Italy Showing Strong 2014 Stone Trade

VERONA, Italy – There appears to be no sign of stopping the growth of Italian natural stone.

With exports of €574.5 million of processed and unhewn products, the Italian natural stone sector closed January-April 2014 with a 5.3% increase in value compared to the same period in 2013. Total imports of marble and granite also grew by 6.7% to €127 million.

These figures, based on Istat data, emerged after analysis by the Marmomacc Observatory, as part of the influential international trade fair, with its 49th edition is scheduled for Verona on Sept. 24-27.

Finished and semi-finished products. Exports of processed materials are still the spearhead of natural stone “Made in Italy” with €449.5 million (+3.2%) between January and April. Good results were achieved overseas in the United States at €105.3 million (+3.9%).

Growth in European exports Europe picked up 6.6% to €191.4 million, led by Germany, which imported Italian marble worth €42.2 milion (+2.8%) and the United Kingdom with €20.8 million (+45.1%). Countries in Eastern Europe posted trade worth €46 million (+10.3), despite the slight decrease in direct exports to Russia (-4%). The internal crisis is not stopping Ukraine, however, with €4.5 million, against €2.4 million in the first four months of 2013.

Asia saw a downturn (-3%) due to lower imports by India and China. In the Middle East, Italian companies in the field continue to enjoy good business, especially in the UAE and Qatar, with orders worth €65.3 million (+3.2%).

There are also good prospects even in the Mediterranean area, where exports in the four-month period came to €18.2 million (+19.7%) thanks to orders from Libya and Morocco.

Unhewn products. With blocks of dimension and ornamental stone, the first months of 2014 saw an increase of more than 13% in exports (€125 million) as well as imports (€84.9 million) into Italy.

Target countries for exports show China in the lead with €33.6 million (+10.5%) and India with €22.4 million (+5.6%).

Imports of raw materials also increased: in four months, India supplied Italy with unhewn stones worth €13.8 million (+21.1%), while Brazil posted sales of €20 million (+7.7%). Quarries in Zimbabwe supplied Italy with materials worth €4.8 million (+26.5%), while South Africa totaled slightly more than €7 million euros (+14.6%).

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