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TRANSCRIPT
00:00 Brought to You by Quantra
00:22 Intro
00:32 Brazil Stone May Face New Tariff
02:21 A Word from Quantra
03:34 1st Quarter Hard-Surface Imports Down
06:26 U.K. House of Commons Debates Silicosis
08:33 ISFA Regional Summit in Seattle
09:36 Speakers Sought for ISFA Annual Conference
10:49 Cambria Rec Center Opens
12:28 Outro
12:55 Brought to You by Quantra
00:22
K. SCHIPPER: Hi, I’m K. Schipper with the latest in hard surfaces industry news from Radio Stone Update.
00:32
President Donald Trump is fighting to keep at least some of his tariffs on foreign imports, and it’s possible that Brazilian natural stone could again see an additional duty of 25%.
The office of the U.S Trade Representative, the USTR, announced last week that most exports from Brazil would come under a new Section 301 tariff now being considered. Brazilian granite, marble and slate would be among the types of stone susceptible to a new tariff. Quartzite is currently exempt in the new proposal.
The USTR will hold a public hearing on the tariff on July 6 in Washington. The USTR claims several areas concerning U.S.-Brazil trade are actionable to impose a section 301 tariff. Those include:
*Digital trade and electronic payment services;
*Unfair preferential tariffs;
*Anti-corruption enforcement;
*Intellectual property protection;
*Ethanol market access, and;
*Illegal deforestation.
Brazil is among the top natural-stone trading partners with the United States. Last year, the country accounted for almost 25% of all imported natural-stone volume, and nearly 41% of its value.
Brazilian natural stone came under tariffs of up to 50% last year under rates set by the president under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. However, all the tariffs were dropped after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in February that the president exceeded his authority in implementing them.
The USTR will accept written comments online on the matter through June 22. Go to https://comments.ustr.gov/ and use the docket number USTR-2026-0331.
03:34
EMERSON SCHWARTZKOPF: This is Emerson Schwartzkopf. U.S. imports of natural stone and quartz surfaces took a sharp drop in this year’s first quarter … and it’s uncertain whether this is an anomaly or a continuing – and frightening – trend.
The customs value of those hard surfaces shipped to the United States in January through March totaled $722.1 million, and that’s a drop of 23.7% from the same time last year. Quartz surfaces, the longtime growth leader with imports, fell 26.8% year-over-year for the first quarter, while marble declined 22.4% and granite skidded down by more than half at 55.1%.
Quartzite imports managed to step up 7.2% compared to first-quarter 2025. In fact, quartzite overtook marble and granite to be the top natural-stone import for this year’s first quarter.
Shipment volume for hard-surfaces also took a corresponding drop in the first three months of this year. The nearly 49 million ft² of quartz surfaces moving through U.S. ports was 17.7% less than first-quarter 2025, with the 12.3 million ft² from India – the leading export country – is down by almost half at 49.4%.
Marble declined year-over-year by nearly 20% in first-quarter 2026, with leading exporter Turkey toting up a 40% decline to just under 55,000 metric tons. Granite’s 113,000 metric tons for the first quarter is 45% less than the same time last year. Even quartzite logged an 8% drop in shipment volume from first quarter 2025.
Why the steep declines? It’s easy to name two culprits – a slow construction and remodeling market, and the IEEPA tariffs imposed by the Trump administration that especially hit leading U.S. hard-surface sources such as India and Brazil.
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down those extra tariffs in late February. The ruling’s possible effect on hard-surface shipments wouldn’t be apparent in first-quarter numbers, given the four- to six-weeks needed to deliver goods via container ships from foreign ports.
If the extra tariffs slowed hard-surface imports, shipments should improve significantly In this year’s second quarter. If lower volume continues through June, however, it may be a signal of a continued market slowdown … or, in one plain word, recession. I’ll be back in a few months to let you know.
06:26
K. SCHIPPER: The United States isn’t the only place where the future of engineered stone is under debate. Last week in London, the British House of Commons debated measures to protect workers from the risk of silicosis.
Although the government has played down the prospect of imposing a ban, members of parliament are also aware of legislation passing in Australia in 2024 prohibiting all but ultra-low-content crystalline silica surfaces.
Social Security Minister Stephen Timms noted that silicosis can also arise from natural stone, although Australia has also introduced restrictions covering it. Timms also raised concerns that officials in Australia have highlighted that the ban led to complacency about the safety of other products that are not prohibited.
Some Labour Party members called for a multi-armed strategy to tackle the risk of silicosis, including a ban on high-silica engineered stone. They’re also calling for strengthened enforcement of existing regulations, improved surveillance and mandatory reporting of the issue, as well as a national education initiative.
Dry-cutting of engineered stone is already illegal in the United Kingdom due to the heightened risk of causing silicosis, which causes an estimated 500 deaths a year there.
During the debate, Labour members also called on the government to introduce a national screening program to identify cases. A similar program in Australia revealed a quarter of screened workers had the disease.
Last month, the Health and Safety Executive announced it would inspect more than 1,000 fabricator sites to enforce safety standards in the use of engineered stone. So far, of the 13 sites inspected, only one was found to be operating in an exemplary way, according to Timms. Six were ordered to stop processing jobs immediately.
Brian Berry, chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders, has raised concern that many small operations may be unaware of the scale of the crackdown or the severity of the consequences. He said his message is that people need to comply now or risk facing the penalties.
08:33
The International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA) will conduct another regional summit June 24-26 in Seattle.
Hosted by FloForm Countertops, the first two days are a hands-on program for shop personnel interested in solid-surface fabrication training.
The final day, June 26, is designed for shop owners and managers, and will include a direct regulatory briefing, growth strategies on expanding revenue streams, a dedicated safety and compliance session, silica awareness training, and a closed-door executive forum.
Attendees can register for the first two days, the final day, or all three days. For more information or to register, go to www.isfanow.org/events.
Other regional summits scheduled for this summer include Brick Township, N.J.; Worcester, Mass.; Houston; Kansas City, Mo.; Richmond, Va., and; Phoenix.
09:36
The ISFA is also now accepting presentation proposals for the 2026 ISFA Annual Conference, which will be held Nov. 3-6 in Fort Worth, Texas.
The organization is looking for speakers and industry professionals to share practical knowledge, innovative ideas and real-world experiences with the fabrication community.
Topic proposals may include:
*Fabrication techniques and best practices;
* Shop operations and efficiency;
*Safety and workforce development;
*Leadership and business growth;
*Technology and automation;
*Installation and field operations, and;
*Industry trends and innovations.
Session formats may include:
*Educational presentations;
*Panel discussions;
*Workshops;
*Hands-on demonstrations, and;
*Case studies.
Sessions are limited to a maximum of 60 minutes, which should include time for audience questions and discussion.
The deadline for proposals is 5 p.m., Friday, July 17. For more information, contact mikaela@isfanow.org or call 816-330-7046.
10:49
Cambria and its Camp Cambria® Foundation announce the opening of the Cambria Recreation Center at Camp Courage in Maple Lake, Minn.
Camp Courage is operated by nonprofit and longtime Cambria partner True Friends. The new 26,600 ft2 facility will expand access to recreation, wellness and connection for children and adults with disabilities.
The centerpieces of the new facility are an ADA-accessible 8,000 ft2 aquatic center and a 12,900 ft2 gymnasium with a stage for performing arts and a climbing wall.
As part of the project, the Davis family donated Cambria surfaces throughout key areas of the facility, including shower rooms, restrooms, an open shower wall in the gym area, gym-viewing ledges and wall cladding in hallways.
“This is a place where individuals of all abilities can come together, build confidence and experience the joy of movement and connection,” said John LeBlanc, CEO and president of True Friends.
The latest Camp Cambria Foundation donation builds on more than a decade of partnership between Cambria and True Friends. It began in 2014 when the foundation established Camp Cambria, a weeklong camp for children living with juvenile arthritis and hosted at True Friends’ Camp Courage.
To date, the Camp Cambria Foundation has donated more than $5 million to Camp Courage to support a range of projects. In addition, Cambria employees have donated more than 5,000 volunteer hours hosting campers at Camp Courage.
12:28
Remember, the latest edition of Stone Update Magazine is now available at www.stonemag.com. For a transcript of this podcast, go to www.radiostoneupdate.com. I’m K. Schipper for Radio Stone Update, and we’ll see you here again soon.
