Articles

Privately‐owned housing starts in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,450,000, 9.8% above the revised January estimate of 1,321,000 but 18.4% below the February 2022 rate of 1,777,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Read More

Although high construction costs and elevated interest rates continue to hamper housing affordability, builders expressed cautious optimism in March as a lack of existing inventory is shifting demand to the new home market. Read More

Following higher than expected growth in 2021 (17.3% up on 2020), Mohawk Industries reported a slight slowdown in the 2022 financial year. This is hardly a surprise given the inflationary pressures present in many markets coupled with higher energy and raw materials prices and rising interest rates. Read More

When trying to develop a forecast for the US building market, there are three indicators that tell the story with the most accuracy. The first is housing starts, which historically has always influenced the ceramic tile industry. With the increasing interest rates, we are already experiencing a decline in new home starts. Read More

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.4% in February on a seasonally adjusted basis, after increasing 0.5% in January, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 6.0% before seasonal adjustment. Read More

The global resilient flooring market size is expected to reach USD 65.29 million by 2030 and is expected to expand at 6.9% CAGR from 2023 to 2030. The demand for resilient floorings is predicted to escalate over the forecast period as a result of increased investments in the construction industry and rising demand for aesthetic building enhancements. Furthermore, the growing construction spending in the emerging Middle Eastern and Asia Pacific economies would further bolster the market growth. Read More

For several years now, the U.S. ceramic market has been going through a period of transition with the expansion of U.S. manufacturing, removal of Chinese imports from the market through tariffs, significant instability in raw material sourcing and increases in raw material costs, and developments in technology that have enabled advancements in aesthetics and formats. And over the course of the last year, the market has worked to fi nd its footing as a result of these dynamics. At the same time, ceramic manufacturers and importers are fighting the same battles that many other flooring categories are—working to maintain ceramic’s market share, as LVT continues to steal square footage from virtually all other flooring categories; seeking solutions to the shortage of flooring installers; and communicating its value to the various end user groups, many of which do not yet understand that, while costly up front, ceramic carries a significant useful life, offers great durability, and has a strong green story. Read More

The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI), issued by Dodge Construction Network, advanced 1.9% in February to 203.0 from the revised January reading of 199.3. In February, the commercial component of the DMI rose 1.4%, and the institutional component increased 2.9%. Read More

The truth of the matter is that for many aspects of residential construction such as framing, tiling and finish carpentry, construction techniques haven’t changed a lot over the years. A recent academic paper titled “The Strange and Awful Path of Productivity in the U.S. Construction Sector” points out that while labor productivity has doubled across the U.S. economy over the past 50 years, it has been falling or, at best, stagnant for the construction sector. Read More

Lowe’s announced Q4 2022 sales were $22.4 billion, a 5% increase compared to $21.3 billion in Q4 2021. Comparable sales for Q4 decreased 1.5%, and comparable sales for the U.S. home improvement business decreased 0.7%. Read More