Clinker: Olfry Glasgow or Wienerberger Dresden

I am not naming a manufacturer, but I have learned that there are frequent complaints ... regarding engobes.

Do you know which trend is on the rise? I ask because I am very interested and would also like to know from which media you get your information.

From no media at all (I wouldn’t even know which media there should be to observe something like this, except one’s own eyes and ears), but from observing around 200 properties built over several years in my own development area, as well as conversations with, for example, my own tradespeople and other construction areas in the vicinity. For example, our own window manufacturer, who used to offer a discount on RAL 7016 at our time but no longer does because demand for it has declined. He rather notices price pressure due to overall high construction costs and is again selling more white in plastic windows and recently even white as a facing shell, which, however, looks more elegant. He also makes aluminum windows, but those account for a constant 10% of inquiries and cost about 50% more.

I am not naming a manufacturer, but I have learned that complaints frequently occur ... with engobes.

Of course. This is always the case in principle whenever surface colorings are applied in tones that differ greatly from the core color. The abrasions that occur during transport alone are enough to create a complaint-worthy unsightly appearance. However, this is additionally intensified where production is sloppy – especially where temperatures in the production process vary widely, and/or where transport and storage before processing on the object are inadequately integrated into quality assurance. That means part of it is inherent, and part is due to supplier-specific quality standards. Specifically related to your case, one can probably mainly give "imitators" the warning: look closely at who your quality-responsible supplier partner is, i.e., that the supply chain does not become the "bucket chain" for passing the blame.