The Italian tile industry reports first quarter growth

The sector figures announced by Confindustria Ceramica chairman Franco Manfredini at the association's annual press conference highlighted the efforts made by the ceramic tile industry to combat the severe international crisis.

 The first quarter of 2010 saw growth of around 2% in both volumes and values, a cautious recovery with respect to 2009. This figure reflects the efforts made by the ceramic sector to implement a process of corporate and sector-wide restructuring in response to the new international situation.

Exports in the first quarter of 2010 totalled 69.5 million sq.m (+1.71%) corresponding to a total turnover of 804.8 million euro (+1.93%). The growing markets are largely outside the EU, particularly Asia (+25.1% by volume and + 31.1% in value) and the USA (+18.69% by volume and +7.94 in value) where the economic recovery is spurring the real-estate sector. Sales also increased in Oceania and Australia (+25.27% overall), although these markets account for a smaller percentage of total exports (in both volumes and value).

Exports to the EU dropped to 40.2 million sq.m (-4.3%) in volume and 481.2 million euro in value (-2.8%). Sales remained almost unchanged in both the larger markets for Italian tiles (France -3.5%, Germany -1.8%) and also in smaller markets such as the UK (-1.6%) and Spain, where Italian exports increased (+4.5%).

Confindustria Ceramica is organising numerous initiatives in 2010 to facilitate the recovery of the sector. These include promoting investments in research and development, establishing better conditions for competitiveness (energy cost cutting measures, housing programme measures, simplification of bureaucratic procedures for new companies, etc.) and conducting a major promotional campaign for Italian products.