Brazil shows first signs of recovery

Anfacer projections indicate a first partial recovery of the Brazilian ceramic industry in 2024 after two years of decline.

2023 proved to be another challenging year for the Brazilian ceramic tile industry following the decline experienced in 2022. Domestic sales – which are effectively equivalent to national consumption and make up 88% of the sector’s total sales – dropped by 5.8% year-on-year to below 700 million sqm. Exports decreased by 21.7% to 89 million sqm. Inevitably, production fell to realign with reduced demand to reach 793 million sqm, more than 130 million sqm less than the previous year.

Industry leaders are now pinning their hopes on 2024 for a turnaround, encouraged by Anfacer’s forecasts of a return to growth and a modest recovery this year.

“We’re anticipating a small increase this year – confirms Benjamin Ferreira, Vice Chairman of Anfacer -, but we hope this will improve in 2025 to bring demand back to 2019 levels. The first quarter of 2024 saw a 4% increase in total sales and a 5% rise in exports compared to Q1 2023, while production gained 6.8%.”

The success of Expo Revestir in Sao Paulo last March, a key event in Latin America and a major annual networking and business opportunity for the industry, has certainly contributed to these optimistic projections.

“Revestir was an exciting event – says Ferreira -, probably the best edition of the show we have organised to date. This was not just due to the range of exhibitors – more than 300 brands occupying 65,000 sqm of floor space – but also the high quality of visitors. These included retailers, distributors, importers, architects, designers and builders, as well as more than 1,300 international buyers invited in collaboration with APEX. I believe this year’s show offered an even more engaging visitor experience, further enhanced by the FIER+ International Forum which focused on a different theme and target group each day: Design, Architecture, Retail and Construction”.

Read the complete interview published in Ceramic World Review no. 156/2024