Spain, tile exports show increase to September 2002

Jan 31, 2003

Spain, tile exports show increase to September 200231/1/2003 - The value of Spanish ceramic tile exports rose by 5.1% in the period January-September 2002. The increase in the third quarter alone was 6.2%, that of the last 12 months 5.3%. This positive figure is largely due to the strong performance of sales in North America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, together with the growing importance of the African market. These areas have succeeded in compensating for the fall in exports to the Euro zone, South America and East Asia.
According to Ascer, the sector's foreign sales totalled 1,573.5 million euro in 182 countries compared to 1,496.8 million euro in the same period in 2001.

During the first nine months of 2002, the value of imports reached 41.8 million euro, 21.2% up on the same period the previous year, accounting for 1.3% of domestic consumption. More than 94% of Spanish ceramic tile imports originate in the European Union, mainly Italy (30 million euro, +20.7%) and Portugal (4.9 million euro, +13.1%).
"The production of the Spanish ceramic sector maintained a positive trend in 2002, but with a smaller growth rate than in previous years," declared Ascer's chairman Fernando Diago in an interview with Ceramic World Review. "Export growth is satisfactory, considering the current economic climate." Sales of Spanish ceramic tiles in the European Union, amounting to 611.5 million euro, accounted for 38.9% of exports, with strong performances particularly in France, the UK and Portugal. Exports to Eastern European countries rose by 7%, the main markets being Russia (35.4 million euro, +4.0%) and Poland (28.4 million euro, -23.1%).

Sales in Eastern and Southeast Asia fell by 12.6%, with peaks in South Korea (20.3 million euro, -0.1%) and Hong Kong (10.1 million euro, -32.4%). Exports to Central and South America fell by 15.0%.valenciaok.jpeg