2020 was a difficult year for the ceramics sector, but not without exception.

According to pre-consumptions from theNational Trade Association Ascer, Spanish tile would have survived even the pandemic year, boasting annual sales between -1 percent and +2 percent over 2019. Such favorable numbers are mainly due toexports to countries such as the U.S., Germany, France, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Overall, going back to the numbers, the data say that total industry sales are not expected to be much different from the 3,757 million euros in 2019, ranging from -1 percent (worst case scenario) to +2 percent (best case scenario).

The value of export

Making the difference in recording these numbers were exports to foreign countries. The recorded increase in revenues fluctuates between +1 percent and +4 percent for 2020 compared to 2,818 million in 2019.

Sharply declining numbers, however, for domestic sales, which range between -7 percent and -4 percent compared to 2019.

Production volumes were also down 3-4% compared to 2019; this allowed companies to level out supply and demand and avoid overstocking in warehouses.

With respect to the countries targeted by tile exports, the January-October 2020 time frame shows a 15.1 percent increase in sales to the United States, which is now the leading export market ahead of France. Positive signs also for exports to Germany (+16.6 percent), Saudi Arabia (+71.3 percent, with a further increase in November, +90.8 percent) and the United Arab Emirates (+52.6 percent).

The numbers of Spanish dye factories

On the colorworks front, the numbers are also all positive. According to ANFFECC, the Spanish ceramic frits, glazes, and colors industry ended 2020 with total revenues of 1,256 million euros, marking a 5.3 percent decrease over 2019. 

However, while down, there is the fact that in the second quarter of 2020, the market was down -37% compared to 2019, due to the catastrophic consequences of the lockdown. The upturn, therefore, has been remarkable and is, according to experts, far better than forecast.

The biggest impact in 2020 was suffered by the export sector: exports, which make up 70.5 percent of total sales of Spanish color manufacturers, fell to 885 million euros (-5.9 percent over 2019).

Domestic sales of 371 million euros (29.5 percent of the total) saw a more sudden recovery, limiting the decline in revenues to -3.7 percent.