Executive leader shares passion and vision for Fireclay’s future
Over the last decade, Fireclay Tile has transformed from a $5 million business into a $50 million industry leader. It has invested in new and renovated factories, revamped the way it goes to market, invested in showrooms in key logistical areas, and developed innovative processes to achieve client satisfaction. Eric Edelson, CEO of this fast-growing tile leader, shares his vision with us for what he thinks the next 10 years will look like.
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Fireclay Tile is becoming widely recognized across North America, with many of our members talking about your company’s growth. Can you start by telling us a bit about Fireclay’s background? When was it founded, and when did you get involved?
Fireclay has a rich history. First and foremost, we make what I truly believe is the world’s most beautiful tile, and I take a lot of pride in that. But beyond the manufacturing, what really differentiates us is the entire client experience.
Fireclay was founded in 1986, but our roots go back even further – to the 1920s and 1950s. There is a deep heritage of tile making in California. Our founder’s uncle ran a factory called Stonelight Tile in San Jose, and a lot of our origin story stems from that tradition. For the first 20 years, Fireclay was a small tile studio in San Jose, producing beautiful ceramic tiles for itself and for tile stores across the country.
When I met our founder, the company had about 20 or 30 employees and was facing financial challenges, like many businesses during the 2008-2009 economic downturn. At the time, I knew nothing about tile or design, but I had a strong passion for domestic manufacturing and saw an opportunity to help. That’s how I got involved.
So, you’ve been in this industry for about 15 years now. You sound like an entrepreneur at heart. Did you acquire other companies along the way? Any mergers or expansions?
Yes, we’ve done a little bit of everything, and it’s been a lot of fun. My background is in finance and business, so my approach has always been from the business side. Early on, we focused on stabilizing the company, controlling costs, and refining our business model.
Between 2009 and 2012, we rebuilt our business and reputation within the wholesale channel, selling to small, independent, high-end boutique tile firms. However, I had an epiphany one day. I was traveling across the country trying to get our concept boards into tile showrooms, educating business owners about Fireclay, but it was incredibly challenging to stand out.
So, in 2014, we decided to change the game. We discontinued our relationships with tile stores and went fully direct-to-consumer. We became a 100% vertically integrated company – everything we made, we sold, and everything we sold, we made. We worked directly with homeowners, contractors, architects, and designers. Many people told me this approach would fail, but we’ve proven them wrong.
Since then, we’ve had five acquisitions. In 2011, we acquired a glass tile line. In 2013, we added a hand-painted tile business. Our biggest acquisition came in 2022 when we purchased Quarry Tile Company, a well-established manufacturer in Spokane, Washington.
With these acquisitions, where is your tile being made today? Do you import any products, or is everything produced in-house?
We are very proud to say that everything we sell is made by us, 100% domestically in the U.S. In the past, we sourced materials from other suppliers, but in most cases, we eventually acquired those businesses or their equipment so we could manufacture in-house. About 90% of our tiles are made to order, while 10% are in-stock or quick-ship items. We turn around orders ranging from a few square feet to 40,000 square feet for large-scale projects like hotels, transit stations, hospitals, and education facilities.
That’s impressive. How do you manage a two-to-six-week turnaround for special orders, especially for large projects?
It takes a lot of planning and investment. We’ve spent the last 15 years perfecting our process, investing heavily in technology and equipment. In the last four years alone, we’ve invested nearly $30 million in facilities, land, infrastructure, and scheduling technology. On any given day, we produce between 6,000 and 12,000 square feet of tile in 20-50 different colors and sizes. The key is our ability to manufacture custom products at scale, which differentiates us in the market.
Do you also produce specialty pieces like trim and coves?
Yes! In fact, we’re currently working on custom coves for a soon-to-be-built presidential library in Chicago. We offer a standard collection of trim and decorative elements, but we also create fully customized pieces when needed. More often, our customization comes in the form of colors – we produced around 530 custom colors last year alone, primarily for commercial projects.
I read that Fireclay has grown from $5 million in revenue to over $50 million in the last 10 years. What investments have you made to scale your sales and distribution?
We’ve invested in an omnichannel approach, combining digital sales with physical showrooms. Fireclay.com is open 24/7, but we also have sales representatives and eight showrooms across the country, including a new location in New York City. More showrooms are in the works – we’re expanding to Chicago and Portland later this year, with more locations being considered.
Our approach is unique because our sales professionals are deeply knowledgeable about Fireclay products. Unlike traditional tile showrooms, where salespeople juggle multiple brands, our team specializes in just our offerings. We also invest in technology like 3D renderings and customer service platforms to create a seamless experience for our clients.
Let’s talk about installation. Your products are highly specialized, and sometimes there isn’t an exact standard for installation. How does Fireclay support installers and ensure customer satisfaction?
We recognize that a beautiful tile is only as good as its installation. We provide comprehensive installation literature and guidance. Additionally, we offer a Maker’s Guarantee, which ensures that if anything goes wrong, we will make it right.
We recently introduced an Installation Protection plan – an industry first. Customers can invest in this protection, and if something goes wrong with their project, we’ll cover the replacement tile and even help compensate for the installation costs (up to the value of the order). Our goal is to stand behind our product and support our customers, whether they are homeowners, designers, or contractors.
Do you have plans to expand your installation services beyond the Pacific Northwest?
We are fortunate to have Martin Brookes (former NTCA President) as a team leader overseeing this process. We are new to this, but we see the enormous potential. We received outstanding client feedback in 2024, completing over 120 projects and expanding our installation team from seven to 14 installers. In 2025, we will optimize operations, expand strategically, and continue to improve the sales and processes in our installation department to drive long-term profitable growth.
Bart Bettiga is the Executive Director of the National Tile Contractors Association. Bettiga is a member of the Board of Governors of Coverings, one the largest tradeshows in North America. He has over 30 years of experience in the tile and stone industry and has served as the NTCA Executive Director since 2002. He is a well known speaker and author on ceramic tile and natural stone distribution and installation. He oversees the financial operations of the NTCA, TileLetter and the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation.
