Italy is 5 laps ahead of us

The increasing global competition, the constant bureaucratic problems in the domestic market and the last year’s nigtmare, pandemic. Money does not grow on trees in the natural stone sector. Under such conditions each market is of great significance. Especially the moves made by a world-giant such as the US are defining. The American Stone World Magazine analyzed the US natural stone sector’s statistics in 2019 and revealed two different figures on both faces of the medallion for Turkey.

We’re starting with the positive face. Although it’s due to a slight difference, Turkey still has the lead in the US market. Turkey earned $165.4 million from the US in exchange for a processed marble export of 312.531 tons in 2019. China, ranking second in the market, earned a total of $162.1 million. And Italy, another major player in the natural stone sector, earned $118.4 million. Being the number one exporter of the country that is the biggest buyer of processed marbles in the world, is a good thing.

However this happiness leads to sorrow as we evaluate the statistics in detail. When we consider Turkey’s, Italy’s and China’s incomes from the USA with the total amount of product sold, a wide gap is seen. While the Italians earned $118.4 million for only 45 thousand tons of processed marble, Turkey had to sell 312.531 tons of processed marble for $165.4 million.

And China, another major player in the sector, reached $162.1 million exporting a total of 112.554 tons of processed marble.

When we take a look at the income per ton, the negative figures become crystal-clear. For each ton of processed marble sold to the USA Turkey earns $592,2 whereas Italy is 5 laps ahead of Turkey in this field. For each ton of processed marble sold to the USA, Italy earns $2629,4. In this field, Greece follows Italy with an income per ton of $2029,3 whereas China earns $1440 a ton. Portugal $1150, Vietnam $1100, India $1090 and Spain $1086.

Finally, let’s analyze the figure from the USA’s perspective. It’s quite obvious that the interest in natural stone is diminishing in the USA. When we compare it to the 2015 statistics, we see that in only 4 years the USA’s total marble and travertine import has decreased by 40%. The total natural stone export was 1.231.000 tons in 2015, however in 2019 this amound fell to 747 thousand tons. Maybe this is the result that proves our observations at the Coverings Fair right. Unfortunately artificial products, ceramic in particular, are getting stronger against natural products. We should underline something at this point. There is a significant change in Turkey’s, Italy’s and China’s income per ton since 2012. In

2012, Turkey’s income per ton in the US market was $454. We see that in 7 years, this number increased only $75, whereas Italy, whose income per ton was $1363 in 2012, doubled its income and reached $2629. In China, whose income per ton in the market was $1061 in 2012, we observe an increase of $379, reaching $1440. In other words, time flows and we make no progress.