Only three countries – besides one-shot wonders like Caribbean islands with a single-wire saw – managed to get a lift in U.S. dimensional-stone export figures for the first month of this year. China is one; anybody guessing the other two is peeking down the column.
Marble provided a bright spot for dimensional-stone imports in September, and granite tonnage also looked good … although it could be only a one-month reprieve from this year’s downward trend.
The decline in granite imports continued through August, with most of the other dimensional-stone imports following suit – with the exception of a manic market in other calcareous.
If the first six months of 2008’s U.S. dimensional-stone imports translated into an aviation weather report for the rest of the year, it’d be three words: foggy, ceiling uncertain.
Information on U.S. stone imports becomes available a few months after the fact; right now, June marks the latest data available. Some in-depth analysis of stone imports at mid-year will be available in the October 2008 Stone Business (and you can sign up for a free subscription here), but an overview of June figures offer some interesting insights.
It couldn’t last forever.
Maturity always sounds like a great thing … until you get there.
The U.S. dimensional-stone market may face that feeling in 2007, according to mid-year import statistics, with demand leveling off with either oh-so-slight growth or a small decline among various stone types.
By Emerson Schwartzkopf
Maybe, just maybe, the dimensional-stone roller coaster is finally cresting the incline, and the steady growth of imports will give way to some exciting ups-and-downs before settling down on a nice, flat track.
The reality, in the first half of 2006: fat, fat chance.
CARRARA, Italy – Dimensional-stone exports from Italy grew slightly in volume
and higher in value during the first quarter of 2006, according to a report from
Internazionale Marmi e Macchine (IMM).
By Emerson Schwartzkopf
Is the U.S. dimensional-market slowing down?
Looking at overall import data for natural stone from last year, the quick answer is yes. The longer answer is, well, it’s complicated.
And, using the term slow in the current stone market isn’t as dire as it sounds. The 20.7-percent rise in imported stone value in 2005 over the previous year is a nice bit of growth – it’s just not as good as the year before.
The $2.8 billion in stone that passed through U.S. entry ports marks yet another record, and the $3 billion mark should easily be surpassed this year. The outlook remains bright, although it’s worth watching those small clouds forming in the blue sky.