limestone
and I mean, beside the fact that like,
now limestone looks are making a strong,
comeback, they're also timeless.
Look, I mean, they are very versatile.
They can fit any type of environment.
They naturally bring, you know, these,
calming and softening atmosphere.
they also come with, mosaics with, wall
tile with different type of texture
that make the collection very complete.
And very, very unique.
Another one, I think it's also Emerson
Wood that is, you know,
our wood planks with the step wise,
which is offering, five different colors,
long planks.
And personally,
I think there is nothing like a wood looks
to bring a little bit of warmth
to the to the spaces.
And then also another one is rekindle.
I was just going to mention that that's
probably my favorite out of those
that have the step wise,
because it also has other applications
and it's a little more complex,
but we were able to add,
step wise to it, which is the first time
we do something like that
to such complex
and with that many applications.
Yeah. Very cool.
And y'all end up putting pictures
of these products on the screen too.
So anyone watching the YouTube
version of this can see that, very cool.
A lot of, a lot of different options
there from you guys, but I love it,
I love it.
There's I know there's
so many different collections
that step wise, is now part of.
Right.
Would you say that is,
like the most popular technology
that you guys
have, or is it one of the other ones
we're about to talk about?
I think it's probably.
I think this one is
the is the most popular at the moment,
as far as,
what it has brought to the game.
The apple us in the old tile,
and how we can reach,
all applications,
the better we get at it as Laura said,
we keep, improving it as as we improve it
and we improve that feel,
we can have step wise
on indoor tiles
without creating a problem,
of the clean of, of the traceability,
things like that, the better we get at it.
So once you can reach, a point six,
that target leak of, everywhere
without really compromising anything,
any of the aspects that you need
now you have a full usage
of the tile everywhere.
And that's a huge advantage.
Yes, because that is the technology
that gives us the opportunity
to use the same tile as you would singles
to be for outdoor and indoor.
So we
we can't create this seamless transition
outdoor indoor look, which is so,
which is popular.
It's becoming a classic,
especially if you want to have like,
cohesive look, consistent look.
So I think it makes a, big difference.
Anyway, I completely agree.
And the clean ability to
that is something that homeowners
specifically
are really concerned about, right?
They don't want to have to really do
too much to clean.
They want to make it as easy as possible.
So I like that
that keeps getting brought up too,
because I know any homeowners listening.
That's the kind of magic
they're wanting to hear.
So looking into defend,
which is powered by Microban
defense, was introduced around 2020
and 20 2021.
Yeah. All right.
And then I know it's become
a go to solution for cleaner surfaces.
How does the built in Microban
technology work
to protect against bacteria and odors?
Well, again,
I seem to be in the middle of all of this.
Microban. It's a little bit.
I mean, if I had to explain,
it is similar to, to,
to step wise in the, in the sense
of how we introduce it to our product.
It's again,
we collaborated with Microban, for them
to provide a product
that we could introduce in our process,
in our glazing process,
during firing, not post.
So this is embedded in the whole
surface, not
surface of the towel and the whole thing
in just a glaze and everywhere.
So it's within it's
not just a surface treatment.
I see and what it does
basically was it's what Microban does
any other product from Microban
they help fight any, bacterial growth,
on top of the tiles in this case,
but like Microban and whatever you use,
Microban is going to it's going to prevent
or is going to fight that.
Gotcha.
Cool, cool.
Are there
certain looks or collections within
the fan that you would recommend for
specifically high traffic or high moisture
spaces like bathrooms or kitchens?
Maybe.
I personally
I think that they're all pretty much
the same
as far as the applicability of it.
Yeah, all made very similar.
And then at that point,
you want to look more into what
the tile needs to be,
whether it has to have step wise
or it has to have something else for that
application, the Microban application,
the defend can be applied to any of them,
pretty much.
So, it's more about
what your tile needs to do.
It's not just limited to to the look.
I mean, all of them being all of our floor
targets are part of the the this, defend
the program are great options
because they are important.
And so, I mean, due to the water, low
water absorption,
we all all of them are a great, solution.
Then, for instance, rekindle
that is, his favorite series.
That one, offers both the stepwise
and also the defender. Yes.
So that is kind of, very unique.
And it also comes in the, you know,
those larger sizes like 24 by 48.
And they also that is something
to keep in mind because I mean, the larger
sizes also means less grout line.
And that is also a component.
And then the
the Kindle is I mean, beautiful like two,
by six herringbone mosaic.
It does the mosaics.
I mean, it has a lot of also components
that are really helping the, the design.
For instance, for me,
if you are thinking about, a bathroom
and you want a timeless,
elegant, sophisticated
look, another series is, famed,
which is our marble collection
that comes also with the square size.
So you can also do the checkerboard
pattern, which is so popular now.
But there are
then also there is also the Polish finish,
which also that one is carrying,
definitely a defender.
So multiple texture and also
painting around mosaic, chevron mosaic.
So really a lot of options. Gotcha.
And just so anyone
listening isn't confused,
it seems like depending
on the specific product,
there could be stacking involved
with the technologies.
Right.
So like like you mentioned,
one could have both the defined technology
and the subway is technology,
which is a good clarification too.
They're not singular
by either by themselves.
Which is nice.
It's kind of like it's like add
your favorite technology to each product.
Maybe at one point
it could get to that point with that tile.
Yeah.
Or it is, it's on the way to get there.
In some cases, yes.
Well, you produce into the cart, you just.
Yeah, exactly.
It's like, I like this tile.
Can I add defend?
And, Mike, stepwise
and then is reveal sync 3D
and that to where you can
or is that its own separate when 3D.
It's more of a, of a visual,
the visual part of it
and how it looks tactile,
part of the look rather than,
rather than the,
specifications of the product.
Okay.
It's not related to performance
like the other two.
It's, it's more visual, but, yeah,
I have to say that is, I mean,
when you can see a tile
with this reveal sink 3D,
it becomes, harder to distinguish from,
you know, the real material
and what we are
mimicking with the, with the porcelain.
I mean, really the correspondence
between the,
you know, the visual and the tactile.
It's something that makes it so,
so realistic, that it's,
I mean, and we could,
we could say that they're 3D sync.
You can have 3D scene with step wise
and defend.
Yeah. Gotcha.
That makes sense. That will be
that will be something you can do.
So you can stack the three.
But yeah, it's just it's providing
more of a visual and tactile
rather than a particular specification
to, to the, to the tile itself.
That makes a lot of sense.
And I reveal seeing 3D is newer, right.
That's a newer.
That's very hard to yeah.
They were two years ago. Two years ago.
Exactly like with acreage for the time.
Yeah.
That was the first series.
And since then we have done, 2 or 3 more.
Yes, yes, several.
I'm we we're in
we are installing more of that
technology in the plans
as, it's improving again.
It's an ongoing improving.
We have different levels and types of 3D
sync, depending on the
look that we want to obtain.
So 3D scene, kind of, and gloves,
three different technologies per se,
depending on what we are looking for.
Yes. Gotcha.
Do you see in the future reveal
seeing 3D expanding out to hit
more and more of your different tiles?
And do you see that kind of taking over
the whole product selection?
Or do you see it
kind of staying in its own corner here?
I feel like the benefit of reveal
seeing 3D is just bringing
more life to all the different products
that you have.
So I didn't know if that is, I don't know.
Do you think that would expand
even farther throughout all of tiles
catalog or not?
Slowly I get it.
I might I think it's slowly.
It might grow into the field.
Gotcha.
Particularly
I think this is a very high end technology
providing a very high end look and
I think we're going to keep it that way.
Yeah.
To differentiate,
you know, to differentiate,
you know, to differentiate, levels.
Yeah.
But like everything, in high end,
in the high end eventually becomes medium.
And sometimes I know, yeah,
when everybody's copying it
and trying to mimic it.
the basic technology and how, you know,
it's out there, it's it's not secret,
all the machinery,
vendors want to sell all of that.
So, it's not going to stay secret.
So we've got to capitalize ourselves
how to manage it and, keep improving.
Wizard, while they copy us.
We'll keep doing all the things with it.
And I think trade pros can benefit
from this technology
because it is providing
just the nice like the quality, right?
I mean, if someone has the budget for it,
I think that this is a great way to go.
Because you are getting that quality.
And like you said, sometimes you can stack
the the other technologies on top of it.
So you're not only getting how it looks
beautiful, but it's also performing
the maximum scan for
for those high moisture
you can mix look with performance.
Yes.
And then you get out
the full package of it. Exactly.
You can get premium looks I mean higher
hand, very sophisticated looks.
But we didn't want that resolved.
Porcelain. Yeah. Yes.
And excuse me
if we've already touched base on this one.
I didn't know if there was
specific collections within reveal saying
3D that you have a favorite of or favorite
looks from this technology.
So I well, first for sure
creature was the
that was the first one that the Ivo was,
mentioning before.
It's a good look and it's so realistic.
I mean, when you
when you see it in person, it's,
I mean, it's hard to describe it,
but when you see it, when you touch it,
it has that, it's so it's really hard
to distinguish from, natural aerial.
But look, as I was saying before.
So that one. Sure.
Also because it has a nice cut mosaic,
in one by 24.
New to create the or this, Japan, the,
style, but, another one
which I would recommend to look at is
head on stone, as we would say before,
because in that case, you can see
two of the different application of that,
the technology,
because you have the matte finish
that showcased one type of application.
And then we have the 3D, satin polish,
that shows
another type of the approach
to the same technology.
It's kind of recreate the honed,
feel of the stone.
And that is very, very, very unique.
Yeah.
And I think I've seen both of those,
products in your catalog, too.
When I was looking online at some of the,
the product photos from Daltile.
And so I remember
specifically seeing those
and I think it is really cool
that you were talking a lot
about the larger planks,
because those are super.
And right now, not and not even
just because of the fewer grout lines.
But I think as a stylish
perspective of it, people are really drawn
to those bigger.
Like the bigger the plank, the better
it seems like right now.
And so I know that's been
at the forefront of this conversation too,
and you've brought that up a lot
with all of these different technologies.
There's large planks usually involved
throughout all of these.
Before we close out, would you
why would you recommend a trade pro
to consider these products?
And I know we've kind of already talked
about this throughout the episode already,
but like to you personally,
what makes these products
that we've talked about so special
to me?
I think that ultimately
they improve our, quality of life.
I mean, because they make it,
safer from standpoint.
I mean, not only for us,
but them, you know, I mean, but for,
for our guests, for our family,
for our even our pets.
I mean, even the, you know,
there's the stepwise, the fact that
it will improve the entire slippery,
I mean, the slip resistant.
I think it's a very important feature.
They make it also, you know, the space
where they leave cleaner and cleaner
for longer and, ultimately,
they also make them, pleasant to stay in.
I mean, we tried to,
put together a big variety of look looks,
sorry to kind of cover all the, the,
the cases, the stylistic needs.
The the the
design possibility because ultimately
we all like to, to live
and work in the present,
welcoming and and nice environment.
I mean, this is my take, then.
I don't know if you want to, cover it.
Very well.
I think, more than anything is
you're going to get the best looks
with the best performance.
Yeah. And the safest.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And if someone's investing in a remodel,
why not check all those boxes?
Right? That's like.
Like this is the time to spend.
Maybe it's a little bit more extra money
to get all of these,
technologies in your space.
And I love that you pointed out the pets,
because that's who I'm concerned about.
I want my vet, honestly.
I'm like,
I don't want my dog falling, and
I want him to have a good life, too. Yes.
So what do you see
coming next for all tile
in the product space
or in the technology space?
I know that's a loaded question,
but if you can give a little sneak peek,
I can't,
I can't think of anything right now
that I would like to say
that you're able to say, no worries.
And I'm able to say, like I said,
there's there's no things to come.
Stay tuned.
And we'll do evolution of
of what we already have, obviously.
But yeah, what we're working on
is in, in this, it's it's up there.
Yeah.
And I mean, as we were saying
before it, it's a consistent, evolution.
I mean, we keep on,
trying to innovate,
thinking about all of our customer,
all the price point.
I mean, it's it's what we do,
and we have to keep on doing so. Yes.
So. And,
just to give you guys a little plug,
I think if someone wants to learn more
about these specific technologies
or look at the product catalog through
Daltile is just Daltile.com, right?
Yes. Anywhere else you would
you would push them to go to.
If they're looking into wanting to know
more about the specific technologies. Yes.
I mean delta.com is the first place
I mean to where to go.
Over there, there is the possibility
to get all the information fliers
and even more that,
what we just the one true.
There is even the possibility
to order actual samples.
But, I mean, there is also the chance.
I mean, once they are on the website,
they can select the,
the profile that the suits, best.
And then you can get the list of all
the service centers and the design studio
where they can go in person to touch,
I mean, to have the possibility
to see these, all the,
all of the products we just discussed.
Yeah.
I think it's a good idea
to recommend, to actually go.
Yeah.
Look,
because, that that does make a difference
when you look at a little image
on the screen obviously.
Yeah.
Seeing a visual is not enough.
You're not really getting that experience.
And I know I agree
not everybody can can do that.
But if you have the opportunity
to actually go
and get the real feel of the tile,
you'll see.
Yeah.
The difference between one and another.
Yes. And there is 150
plus or showrooms throughout
the United States, one in Canada.
So if you go to press verse
wholesale.com,
you can look at the closest showroom
near you
and you can ask your account manager
or you walk
in, you're greeted by an account manager.
Ask them about Daltile.
There's usually there is plenty of Daltile
samples throughout the showroom.
And it really does not be like
you have to go in and
and touch the samples, like you said,
and see them in person, because they look
ten times better than you're ever going
to see through a picture online.
Right. Okay.
Thank you guys so much for,
explaining a little bit about how
the technology works.
I know I learned a lot today.
I'm not in this world of product,
and technology,
but I'm hoping that our trade pro members
and their clients,
whoever's listening to this podcast
episode, learned a lot from you both.
And, I just want to thank you guys
so much for coming on.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
And thank you for having us
us today on The ProSource Podcast.
Please like and subscribe to us
wherever you get your podcast.
Also, follow us on social media.
Check out our website
at prosourcewholesale.com
local ProSource Wholesale showroom
for all of your home remodeling needs.