Port-of-Entry

The General View: The 14% decline in the customs value of U.S. hard-surface imports from January to February is a less-than-stellar end to the Queasy Quarter that began last December. The Expected: The $369.5 million of total hard-surface value going through U.S. ports-of-entry in February remained 9% ahead of the same time in 2021. Only two sectors posted negative growth: worked granite, down 12.1%, and non-roofing slate slipping by 5.2% The Unexpected: The 71,832 metric tons shipped to the United States this February marked a 23.3% drop from February 2021. The 176,845 metric tons received so far this year from all countries is close to 15% behind the same time last year. The Strange: The only hard-surface sector to show an increase in U.S. import value from January to February is, of all things, travertine. It's miniscule – 0.3% – but nonetheless good news. Next Month: The Russia-Ukraine war is going to affect hard surfaces in a big way. The large slice of overhead taken by diesel for land and sea transport will jack up delivery costs . And the twin hammers of uncertain supplies of natural gas (Russia) and high-quality clay (Ukraine) roiled European tilemakers enough to cancel two summertime trade events and consider cooling off the kilns.