Morbi makes fired clay roofing tiles, mostly in the Mangalore pattern, plus the ridge tiles and fittings that go with them. Some plants also make clay ceiling tiles and glazed roof tiles in colours.
Roofing tiles are where Morbi's ceramic story began. Trade histories date the first roof tile unit in the town to the 1920s. Today the segment is small next to floor tiles, wall tiles and slabs, and far fewer plants make it.
The main products
Most roofing output from Morbi falls into a few families. Each is made by pressing or extruding a clay body and firing it, usually without a glaze.
- Mangalore-pattern interlocking tiles, the classic Indian red clay roof tile, explained in what a Mangalore-style roofing tile is.
- Ridge tiles, hip tiles and end pieces, which cap the joints where roof slopes meet.
- Clay ceiling tiles, flat tiles laid under the roof tiles on the battens to give a finished ceiling and some insulation.
- Glazed or coloured clay roof tiles, which a smaller number of plants offer for buyers who want a colour other than natural red.
- Decorative ventilation or jali pieces and other small clay items, made by some units on the same kilns.
How it differs from buying floor tiles
Roofing tiles are a different business from vitrified tiles. The plants are usually older and smaller. Many use simpler kilns and natural clay bodies, so colour and size vary more from batch to batch.
The buyer base is different too. Much of the demand is domestic and regional. Export buyers tend to be in markets where the Mangalore roof is a familiar style, or where a project needs clay tiles at a moderate cost.
Because the segment is small, you cannot assume a big floor tile exporter also makes roof tiles. Many trading houses offer roof tiles they buy from someone else. Check that the seller owns the press and kiln before you pay a deposit.
What to check before you order
A roof tile has a structural and weather job. It must carry load, shed water and, in cold climates, survive freezing. Ask for these before you compare offers:
- The tile's dimensions, weight per piece, number of tiles per square metre of roof and the batten spacing it is designed for.
- Test reports for water absorption, impermeability and breaking strength, covered in what water absorption and strength roofing tiles should have.
- A frost test result if your market has freezing winters; most Indian clay tiles are made for a warm climate.
- Matching fittings from the same firing, so ridge tiles do not differ in colour from the main roof.
- A photo or video of the press and kiln that made your sample, taken on the day you ask.
Shipping and cost drivers
Clay roof tiles are heavy and breakable. A container fills by weight long before it fills by volume, and packing decides how many pieces arrive whole. The details are in how roofing tiles are packed and shipped.
Price depends on clay, fuel, kiln type, finish and packing rather than on any single factor. We cover those drivers, without price figures, in what decides the price of roofing tiles.
Next step
If you want clay roof tiles from Morbi, start with a short list of plants that actually press and fire them, then test samples against your market's rules. We find and audit those plants and have lots tested before loading. To plan your order, book a free sourcing review.