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TRANSCRIPT
0:18
Hi, I’m K. Schipper with the latest in hard surfaces industry news from Radio Stone Update.
0:28
Another shot has been fired in the on-going battle between U.S. and foreign producers of hard surfaces. This time the combatants are U.S. ceramic tile manufacturers and competing companies from India.
Specifically, the Coalition for Fair Trade in Ceramics – the CFTCT – has petitioned the U.S. International Trade Commission – the USITC – to investigate anti-dumping and countervailing practices concerning production and shipment of Indian ceramic tile.
The anti-dumping petition is seeking tariffs between 408 percent and 828 percent on the customs value of Indian ceramic tile, claiming “massive and widespread dumping.” The information comes from a news release from the Tile Council of North America.
The TCNA contends that additional anti-subsidy tariffs would “remedy the impact of numerous Indian government subsidies – subsidies that have further injured domestic manufacturers.”
Eric Astrachan, TCNA executive director, says that American tile manufacturers have always welcomes fair competition from imports. “However, Indian tile producers enjoy substantial government subsidies, which in conjunction with selling excess capacity at dumped prices has allowed them to flood the U.S. market,” Astrachan says.
He adds that over the past 10 years, sales of tile from India have increased from 344,000 ft2 in 2013 to nearly 405 million ft2 by the end of 2023.
“Our domestic manufacturers had no alternative but to petition the federal government for relief from these unjust trading practices. The vitality of the U.S. industry and the livelihoods of thousands of employees and their families within our member companies depend on it,” Astrachan adds.
In 2019 the CFTCT petitioned for similar action against ceramic-tile producers in China. The resulting investigation led the USITC to impose tariffs of 565 percent to 689 percent depending on the manufacturer/exporter.
The USITC will conduct a preliminary investigation and if it finds sufficient evidence, will issue temporary tariffs within a few months on Indian ceramic-tile shipments. After further investigation, a final determination will be made, most likely near the end of 2025.
3:17
The National Tile Contractors Association — the NTCA – named Elizabeth Lambert, co-owner of Lambert Tile and Stone in Eagle, Colorado, as the 2024 Tile Person of the Year.
Lambert and her husband, Dan, built their business specializing in high-end residential tile and stone installations. Elizabeth Lambert currently serves as a member of the NTCA Board of Directors in Region 10 and chairs NTCA’s Women in Tile Group, an initiative she helped launch early last year.
Under Lambert’s leadership, Lambert Tile and Stone achieved Five Star Accredited Contractor status and garnered multiple awards for installation excellence, including the Tile Letter Award in 2010, Five Star Project of the Year in 2013 and Residential Project of the Year in 2023.
She is the fourth woman in NTCA’s 77-year history to receive the Tile Person of the Year Award.
5:43
Bart Bettiga, executive director of NTCA, says, “Elizabeth’s leadership, expertise and passion have made a significant impact on our community, and we are proud to celebrate her achievements as the 2024 Tile Person of the Year.”
Coverings presented the honorees of the annual Rock Star Awards at a ceremony on Monday at Coverings 2024, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
This is the tenth year of the awards program, underscoring Coverings’ commitment to fostering industry growth by honoring exemplary young leaders in the tile and stone industry. Rock Star recipients epitomize the industry’s young professionals who are setting new standards in performance and excellence to further industry advancement.
Jenn Heinold, president of Taffy Event Strategies, the show management company for Coverings, says the Rock Stars program has become a Coverings cornerstone. Says Heinold, “Coverings is proud to honor these exceptional individuals as part of the program’s tenth anniversary celebration.”
This year’s 16 Rock Stars inductees were chosen by a panel of tile and stone industry leaders who carefully reviewed nominations to make their selections, and include seven contractor/installers, two designers, four distributors, two manufacturers and a retailer.
The 2024 Rock Stars were honored at Coverings alongside winners from the past nine years.
6:59
Registration is now open for Hardscape North America, which will be held Oct. 16-18 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
Along with the opportunity to see and test the latest products and technology at the nation’s largest landscape and hardscape event, attendees will benefit from expanded education, new features, and networking events, as well as plenty of after-hours fun.
Bob Thomas, president and CEO of the Concrete Masonry & Hardscape Association (CMHA), which produces HNA, says the event is building on the energy from last year’s show.
Aimed at contractors and installers who build segmental pavements and retaining walls, HNA features indoor and outdoor exhibits displaying state-of-the-art tools and products, along with tradeshow floor demonstrations. The show is endorsed by the Natural Stone Institute and the Brick Industry Association.
Among the new and returning features at HNA this year include:
- Kevin O’Connor, host of “This Old House,” will make the opening keynote address;
- Five “new to HNA” speakers and five additional education sessions are on the schedule;
- A Women’s Leadership Reception will provide valuable opportunities to connect;
- Hardscape House and the Outdoor Demonstration Yard allow attendees to learn from live demos, watch the Installer Championships and get behind the controls of equipment, and;
Access to the concurrent Equip Exposition is included in the HNA registration.
Early bird registration for the show is $25 through May 31, when it will increase to $30. For information or to register, go to www.HardscapeNA.com
8:54
Marmomac is introducing “Stone Takes the Stage,” the new theme for the 2024 edition of Veronafiere, the world’s largest natural-stone fair, to be held from Sept. 24-27 in Verona, Italy.
The new image of Marmomac, designed by the Verona-based agency Makai, will be used for all marketing materials and communication tools that will promote the 2024 show.
“Stone Takes the Stage” focuses on the multifunctional space of Veronafiere, with its products, technology and creativity, and the resulting unique exhibition experience of business, culture, and education.
Imagery focuses on imposing monoliths, perfectly integrated into a system of voids and solids that animate the entire scene. Balance, fullness, and stability are emphasized by the passage of magenta, the institutional color of Veronafiere.
Marmomac is the leading international fair dedicated to all sectors of the stone industry, from raw materials to artistic and design artifacts, including machinery, tools, and technologies. The 2023 edition saw 51,000 visitors and 1,507 companies exhibiting, with more than two-thirds coming from 54 foreign counties.
10:14
On the other side of the world, the 24th China Xiamen International Stone Fair concluded its mid-March run by attracting more than 150,000 attendees who viewed more than 2 million ft² of exhibits.
The world’s largest stone industry event attracted 151,845 visits during its four-day run March 16-19. Buyers from 120 countries and regions gathered in Xiamen to make contacts, develop business, and place orders.
The fair saw a substantial increase in buyers, designers, association delegations from end-users in China, as well as from India, Russia, Australia, South Korea, Thailand, the United States, Malaysia, Turkey, and Vietnam.
More than 2,000 exhibitors filled more than 191,000 m2, including 350 international exhibitors. With eight exhibition areas in 25 halls, there was something for everything, from machinery and tools to artificial and natural stone to design. Exhibits ranged from raw blocks to finished stone products and from heavy equipment to abrasives and adhesives to care products.
A special attraction was the Design Area in newly opened Hall D1, where two themed exhibitions – Habitat Interior Design and Stone Infinite Product Design – featured 18 top designers and architects in China teaming up with leading stone brands to present diversified applications of natural stone.
The 25th China Xiamen International Stone Fair is set for March 2025.
11:52
Remember, the current issue of our digital magazine, Stone Update, is now available at www. stonemag.com. For a transcript of this broadcast, go to www.radiostoneupdate.com. For Radio Stone Update, I’m K. Schipper and we’ll see you here again soon.
