So, all in all:

1 2021 could be another good year for natural stone in the home, despite the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions. The challenge for the sector is to branch the demand boom from 2020 into 2021 and perhaps even sustain it.

2 Overall, the sector is benefiting from the increased demand for “green“products. The challenge remains to communicate this message to the customer.

3 Freight costs will remain high for the foreseeable future. This does not mean that the traveling circus typical of the stone branch will come to an end. However, shipping cheap products will no longer be profitable (at least for the time being). Exporters will have to adopt a new strategy: they will have to sell the commodities, i.e., the commonplace varieties, that they were able to sell abroad with low prices alone, at home. Or they must lower their own prices even further.

4 Special varieties and just as end products will continue to find their markets despite the increase in transport costs. However, they need elaborate marketing to show customers ho to use those materials. Inspiration is the marketing theme here.

5 First and foremost, domestic producers will benefit from the eco-trend. However, in Europe, for example, “domestic has long since ceased to mean only from national production, but rather from one’s own continent. Whereby Turkey is also understood as a European country, at least in this respect.