World sanitaryware imports and exports (2018)

Luca Baraldi, Acimac Research Dept. [email protected]

Acimac Research Dept. updates the yearly analysis of the world ceramic sanitaryware imports/exports flows. In 2018 sanitaryware exports continued to rise with 9.4% growth on 2017, marking a positive trend in all geographical areas of production.

World ceramic sanitaryware import/export flows grew by 95.4% from 1.72 to 3.36 million tons over the period 2008-2018, corresponding to a compound annual growth rate of 6.9%. In 2018 sanitaryware exports continued to rise with 9.4% growth on 2017, marking a positive trend in all geographical areas of production.

Asia further consolidated its position as the largest world sanitaryware exporter with an increase in its share of world exports from 58% to 60% thanks to further strong growth in 2018 (2 million tons, +13.4%). This was largely due to Chinese exports, although the other main Asian exporters (India, Thailand and Vietnam) also registered double-digit export growth. The European Union, the world’s second largest exporter, closed 2018 with 2.7% growth to 593,000 tons thanks to the strong performance of Portugal, Germany and Poland, while Italian exports remained stable at 2017 values. Sanitaryware exports from North America (NAFTA) were also up 2.3% to 375,000 tons, almost entirely from Mexico, while exports from South America rose 12% to 89,000 tons. In 2018, non-EU European countries continued their 8-year export expansion trend (+8.4% to 220,000 tons), driven by a further surge in Turkish exports (+9.6%). Finally, Africa remained stable at 2017 values with 66,000 tons.

There were no major changes in the rankings of the top 10 exporter countries in 2018 with respect to the previous year, apart from India overtaking Turkey to reach third position and Germany climbing above Poland to seventh. Eight out of the ten countries saw year-on-year growth in their sanitaryware exports, the only exceptions being Poland (-0.8%) and Italy (-3.8%). China continued to top the rankings with 1.53 million tons in 2018, up from 244,000 tons in 2008 (corresponding to a compound annual growth rate of 20%). In 2018 it achieved 11.2% growth over 2017 to set a new all-time record. China alone accounted for 76% of Asian and 53% of world exports. Mexico, the second largest exporter country with an 11.9% share of global exports, reached 343,000 tons (up 5% on 2017), maintaining the upward trend that has continued uninterruptedly since 2013. With almost 33% growth over 2017 to 183,000 tons, India climbed to third place ahead of fourth-ranking Turkey with 154,000 tons of exports (up 9.6% on 2017).

Read the complete article published in Ceramic World Review 134