Port-of-Entry

The General View: November finally looks like the Rolling Readjustment Month for 2023 The $381.5 million in customs value for U.S. hard-surface imports, show gentler declines in performance – down 4.5% from October, and down 4.8% in year-over-year comparison. The Expected: In 2022, quartz-surface volume fell 35% from October to November as producers in India fretted over a possible 120%-plus increase in tariffs. The big tariff jump didn’t happen, and November 2023 reflects that with a 34.8% year-over-year increase overall and a 147% recovery from India. The 16.6 million ft² brought into the United States in November 2023, though, is 10.3% less than the previous month. The Unexpected: Porcelain tile-and-slab powerhouse Italy sputtered in November 2023, with year-over-year declines of 17.8% in value and 16.9% in volume. Italia remains the clear leader in value at nearly $38 million. India’s exports to the United States, meanwhile, total only $14.6 million in value for November … but its 28.1 million ft² is way ahead of Italy’s 20.3 million ft². The Strange: Back in November 2019, Israel shipped one million square feet of quartz slab to the United States. In November 2023, the country sent 177,368 ft², or a decline of more than 80%. It’s a solid indication that Caesarstone is divvying out production to third-party manufacturers worldwide. Next Month: Next month wraps up a less-than-stellar year in the hard-surface market, as world economic conditions, shipping concerns, and deflated demand (after the pandemic boon) all hit the trade. Here’s hoping that 2024 reaches normal levels … as is anything is normal anymore.