2013 Stone Industry Statistics

Ceramic Tile And Stone Consultants (CTaSC) provides stone products research and marketing services.  CTaSC can evaluate products and markets to help determine how best to position, promote and distribute your stone products in the USA.  In addition to the free information below, there is a Comprehensive Stone Research Report 2010 for the USA Markets that is available that will give you all the details of the Stone Industry.  The report provides forecasts and trends, and lists major importers and their foreign suppliers.  For more information click the following:  Stone Report.

To date, stone statistics for the USA have been hard to come by in any complete form.  In September of 2003 Catalina Research and Ceramic Tile and Stone Consultants collaborated to publish the first comprehensive stond industry study entitled the “Stone Product Industry Report.”  A second study, was completed and released in April 2006, a third in July 2010, and now a new stone study called Natural and Manufactured Stone Product Industry Report for the US and Canadian Markets was released in June 2013 that is now available.  This current report includes sections on engineered (quartz) stone, and manufactured stone ( precast concrete).  In addition, the report takes an in-depth look at the current state of US construction activity and analyzes the market potential for the stone industry.  Click here for more information.

The tile industry saw its sales more than double over the years up to the current down turn of the US economy, and even after sales have dropped and are growing again, there is still a shortage of qualified installers.  We still need to train more tile installers!!!  Most installers never get any formalized training and don’t fully know the industry standards.  We need to train our tile installers!!!  Make sure you require tile installers to be ITS Verified by taking the 4 hour online course to learn the industry standards called “Tile Installer Thin-set Standards (ITS) Verification” course. Visit www.UofCTS.org to learn about online training courses for ceramic tile, glass tile, and stone.

The following are some recent stone statistics from the Floor Covering Weekly July 22, 2013 Floor Covering Statistics issue:

• Out of the $18.76 billion 2012 U.S. Floor Covering sales stone tile represented 5.9 percent in wholesale dollars of $1.11 billion compared to ceramic tile at $2.35 billion or 12.5%.  Stone Tile represented 1.6% or 276.8 million square feet of the 18.079 billion square feet of the 2012 U.S. floor covering volume compared to ceramic tile at 2.21 billion square feet or 12.2% of the overall floor covering volume.  Stone Tile represents natural stone cut into modular tile shapes up to 24 x 24 inches in facial dimensions.  Stone tiles can be used on floor or wall applications, although most are assumed to be used on floors.

• In 2012 Stone tiles average wholesale cost is $4.01 per square foot compared to ceramic tile at $1.06 per square foot.  Average stone flooring selling prices declined in 2012, which boosted square foot sales in 2012 by an estimated 5.9 percent.

• In 2012 stone sales in wholesale dollars increased 4.3% from 2011.

• Stone consumption continues to grow in spite of the higher cost.  The stone look continues to be popular and is expected to be around for a while.  Just look at the more popular designs in vinyl, which are all stone look-a-likes that are being accomplished with the newer ink jet technology for both vinyl and ceramic tile.  In fact, now ceramic tile can emulate the wood look using glazing ink jet technology.  Stone is here to stay.

The following are some key statistics taken from the Stone Product Industry Report 2013:

• The 2013 Catalina Report on Natural and Manufactured Stone report is an in-depth industry investigation of the $7.3 billion U.S. natural and manufactured stone product industry.  The U.S. stone product market has been recovering since 2011 and the recovery has continued to strengthen during 2013.  The surge in new home construction has led the recovery, as seen by the 28.2% increase in housing starts in 2012 and an estimated 31.6% gain during 2013.  The residential remodeling market is also benefiting from the increase in existing home sales and the rise in home prices.  The increase in existing home sales stimulates homeowner remodeling projects and the rise in home prices is an incentive for non-movers to invest in their homes and upgrade to stone countertops and flooring.  As the residential market grows in importance, stone product suppliers have increased their reliance on the home center channel.  Currently, however, the important non-residential market is lagging compared to the overall recovery due to the decline in public building construction activity.
• The Natural and Manufactured Stone report includes the following important sections that will allow industry companies to analyze the various segments, channels, and trends of the stone industry:
• The recovery in residential markets has benefited demand for countertops.  Countertop sales are outpacing overall sales in the natural and manufactured stone sectors.   Quartz stone is also taking share in the countertop market.  This report can be used to analyze all end-use market and applications.
• Granite and marble are the most important natural stone product materials and are also growing at the sharpest rate.  Manufactured stone (concrete tiles) and engineered quartz products are also outpacing overall industry growth.  The report tracks the sourcing of all types of stone from domestic and foreign suppliers.  U.S. sales and imports of manufactured and engineered stone are tracked in a separate section.
• Stone prices remain sluggish, which has improved the competitive position of stone products.  Price trends are tracked by type of stone.
• Prices have remained sluggish due the competitive nature of this industry, despite some consolidation during the recession.  Competitive pressures are currently increasing from imports, as foreign-sourced products regain ground during the recovery.  Import trends are tracked by country of origin.
• The important home center channel sources directly, however, independent importers and distributors primarily sell to other retailers and installers, according to a survey by Ceramic Tile And Stone Consulting. The CTaSC survey provides data and information on the sales and markets for stone product importers, fabricators, and stone product manufacturers.  In addition, the report estimates the ceramic tile and stone installation materials, maintenance products, and tool market.
• Residential sales are expected to lead sales growth over the next five years as builders construct new housing units to meet the pent-up demand created by the household formations during the recession.  The Catalina Report is a useful resource for planning sales growth over the next five years.
• These and other findings were uncovered in the 2013 Catalina Report on Natural and Manufactured Stone Products.  This in-depth 250 page industry investigation covers all aspects of this industry including mines and quarries, stone product processors and fabricators, manufactured stone producers, importers, and installers.
• This comprehensive publication provides an in-depth analysis of the U.S. and Canadian stone industry based on U.S. government statistics and market resources.  Some of the topics that are covered include Trends and Forecasts for the stone industry and the current state of the economy, Sales by Type of Stone, Engineered/Quartz Stone, Manufactured Stone (made of concrete), End-use Markets Trends and Demographics, Economic Factors Effecting Demand for Stone, Imports and Exports, Installers, Retailers, Home Centers, Floor Covering Channels, and Internet Sales Channels.
• The 2013 Natural and Manufactured Stone analysis will assist industry companies to take advantage of the current recovery in the natural and manufactured stone product markets.
• Donato Pompo, president of CTaSC, underscored the importance of the information gathered from the stone industry by stating, “In-depth information about the stone industry is very hard to come by.”  He added, “It’s vital for all of us to know what’s going on in the market and understand how the current state of the economy will affect our business and our future opportunities.”
• This is the fifth version of the Catalina Stone Report (the first was in 2003).  For more information and pricing on the 2013 Natural and Manufactured Stone Product Report go to our Industry Report section on this website.

 

This page will be updated periodically with the most current and complete information available.