Exports drive the Spanish recovery

The Spanish tile industry maintained its recovery through 2014 and the first half of 2015, again driven by exports.

Although the domestic market continued to decline in 2014 (demand fell by 14.8% from 108 to 92 million sq.m), it showed the first tentative signs of recovery this year.

By contrast, exports grew in 2014 in terms of both volume (339 million sq.m, +6.6%) and value (2.328 billion euros, +4%). The trend persisted through the first six months of 2015 with a further 3.3% upturn compared with the same period in 2014 to a total of 1.264 billion euros.

But it is production that appears to be falling this year. After reaching 425 million sq.m at the end of 2014 (a timid +1.2%), Ascer (the Spanish tile manufacturers' association) estimates a 1.8% drop in the first 6 months of 2015 compared to the same period the previous year.

Read the full article published on Ceramic World Review 114/2015