2023 U.S. Ceramic Tile Market Update

Total U.S. ceramic tile consumption in 2023 was 264.5 million sq.m, down 7.3% from the previous year. Imports fell by 8.4% to 185.8 million sq.m.

The U.S. ceramic tile market contracted for the second straight year in 2023, as the U.S. housing market continued to struggle due to high mortgage rates, inflation, and labor shortages.

Based on figures from U.S. Dept. of Commerce and Tile Council of North America, total U.S. ceramic tile consumption in 2023 was 264.5 million m2 (2.85 billion sq. ft.), down 7.3% from the previous year.

The volume of domestically produced tile decreased from 87.3 million sq.m to 83.5 million sq.m, -4.4% from 2022. U.S. manufacturers shipped 78.7 million m2 (847.3 million sq. ft.) of ceramic tile domestically in 2023, down 4.7% from the previous year.

By volume, U.S. shipments’ share of total U.S. consumption was 29.8% in 2023, up from 28.9% the prior year, and was much higher than the shares of any individual country exporting to the U.S., with the next highest shares of total consumption belonging to India (14.2%), Spain (12.2%), and Mexico (11.8%).

In dollars, U.S. FOB factory sales of domestic shipments in 2023 were $1.50 billion, a 1.7% increase from the prior year. U.S. shipments were 36.9% of total 2023 U.S. tile consumption by value, up from 33.4% in 2022. The per unit value of domestic shipments in 2023 was $19.06/m2 ($1.77/sq. ft.), up from $17.86/m2 ($1.66/sq. ft.) in 2022.

U.S. ceramic tile exports in 2023 were 4.7 million m2 (51 million sq. ft.), up 0.5% from the previous year and the highest total on record. The vast majority of these exports went to Canada (65.8%) and Mexico (19.7%). U.S. exports by value in 2023 were $53.3 million, up 1.4% from 2022.

Imports

According to figures by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, U.S. ceramic tile imports were at 185.8 million m2 (2.00 billion sq. ft.) in 2023, an 8.4% decline from the prior year.

While many of the largest tile exporters to the U.S. experienced double-digit year-over-year percentage declines, imports from India soared 42.6% by volume, from 26.4 in 2022 to 37.6 million m2 in 2023. With a 20.3% share of U.S. imports, India also became the largest exporter to the U.S. on a volume basis for the first time, replacing Spain, which had held the top spot since 2020.

Spain was the second largest exporter to the U.S. in 2023 even though its volume fell 19.4% compared to the previous year. Spanish imports held a 17.4% share of 2023 total U.S. imports by volume, down from 19.8% in 2022.

Mexico remained the third largest exporter to the U.S. by volume in 2023 with a 16.7% share of total U.S. imports. Imports from Mexico by volume declined 7.8% vs. 2022.

While Italy was the fourth largest exporter to the U.S. in 2023 by volume, its exports to the U.S. were down 20.5% vs. the prior year. Italy’s share of imports fell from 17.3% in 2022 to 15.0% in 2023, its lowest import share on record.

Brazil replaced Turkey in the fifth spot despite seeing its exports to the U.S. fall 18.6% vs. 2022. Brazilian tile made up 9.2% of U.S. imports in 2023, down from 10.4% the preceding year.

In 2023, the total value of ceramic tile imports decreased by 12.9% to US$ 2.56 billion. On a dollar basis (CIF + duty), Italy kept its place as the largest exporter to the U.S., making up 28.2% of 2023 U.S imports (US$ 722 million, -18.7%), followed by Spain with a 25.7% share (US$ 659 million, -16.5%) and Mexico with an 11.3% share (US$ 290 million, +8.6%).

Once again in 2023, Italian tiles had the highest average price of $25.94/sq.m, up 2.3% from $25.36/sq.m in 2022. Spanish average value also increased by 3.6% from $19.64/sq.m to $20.35/sq.m.

On the contrary, the average price of Indian tiles decreased by 26.3%, from $9,34/sq.m in 2022 to $6.88/sq.m in 2023.

Read the complete article published in Ceramic World Review no. 155