Articles

World production and consumption of ceramic tiles 07/10/2019 In 2018 world ceramic tile production decreased to 13,099 million sq.m (-3.6% on 2017); tile consumption also dropped by… Read More

Homebuilding is one of the most cyclical sectors in our economy. So much so that many economists look at this sector as one of the most predictable leading indicators of the broader economy, and for good reasons. Buying a new home is one of the largest purchases that a household makes. It is a purchase that is very sensitive to interest rate fluctuations since a minor rise interest rates can make that desired home unaffordable. As such, the degree of confidence that a household has in the outlook for the economy can play a major role in its decision to buy a home. Read More

Basically our industry is $68+ billion. Of that, $22 billion is installation or labor. Since these numbers are adjusted every five years to Census of Retail and Census of Construction, there is no more than 5 percent error in the numbers. We can quibble about whether it is really $66.4 billion or some other number close but that is the size.   Read More

Flooring Market Growing At 6.5 % CAGR To Reach $450 Billion By 2024 October 9, 2019 by Global Market Insights from TalkFloor The global flooring market size… Read More

U.S. Construction Market 2019/2020: Current Conditions and Future Outlook By Daniel LoBue, Tego Systems Corp. from Flooring Covering Installer Magazine Sept/Oct 2019 Background: Only final revised data published… Read More

U.S. floor coverings demand could increase in the fourth quarter due to the steep drop in interest rates in the second and third quarters of 2019. Declining interest rates has given a boost to U.S. home sales in the third quarter of 2019 for the first time in over a year. Rising home sales, especially in the important re-sale market, has historically stimulated residential floor coverings sales. Read More

Sales of newly built, single-family homes increased 7.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 713,000 units in August off a revised upward reading in July, according to newly released data by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. On a year-to-date basis, new home sales for 2019 are 6.4 percent higher than the same period in 2018. Read More

Led by a surge in multifamily production, total housing starts rose 12.3 percent in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.36 million units from an upwardly revised reading in July, according to a report from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development and Commerce Department. This is the highest level since May 2007. Read More

"Low interest rates and solid demand continue to fuel builders' sentiments even as they continue to grapple with ongoing supply-side challenges that hinder housing affordability, including a shortage of lots and labor," said NAHB chairman Greg Ugalde, a home builder and developer from Torrington, Conn.   Read More

More and more companies are offering their employees the option of regularly or occasionally telecommuting. While this trend presents a lot of advantages to both employees and employers, there are also some emerging concerns. However, the comparative advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting often obscure the real reason that it is growing in popularity, which is that employers need to attract workers, but often have limits to the compensation that they can offer. Instead, what they can provide is quality of life benefits, and telecommuting is one of these popular but affordable options Read More