Just what was Ryan up to while he was gone for a couple weeks in June-and why did he go in the first place? We asked him these questions and others to get the scoop for Ciao readers.
Ciao: Why did you go to China?
Ryan: I really had two goals in mind: to open the door a little into Chinese culture and business and to get to know the other distributors on the trip. My ulterior motive was just to travel-it’s one of my favorite pastimes and this trip was a particularly enticing opportunity.
Ciao: What did you learn when you were there?
Ryan: I learned that some of my preconceptions were inaccurate. I was concerned that the differences between Chinese and American culture would overcome our similarities. In fact, I was surprised (again) by how similar we all are in the fundamentals. In fact, the kinship our group developed with our hosts was one of my favorite aspects of the trip. I also learned that spending two weeks in China is really just cracking the surface. I hope to spend much more time there.
Ciao: What was your favorite part of China?
Ryan: The Great Wall is impressive, and the Forbidden City as well-both for their enormous scale. But I think my favorite part of the trip was Foshan. Foshan is a medium size city known as one of the key production centers of ceramic tile in China, and the world. Aside from being immersed in tile, I was impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit of the people. There was a general confidence among the Chinese, maybe in response to the rapid growth they are experiencing as a result of their new economic freedoms.
Ciao: Do the Chinese use a lot of tile & stone?
Ryan: They use a ridiculous amount of tile. Aside from the conventional uses that we are familiar with, they also use tile to pave parking lots and clad the exterior of buildings. And the advantage of ceramic siding for a building is that it never needs repainting since the color stands up so well to the elements. They also have a lot more buildings to use tile on, so it means that they produce a ton of tile solely for use in China.
Ciao: Did you bring back any ideas to improve Statements?
Ryan: I did! We don’t want to give up all our secrets, but let me elaborate a bit. The 21st century will be the breakout century for the Pacific Rim. From a geopolitical perspective, the Atlantic has dominated for centuries, but the power is shifting, or at least rebalancing, with China and Southeast Asia taking on an ever more important role in the global economy. Seattle’s role in the expanding influence of the pacific rim is yet to be fully cemented, but we obviously have started out well with a handful of global companies. We are also attracting great talent from the interior of the US and from outside the US. For Statements, our vision is to Inspire Westcoast Design, and our ability to incorporate China’s competitive advantages will help us to further that vision. …When Jill introduces lines to Callison Architects, who then use it for inspiration in a Shanghai skyscraper, we are fulfilling our vision of Inspiring West Coast Design.
Ciao: Is this going to be an annual trip for you?
Ryan: We’ll try to make it back in the next year, and if something develops out of that, we’ll definitely continue to return.
showroom for lunch and product presentations. During our meeting, Carole Jackson showed me a photo of a recent project incorporating the Jeffrey Court Raindrops Series — easily one of our most popular glass tiles over the last two years. And when you see Carole’s beautiful installation, you can see why our clients appreciate the series so much. Besides the luster of an iridescent surface, the Raindrops series comes in a soft color pallet with enough variation in natural tones to be interesting without overwhelming. As you can see in the photo, Carole combined the glass with contemporary countertops and elegant appliances for a modern but not austere look.
