The first half of 2017 saw an increase in imports of natural stone and engineered stone / exports showed significant increase
Brazil’s economy and with it the country’s stone branch show signs of recovery after four straight years of deep crisis. This is the interpretation of Kistemann e Chiodi Assesoria e Projetos and the facts and figures they published in „Abirochas“ (3/2017): the first half of 2017 showed a slight increase in imports for the first time not only for natural stone but also for engineered stone: Natural stone saw an increase relative to 2016 of 1.3% by value (but -2.5% by tonnage). For engineered stone the increase was even more pronounced: +4.8% by value and +8.9% by tonnage.
Natural stone exports in the same period were down (by value -2.5% and -4.8% by tonnage respectively). But the average value of the products sold increased significantly from 319.9 US-$ per/t last year to 480.2 US-$/t.
For the first time luxury goods played a significant role: average prices of 2,006.80 US$ /t made up 7.04% of exports.
Never before had such riches been drawn from natural resources in the Brazilian stone branch.
Efforts to get a foot in the door of big building projects like hotels or building complexes seem to be showing fruit. „The fact that big business is successfully entering the market for value added products is unmistakable“, according to consultants, usually reticent in praising members of their own branch.
Denize Kistemann und Cid Chiodi praise the increase of exports in marble (value added products: +15.7% and slabs: +31.64%). Currently there is great demand for carbonate rocks.
Furthermore: quartzite is all the craze on the world markets, the experts write. Chid Chiodi had foreseen that this difficult stone would be „Brazil’s chance in the 21st century“.
The consultants carefully predict that the exports for the entire year might look better this year than last, which has not happened since 2014.
Abirochas Informe 3/2017 (Portuguese)
(06.10.2017, USA: 10.06.2017)