U.S. Quartz Imports Up 41% in 2013

February 18, 2014

U.S. quartz slab imports made impressive gains last year, but the fuel for the growth didn’t exactly come from the market leaders.

Spain and Israel posted record amounts in import value and volume – the two countries accounted for more than half the slabs coming into U.S. ports-of-call – but only topped 2012’s marks by 11%-14%.

China, meanwhile, stepped up with triple-digit growth in both value and the amount of slabs heading for the United States, and could move past Israel for the second spot with a strong 2014.

The $261.7 million in overall quartz-slab import values last year set a new high mark, besting 2012 by 36.5%. Canada, with several producers feeding the U.S. market, joined China with strong showings (although the combined values from both countries is still less than Spain’s $88.9 million top spot).

Several countries scored well in the midfield, including Vietnam at $7.4 millon (+123.4%) and Korea at $3.6 million (+194.5%).

U.S. Quartz Slab Imports – Value
(U.S. dollars)

	2013	2012	Change
Spain	$88,928,385	$78,828,419	12.8%
Israel	$61,602,948	$56,141,908	9.7%
Canada	$40,129,991	$15,522,652	158.5%
China	$36,479,932	$17,754,822	105.5%
Italy	$8,530,597	$6,449,677	32.3%
Vietnam	$7,454,144	$3,336,601	123.4%
India	$5,491,943	$4,242,552	29.4%
Portugal	$3,754,404	$3,520,692	6.6%
Korea	$3,676,790	$1,248,535	194.5%
Belgium	$2,125,946	$3,152,058	-32.6%
Brazil	$1,528,965	$280,063	445.9%
Czech Republic	$613,065	$434,428	41.1%
Turkey	$431,639	$47,575	807.3%
Hong Kong	$379,324	$139,757	171.4%
Germany	$367,574	$97,978	275.2%
Kenya	$54,203	$18,178	198.2%
Australia	$51,138	$0	N/A
Singapore	$35,455	$0	N/A
Mexico	$23,949	$4,986	380.3%
Taiwan	$22,913	$143,236	-84.0%
Philippines	$17,620	$0	N/A
Netherlands	$15,665	$0	N/A
United Kingdom	$12,650	$0	N/A
Malaysia	$10,700	$0	N/A
Indonesia	$2,970	$0	N/A
Zimbabwe	$2,162	$0	N/A
Luxembourg	$0	$339,024	-100.0%
Sweden	$0	$33,697	-100.0%

Total	$261,745,072	$191,736,838	36.5%
Source: U.S. International Trade Commission, Stone Update* analysis*

The 29 million ft² of quartz slab arriving on U.S. docks last year surpassed 2012 totals by 41.2% for yet another new record. Spain made up a third of all imports with 9.4 ft², but that bested 2012 by only 13.5%. China, meanwhile, cranked up shipments by 112.3% at 5 million ft² to appear ever-so-slightly in Israel’s (6.8 million ft², +11.2%) rear-view mirror.

Canada (3.5 millon ft², +172.8%) and Italy (1 million ft², +111.0%) also doubled 2012 shipments, while India and Vietnam came close to joining the 1 million ft² slab club.

U.S. Quartz Slab Imports – Volume
(square feet)

	2013	2012	Change
Spain	9,424,247	8,302,239	13.5%
Israel	6,818,360	6,130,924	11.2%
China	5,027,495	2,367,778	112.3%
Canada	3,510,850	1,286,835	172.8%
Italy	1,010,138	478,649	111.0%
India	934,855	520,478	79.6%
Vietnam	824,289	379,890	117.0%
Portugal	536,193	432,138	24.1%
Korea	417,327	243,727	71.2%
Belgium	237,807	300,442	-20.8%
Brazil	101,826	16,049	534.5%
Czech Republic	81,666	56,575	44.3%
Germany	47,426	13,272	257.3%
Turkey	45,047	4,628	873.3%
Hong Kong	40,182	17,825	125.4%
Mexico	11,356	11	–
Kenya	7,718	2,573	200.0%
Australia	7,685	0	N/A
Singapore	4,930	0	N/A
Taiwan	3,918	8,891	-55.9%
United Kingdom	2,895	0	N/A
Malaysia	1,776	0	N/A
Philippines	452	0	N/A
Zimbabwe	323	0	N/A
Netherlands	258	0	N/A
Indonesia	11	0	N/A
Sweden	0	2,809	-100.0%
Luxembourg	0	42,324	-100.0%

Total	29,099,030	20,608,057	41.2%
Source: U.S. International Trade Commission, Stone Update analysis

StatWatch is a snapshot of U.S. dimensional-stone and hard-surfaces imports, offering a summary and exclusive Stone Update analysis of data from the U.S. International Trade Commission. Comparisons are made mainly to gauge market trends. Analysis is made on import figures of the latest month available.

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