The 2014 figures for the Italian ceramic sanitaryware, refractories and tableware industries

The Confindustria Ceramica 2015 Members' Meeting held on 9 June provided an opportunity to discuss the overall performance of the Italian ceramic industry in 2014 and to analyse the figures for the sanitaryware, tableware and refractories sectors.

With a total turnover of 773 million euros, these three sectors accounted for 13.6% of the Italian ceramic industry's total turnover (5.687 billion euros), while the tile sector maintained its dominant share. 

In 2014, the Italian ceramic sanitaryware industry produced a total of 3.8 million pieces (1.6% down on 2013). This output was produced by 29 companies (7 fewer than the previous year), 26 of which are located in the Civita Castellana district (province of Viterbo). The workforce contracted by 9.3% to a total of 3,377 employees. Sales totalled 3.7 million pieces, generating a turnover of 317.2 million euros (+2.9%), of which 174.5 million euros derived from domestic sales and 142.7 million euros from exports. The investments made in the sector totalled an impressive 16.5 million euros, a sharp increase with respect to 2013 and equivalent to more than 5% of annual turnover.

The structure of the refractories sector remains unchanged with 35 companies and 2,129 employees. Production totalled 423,455 tons (+0.5%) while sales dropped to 433,970 tons (-2%), including 65% on the domestic market (283,697 tons, +1.4%).

The total turnover of 410.8 million euros (+4.6%) consisted of 266.8 million euros from domestic Italian sales (+12%), 80.1 million euros from exports within the EU (-12.7%) and 63.9 million euros from exports outside the EU (+1.8%).

Only 9 companies manufacture tableware at an industrial level. In 2014 production and sales topped 13,000 tons, generating a turnover of around 45 million euros. The sales markets remain unchanged, with the domestic market continuing to account for 80% of sales by volume and 70% of turnover.

One particularly important development was the introduction in May 2013 of antidumping measures on imports of Chinese tableware to Europe, resulting in duties of between 13.1% and 36.1% being applied to Chinese imports over the following 5 years. At a European level, this measure has already resulted in an initial fall of 40% in Chinese exports in 2013, followed by a further 28.8% contraction in 2014.