Porcelain slabs from India are made by a small number of Morbi factories with the large presses and kilns they need. Large format tiles from India are more widely available, because many plants can press sizes such as 800x1600 mm.
There is no single legal line between a large tile and a slab. In practice, slabs are the very large, thin panels, usually 1200x2400 mm or bigger, used for cladding, floors and countertops. See what porcelain slabs are and what sizes exist.
Which factories can make large formats?
Format is limited by equipment. A plant needs a press that can compact a big panel evenly, a kiln long and wide enough to fire it flat, and cutting and polishing lines that can handle the size. Many plants advertise large sizes but outsource part of the process or make them only occasionally.
Ask which formats the factory fires on its own lines each month, and ask to see the line. How to find a Morbi factory that can make large slabs covers what to look for on a visit.
What should you specify?
Slabs fail in different ways from standard tiles, so the specification needs more detail:
- Exact size and thickness, since slabs come in several thicknesses and the right one depends on use.
- Flatness and edge straightness, which are harder to hold on large panels. See the flatness tolerance for large slabs.
- Surface and pattern continuity, including book-match if you want it.
- Whether the slab is full-body or printed, which matters for countertops and cut edges.
- Minimum order and design limits, covered in the MOQ for porcelain slabs.
What handling issues should you plan for?
Breakage risk sits mostly in packing, loading and unloading, not in the factory. Slabs travel upright in bundles or crates, and the frames need to be strong, tight and braced inside the container. Read how large slabs are packed and the breakage risk during shipping before you agree the packing.
At the other end, plan for unloading. A side-opening or forklift-friendly setup, lifting clamps or vacuum lifters, and A-frames for site storage all need to be arranged before the container arrives. Unloading and handling slabs lists the equipment.
How is cost decided?
Slab cost depends on size, thickness, surface, yield loss in firing and cutting, packing material and the number of slabs per container. A real quote only comes from a specification and a factory, and what drives porcelain slab prices explains each driver without guessing a number.
Some cost sits outside the factory quote: crates or A-frames, inland haulage to the port and the lifting equipment you need at your end. Ask each factory to itemise packing separately so you compare plants fairly, because a plant that quotes no packing line may add it later.
The number of slabs per container also changes the cost per slab, since thick slabs are heavy. See how many porcelain slabs fit in a container before you compare quotes on a per-square-metre basis.
Next step
We find plants that genuinely press your format, audit them, check samples and lab reports, and supervise packing and loading. To start with a specification and a shortlist, book a free sourcing review.