Port-of-Entry
February 2023
The General View: The slow start to 2023 continues in February with U.S. hard-surface imports of $337.2 million, trailing the same time last year by 8.7%. Quartz surfaces, usually the largest sector, slid to second place as February’s $91.6 million runs behind last year by 30.3%
The Expected: Marble and porcelain offer the brightest news in February hard-surface imports. Porcelain’s 92.4 million ft² is a 9% year-over-year volume gain, and marble shows a 7.8% improvement at 46,954 metric tons.
The Unexpected: The other-stone sector didn’t fare as well, although the 34,564 metric tons shipped to the United States in February ends up as only a 1.2% year-over-year drop. The surprise is the month’s leader, as China gains 13.9% from last year to pass perennial champion Brazil.
The Strange: The 30.3% drop in quartz-surface import values is mirrored by a 29.2% decline in year-over-year volume. It’s rare to see volume and value fall (or rise, for that matter) by almost equal amounts in any hard-surface import sector.
Next Month: Conspiracy theorists, take off your tin hats; there is no worldwide cartel agreement on quartz pricing and availability. We’re seeing the results of either oversupply or a downturn in customer demand. Or, as painful as it could be, both. The next few months should show a clearer picture of market direction.
