U.S. Quartz Imports Up 41% in 2013

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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