Articles

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

Total construction employment moved up to 7,706,000 in July as both residential and nonresidential construction firms added jobs for the month, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. Read More

3Q 2021 U.S. Ceramic Tile Market Update: U.S. ceramic tile consumption rose 15.3% by volume 3Q 2021 YTD compared to the same timeframe in 2020. Read More

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 6.9% in Q4 2021, according to the third estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Read More

Construction spending during October 2021 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,598.0 billion, 0.2% above the revised September estimate of $1,594.8 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Read More

European businesses are seeing some easing in the delays they face getting hold of parts and raw materials, but supply-chain blockages pushed their costs higher, driving them to raise prices at record pace and fueling inflationary pressures, reports the Wall Street Journal. Read More

In the week ending November 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 267,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised level, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, the lowest level for initial claims since March 14, 2020 when it was 256,000.  Read More

Single-family housing production held steady in September as strong demand helped to offset ongoing building material supply chain disruptions. Meanwhile, declines in multifamily  production helped to push overall housing starts in September down 1.6% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.56 million, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. Read More

Privately‐owned housing starts in September were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,555,000, 1.6% below the revised August estimate of 1,580,000 but 7.4% above the September 2020 rate of 1,448,000, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced. Read More

The Producer Price Index for final demand increased 0.5% in September, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.  Read More