U.S. Ceramic Tile Use Dips in 2024
ORLANDO, Fla. – For the third straight year, U.S. use of ceramic tile declined in 2024, due mainly to uncertainty in the housing market.
And, challenges to U.S. tile manufacturers continued with cheaper imports, although one attempt to curb foreign shipments is likely to be ineffective.
A report from the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) on April 30 pegged U.S. ceramic-tile consumption last year at 2.7 billion ft², down 5.1% from 2023.
“The ceramic tile market contracted,” said Eric Astrachan, TCNA executive director, in a press conference held in Orlando during Coverings 2025. “This is mainly due to the issues in the residential market.”
The total value of U.S. ceramic-tile use of $3.79 billion in 2024 also declined 6.6% from the previous year, according to the TCNA report.
Astrachan noted the three-year decline in ceramic tile use comes with a drop in residential construction. He also displayed a chart showing close tracking between tile use and new housing starts in the United States.
U.S. ceramic-tile use dropped 13.3% since the recent high of 3.1 billion ft² in 2021
Last year’s imports totaled 1.93 billion ft², down 3.5% from 2023. India remained the top foreign supplier at 394 million ft².
However, India’s shipments declined year-over-year by 2.7%. Of the top five importers by volume – India, Spain, Italy, Mexico and Brazil – only Italy posted an increase, growing 29% to 308 million ft².
Astrachan noted that Southeast Asian countries showed robust year-over-year shipment growth in 2024, with Vietnam – the world’s seventh-largest tile producer – up 36.7% and Malaysia up 94.6% in volume.
Italy also led all countries in shipments values, although its $707 million last year marked a 2.1% drop from 2023. Total ceramic-tile import values declined 5.6% to $2.4 billion.
“import values went down more than they did in square feet,” Astrachan noted. “That means the prices of imports have gone down.”
The TCNA 2024 noted large disparities in per-square-foot import values. Italian imports commanded a $2.29 ft² value, with the average of all countries coming in at $1.25 ft². Mexico and Brazil averaged 92¢ ft² and 86¢ ft respectively, while India’s shipments are 62¢ ft².
This has put tremendous pressure on domestic producers from very, very low-priced imports, Astrachan said.
Astrachan noted that ceramic-tile shipments from India declined in 2024 due to uncertainty created by a U.S. tile-industry effort claiming unfair-trade practices.
Nine U.S.-registered tile producers, acting as the Coalition for Fair Trade in Ceramic Tile, petitioned the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) seeking additional tariffs to offset alleged anti-dumping actions and government subsidies with Indian-produced tile.
However, Astrachan noted the subsequent investigation by Department of Commerce found no below-market dumping from producers and exporters, and proposed anti-subsidy tariffs of less than 3.5%, which is insignificant.”
The USITC will make a decision on the anti-subsidy tariffs on May 19.