The world marble-natural stone sector in 2014 continued its growth trend for the fifth consecutive year (+3.85% over the previous year), according to the XXVI World Stone Report edited by Carlo Montaini for publisher Aldus.
The Report states that 2014 saw total world marble-natural stone output in excess of 100 million m³, equivalent to 80 million tonnes gross (net of quarry waste) and 1.5 billion m² of equivalent products at the conventional thickness for a slab of marble of 2cm.
The XXVI World Stone Report was premiered during the 50th edition of
The main final uses of marble and granite are still flooring and interior décor, says the Report. The quantity of processed products on the market has increased by more than three times over the last twenty years: today, per capita consumption of marble on a world-wide scale comes to 237m² per thousand inhabitants; only Switzerland, Belgium, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan can boast a ratio of one square meter per person.
"Despite the significant explosion of the stone industry in countries such as Jordan, Oman, Mongolia and Vietnam," Montani explains. "In the future production will be increasingly concentrated in a handful of countries that already today - headed by China, followed by India, Turkey, Brazil, Italy and Spain - together account for more than 70% of total volumes."
In terms of international trade, global export volumes came to 56.9 million tonnes (+6.7%), of which 29.5 million tonnes for raw materials (+5%) and 27.4 million tonnes for processed materials (+8.7%). In the last two decades, the flow of world exports has almost quadrupled.
The global stone trading turnover in 2014 was US$23 billion (€20.5 billion), of which 75% generated by processed products. In terms of export turnover, the top four countries are, in order: China, Italy, Turkey and India, followed by Brazil, Spain and Portugal.
As regards imports, China still ranks first as regards purchases of raw material, followed by Taiwan, while finished products are especially imported by the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Belgium, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.
The World Stone Report has for 26 years been an authentic reference landmark for all professionals in the sector: This year set an historic record with 110 countries monitored, as well as more than 24 thousand economic and statistical entries, based on Eurostat, ComTrade and Abi Rochas sources.
