To find a Morbi factory that can make large slabs, look for a plant whose own equipment is sized for slabs: a press or compaction line, kiln, printer and finishing line that handle your size. Then confirm it with a live video, production samples and an audit.
Many sellers list slabs. Far fewer plants make them. Slab lines need different and larger machinery from ordinary tile lines, so a plant making 600x1200 mm tiles cannot simply switch to 1600x3200 mm.
The equipment that sets the limit
Each step in the line must handle the full slab. Ask each plant about these, in writing:
- Forming: a large press or a continuous compaction line able to form the slab size, and the largest size it makes.
- Kiln: a roller kiln wide enough for the slab, and the sizes it fires regularly.
- Decoration: digital printers and glaze lines wide enough for the slab.
- Finishing: squaring and rectifying machines, and polishing lines for polished finishes, rated for the slab size.
- Handling and sorting: automated lines and vacuum lifters that move slabs without bending them.
- Packing: in-house A-frames or crates, and a warehouse that stores slabs on edge.
The weakest step sets the limit
The weakest step decides the largest slab the plant can make well. A plant may press a large size but cut it down from a bigger panel, or buy in polishing. That is not wrong, but you should know.
How to check claims
- Ask for an unannounced video call from the slab line, showing your size being pressed, fired or sorted.
- Ask which sizes and thicknesses run on the line each month, not which ones the catalogue shows.
- Ask for samples cut from current production, plus a full-size slab photo with a tape measure.
- Check that the plant's GST address and export documents name the same company as the line you saw.
Ownership and capacity
The same checks for tile plants are explained in telling a tile trader from a factory in Morbi. Capacity is covered in checking a tile factory's capacity.
Quality signs specific to slabs
A plant that makes slabs well will talk easily about flatness, shade control and breakage. Ask:
- What flatness limits it works to for each size, and whether it can show test reports to ISO 10545-2.
- How it sorts slabs by grade, shade and calibre, and whether sorting is done by machine, by eye, or both.
- What its packing looks like for your size, with photos of a loaded container.
- Which export markets it ships slabs to, and which certifications it holds for them.
Visit or audit before you commit
Slab orders tie up a lot of value in each container. An on-site audit of the slab line, sorting area, warehouse and packing is worth doing before a first order. Our guide on what a factory audit should contain lists what the report should show.
Next step
We shortlist plants with slab lines that match your sizes, verify them on site and check samples from production. To start a slab supplier search, book a free sourcing review.