TCNA Unveils 2019 U.S. Ceramic Tile Market Data

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TCNA Unveils 2019 U.S. Ceramic Tile Market Data

Anderson, SC, April 20, 2020-The Tile Council of North America (TCNA) has released the 2019 U.S. ceramic tile market update,

Many key economic indicators were positive in 2019, as the U.S. economy experienced its tenth consecutive year of expansion on the heels of the Great Recession.

However, the American ceramic tile market did not follow suit and declined for the first time in a decade.

U.S. ceramic tile consumption in 2019 was 2.9 billion square feet (273.2 million square meters), down 5.4% from the previous year.

The U.S. imported 2.08 billion square feet (193.0 million square meters) of ceramic tile in 2019, down 5.5% from the previous year (2.20 billion square feet or 204.1 million square meters).

Imports comprised 70.6% of 2019 U.S. tile consumption by volume, down from 70.7% in 2018.

Although China remained the largest exporter of ceramic tile to the U.S. by volume, its exports to the U.S. fell dramatically last year. This was due primarily to the effects of a trade remedy case filed by a coalition of several U.S. manufacturers, which petitioned the federal government to remedy unfairly dumped and subsidized ceramic tile imports from China.

Spain surpassed Italy as the third largest exporter of tile to the U.S., making up 16.9% of U.S. imports by volume, up from 14.1% in 2018. The next largest exporters to the U.S. were Italy (15.9% import share) and Brazil (9.8%).

In 2019 U.S. shipments (less exports) were 863.6 million square feet (80.3 million square meters), down 5.2% from 2018. This represented the lowest level of domestic shipments since 2015.

Domestically-produced tile made up 29.4% of total U.S. tile consumption (by volume) in 2019, up slightly from its share the previous year (29.3%).

In dollar value 2019 U.S. FOB factory sales of domestic shipments were $1.33 billion, down 4.0% compared to 2018. Domestically-manufactured tile made up 37.6% of 2019 total U.S. tile consumption by dollar value.

The per unit value of domestic shipments increased from $1.53/ square feet in 2018 to $1.55/ square feet in 2019.

U.S. ceramic tile exports were 31.8 million square feet (3.0 million square meters) in 2019, up 6.8% from 2018. The two largest recipients of these exports were Canada (70.7%) and Mexico (11.0%).