USA, transport and duties fail to affect tile imports

USA, transport and duties fail to affect tile imports28 November 2002 - Transport costs and import duties do not affect decisions by US dealers and distributors to stock imported ceramic tiles. These are the findings of a survey conducted in October by the Market Research Division of Business News Publishing Company, publisher of the magazine "National Floor Gres". The survey was conducted over a sample consisting of 50% tile and floor coverings distributors, along with dealers, contractors and other major American buyers. Interviewed companies distribute 63% imported tiles, of which 48% come from Italy and 22% from Spain.
For 74% of the companies surveyed, import duties (which account for more than 10% of the cost of tiles) have no bearing on the decision to stock imported tiles compared to American products. For 64% of them, the choice is not even influenced by transport costs, which account for 15-20%.
US importers and dealers are making optimistic forecasts for ceramic tile sales: 68% of them believe sales will increase over the next 18 months, 31% expect sales to remain stable and 1% predict a fall.

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