Statistics

by MECS, Acimac Research Department - studi@acimac.it - www.mec-studies.com

World ceramic sanitaryware
imports/exports grew by 78%
from 1.6 to 2.9 million tons over
the period 2005-2015, corre-
sponding to an annual com-
pound growth rate of 6%. The
trend has remained almost
constantly positive over the
years, the only real downturn
occurring in 2008 (-7.3%).
This however was followed by
a rapid recovery in 2009 that
brought levels back to above
previous years’ figures. A sec-
ond slowdown in 2012 was
likewise followed by two years
of strong expansion in exports,
again however interrupted in
2015 due to the sluggishness
of the world economy.
Sanitaryware exports conse-
quently rose by just 1.1% with
respect to 2014. Interestingly,
World sanitaryware
production and exports
the ceramic tile sector saw a
similar slowdown in world im-
port/export growth in 2015
with just a 1.5% increase over
the previous year.
The 2.9 million tons of sanitary-
ware exports represent a sig-
nificant share of the estimated
world production of around
350 million pieces/year. In
practice, around 40% of global
output was sold outside the
country of production in 2015
(compared to 29% in 2004).
The analysis of 2015 exports
by geographical area of pro-
duction reveals a heterogene-
ous trend. While Asia re-
mained the world’s largest
sanitaryware manufacturer
with a 57% share of world ex-
ports, it closed the year with a
0.7% contraction against 2014
(1.67 million tons), after the
previous year’s 22% growth.
This negative result did not in-
clude the three large Asian ex-
porters (China, India and Thai-
land), all of which reported
growth in 2015. By contrast, the
European Union, the world’s
second largest exporter re-
gion, further improved on its
2014 growth rate to reach
569,000 tons (+7.4%). This re-
sult was attributable to the
strong performance of the five
largest exporter countries in
the EU, an area that boasts five
of the top ten world exporter
countries. Exports from North
America (NAFTA region) also
rose by 3.3% to reach 340,000
tons thanks to the growth of
Mexico, while non-EU Europe-
an countries likewise per-
formed strongly (+4.2% to
186,000 tons) in spite of the
slowdown of Turkey. By con-
trast, South America re-
mained in negative territory
(-12%, 72,000 tons) following
four years of contraction and
Africa saw its first downturn in
6 years (-5%, 84,000 tons).
Looking at the ten-year period
as a whole gives a very clear
picture of how exports have
evolved in each region. Par-
ticularly evident is the excep-
tional growth of Asia, whose
exports have risen from
388,000 tons in 2005 to 1.6 mil-
lion tons in 2015, an overall in-
crease of 329% (CAGR
+15.7%). Asia saw its percent-
age share of global exports

TAB. 1 - EXPORTS OF SANITARYWARE BY AREA (TONS)

% on
2005 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 % 15/14 CAGR 2015
15/05 world
exports
Asia 388,497 511,432 984,529 1,099,915 1,243,615 1,216,562 1,369,859 1,677,617 1,666,455 -0.7% 15.7% 57.1%
European Union
577,669 614,475 508,031 522,109 532,637 523,104 519,884 530,116 569,433 7.4% -0.1% 19.5%
(28)
Other Europe
155,024 148,553 125,198 132,132 145,787 169,188 171,264 178,482 185,960 4.2% 1.8% 6.4%
(Turkey included)
NAFTA 270,208 271,946 262,666 268,401 303,537 290,715 320,345 329,677 340,565 3.3% 2.3% 11.7%

South America 202,737 125,625 86,711 100,043 108,848 102,328 88,800 82,515 72,548 -12.1% -9.8% 2.5%

Africa 39,903 47,152 35,660 35,860 37,232 68,672 73,777 88,519 84,034 -5.1% 7.7% 2.9%

Oceania 4,035 1,971 2,061 1,960 1,063 875 608 847 902 6.5% -13.9% 0.0%

TOTAL WORLD 1,638,073 1,721,154 2,004,856 2,160,420 2,372,719 2,371,444 2,544,537 2,887,773 2,919,897 1.1% 6.0% 100.0%

% var y-o-y -7.3 16.5 7.8 9.8 -0.1 7.3 13.5 1.1
Source: Acimac Research Dept. on BSRIA and ITC data

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 Statistics

rise from 24% in 2005 to the
current 57%, winning shares
from all the other regions. The
EU, which suffered an overall
1.4% decline with respect to
the volumes exported in 2005,
saw its share of world trade
contract from 35.3% to 19.5%.
The NAFTA region’s share fell
from 16.5% to 11.7% despite
overall 26% growth in exports
over the decade. South Ameri-
ca, which in 2005 accounted
for 12.4% of world exports, has
dropped to 2.5% following a
64% slump in volumes in 10
years (CAGR -9.8%).
The other European countries
have grown by 20% overall dur-
ing the period in question and
now control a 6.4% share com-
pared to 9.5% in 2005. Africa is
an exception to the trend with
110% growth in sanitaryware
exports between 2005 and
2015 (CAGR +7.7%), raising its
share of world trade from 2.4%
to 2.9% and enabling it to over-
take even South America.
The rankings of the top 10 ex-
porter countries remained un-
changed in 2015 with respect
to the previous year apart from
the entry of Italy in ninth posi-
tion. The fact that nine out of
the ten countries saw an in-
crease in sanitaryware exports
with respect to the previous
year is a positive sign. This per-
formance further boosted the
overall share of world exports
held by the top 10 exporter
countries, up from 76% in 2014
to 78% in 2015 (compared to
57% in 2005). China remained
firmly at the top of the rankings
with an increase in exports
from 149,000 tons in 2005 to
1.33 million tons in 2015
(+795%!), corresponding to a
compound annual growth rate
of 24.5%. The year-on-year in-
crease in 2015 was 4.3%. China
alone accounted for 80% of
Asian exports and 45.7% of
world exports. Mexico, the
second largest exporter coun-
try with a 10% share of global
exports, reached 295,000 tons
(up 6.7% on 2014), maintain-
ing the upward trend of the
last two years. The only country
in negative territory was third-
placed Turkey, which saw a
3.7% fall to 120,000 tons. India
reported the same export vol-
umes (120,000 tons), and while
remaining stable in 2015 at
2014 levels marked up the
highest CAGR 2015/2005 after
that of China, +9.1%. As men-
tioned above, there are now
five EU countries amongst the
top 10 world exporters, namely
Portugal, Poland and Germa-
ny (the only three of the top
ten to record double-figure
growth rates in 2015), followed
by Italy and Bulgaria. Italy has
entered the rankings following
its 7% growth in exports (57,601
tons), although this figure still
falls far short of the 80,000 tons
of 2005. As a result, Italy was
the only country in the top ten
to report a negative CAGR
2015/2005 (-3.2%), compared
for example to Germany with a
CAGR of +3.7% over the same
period (the best performance
in Europe).

TAB. 2 - THE TOP EXPORTING COUNTRIES (TON)

CAGR % on 2015
2005 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 % 15/14 15/05 world
exports
China 149,220 244,769 768,129 901,962 958,533 918,750 1,015,513 1,280,270 1,335,212 4.3% 24.5% 45.7%
Mexico 233,672 227,734 223,709 226,569 245,964 237,954 268,502 276,984 295,439 6.7% 2.4% 10.1%
Turkey 117,915 101,195 84,933 94,354 101,350 113,445 119,602 125,256 120,613 -3.7% 0.2% 4.1%
India 50,322 82,511 70,354 15,076 90,611 118,226 134,255 119,626 119,752 0.1% 9.1% 4.1%
Portugal 88,392 85,538 78,297 75,049 65,552 67,251 68,525 78,360 87,434 11.6% -0.1% 3.0%
Thailand 75,911 71,949 52,857 57,189 58,712 56,976 68,107 75,794 79,242 4.5% 0.4% 2.7%
Poland 56,007 85,167 59,327 67,572 70,342 66,723 70,890 69,913 77,048 10.2% 3.2% 2.6%
Germany 45,759 66,058 58,722 63,742 68,291 66,712 56,560 58,343 65,734 12.7% 3.7% 2.3%
Italy 80,151 79,016 57,174 52,921 54,616 52,815 54,895 53,871 57,601 6.9% -3.2% 2.0%
Bulgaria 44,112 45,042 35,833 40,566 47,969 51,911 53,094 55,728 56,183 0.8% 2.4% 1.9%
TOTAL 941,461 1,088,979 1,489,335 1,595,000 1,761,940 1,750,763 1,909,943 2,194,145 2,294,258
% on total world
57.5 63.3 74.3 73.8 74.3 73.8 75.1 76.0 78.6
exports
Source: Acimac Research Dept. on BSRIA and ITC data

71 Tile International 1/2017

Statistics

TAB. 3: IMPORTS OF SANITARYWARE BY AREA (TONS)

CAGR % on 2015
2005 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 % 15/14 15/05 world
imports
Asia 237,308 286,742 429,387 478,300 618,296 582,609 659,174 847,355 792,223 -6.5% 12.8% 27.1%
European Union
647,944 663,567 663,492 692,242 712,756 667,798 665,631 729,744 788,686 8.1% 2.0% 27.0%
(28)
Other Europe (Turkey
95,287 122,982 91,631 96,487 107,822 115,890 124,113 124,274 89,730 -27.8% -0.6% 3.1%
included)
NAFTA 520,594 454,223 576,612 620,863 606,975 626,568 703,772 748,784 807,998 7.9% 4.5% 27.7%
South America 60,483 80,759 91,217 119,957 139,156 147,494 134,075 136,408 146,436 7.4% 9.2% 5.0%
Africa 55,955 89,755 122,529 111,881 146,841 190,945 212,389 247,590 234,367 -5.3% 15.4% 8.0%
Oceania 20,502 23,126 29,988 40,690 40,873 40,140 45,383 53,618 60,457 12.8% 11.4% 2.1%
TOTAL WORLD 1,638,073 1,721,154 2,004,856 2,160,420 2,372,719 2,371,444 2,544,537 2,887,773 2,919,897 1.1% 6.0% 100.0%
% var y-o-y -7.3 16.5 7.8 9.8 -0.1 7.3 13.5 1.1
Source: Acimac Research Dept. on BSRIA and ITC data

TAB. 4 - THE TOP IMPORTING COUNTRIES (TON)

CAGR % on 2015
2005 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 % 15/14 15/05 world
imports
USA 463,530 388,228 477,431 500,029 495,803 508,056 584,436 623,077 682,192 9.5% 3.9% 23.4%
UK 91,031 93,234 98,383 103,730 107,933 106,439 115,142 138,182 145,532 5.3% 4.8% 5.0%
Germany 80,932 94,541 100,140 107,509 114,714 111,368 111,505 128,532 142,383 10.8% 5.8% 4.9%
Korea Rep. 14,353 19,534 69,880 84,543 105,416 94,980 99,658 115,816 132,361 14.3% 24.9% 4.5%
Canada 52,245 58,207 84,545 104,680 92,441 105,658 104,119 109,558 104,119 -5.0% 7.1% 3.6%
France 94,573 102,426 111,245 115,108 118,930 118,078 107,792 104,078 101,812 -2.2% 0.7% 3.5%
Spain 129,129 104,902 82,378 83,634 84,827 70,252 70,741 82,755 88,245 6.6% -3.7% 3.0%
Saudi Arabia 30,674 33,921 45,770 33,592 48,346 63,797 71,593 71,623 83,934 17.2% 10.6% 2.9%
Singapore 3,797 6,479 18,907 23,467 29,444 29,855 21,620 52,294 64,323 23.0% 32.7% 2.2%
Nigeria 3,866 11,272 24,452 28,484 40,676 46,309 50,728 61,427 59,138 -3.7% 31.4% 2.0%
TOTAL 964,130 912,744 1,113,131 1,184,776 1,238,530 1,254,793 1,337,334 1,487,343 1,604,039
% on total world
58.9 53.0 55.5 54.8 52.2 52.9 52.6 51.5 54.9
imports
Source: Acimac Research Dept. on BSRIA and ITC data

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 Statistics

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The analysis of 2015 imports
in the various continents and
regions also reveals a hetero-
geneous trend.
With 8% growth over 2014 to
808,000 tons, North America
(NAFTA) became the biggest
importing region with a 27.7%
share of world imports. Asia
dropped to second place
(27.1% of world imports) fol-
lowing a 6.5% fall in imports
with respect to 2014 to 792,000
tons. The European Union
held a similar 27% share follow-
ing 8% growth in imports to
789,000 tons. Other regions
that saw growth in imports
were South America (+7.4%)
and Oceania (+12.8%), while
Africa (-5.3%) and non-EU Eu-
ropean countries (-27.8%) suf-
fered declines.
Observing the import trends in
each region over the period
2005-2015, we find that the
highest percentage variation
was in Africa with growth in
volumes from 56,000 to
234,000 tons (+319%, CAGR
2015/2005 +15.4%). Asia
achieved similarly strong
growth (+234% on 2005, CAGR
+12.8%), as did South America
(from 60,000 to 146,000 tons,
+142%, CAGR +9.2%) and Oce-
ania (from 20,000 to 60,000
tons, +195%, CAGR +11.4%).
The first eight countries
amongst the top 10 sanitary-
ware importers in 2015 main-
tained their positions with re-
spect to the previous year.
Seven of the ten countries saw
an increase in exports with re-
spect to 2014, in several cases
with double-digit growth. In
2015, the imports of the top 10
importers made up 55% of
world sanitaryware imports, a
share that has remained virtu-
ally unchanged since 2005.
The United States remained
the world’s biggest sanitary-
ware importer in 2015 at
682,000 tons (up 9.5% on
2014). The USA accounted for
23.4% of world imports, well
ahead of all other importer
countries, as well as almost all
(86%) of imports to the NAFTA
region. This is a longstanding
record considering that in
2005 the USA imported
463,000 tons, 28% of world im-
ports. The UK and Germany,
in second and third positions,
imported respectively 145,000
tons (up 5.3% on 2014) and
142,000 tons (+10.8%) in 2015.
Both have maintained a 5%
share of global imports and
have seen a similar growth
trend over the last decade
(UK’s CAGR 2015/2005 +4.8%;
Germany’s +5.8%).
The fourth largest importer in
the world and the biggest in
Asia is North Korea, which im-
ported 132,000 tons in 2015
(+14% on 2014), confirming its
position as one of the coun-
tries with the highest annual
growth rates in imports over
the period 2005-2015 (+25%).
By contrast, import volumes fell
in 2015 in Canada (104,000
tons, -5% on 2014) and France
(102,000 tons, -2.2%), the latter
seeing a contraction since
2012. Spain on the other hand
reported import growth for the
second year running to reach
88,000 tons in 2015 (+6.6% on
2014). Saudi Arabia saw
strong growth (+17% on 2014),
as did Singapore (+23%),
while Nigeria suffered a slight
contraction (-3.7%). Singapore
and Nigeria, both of which en-
tered the rankings of top 10 im-
porters for the first time in 2015,
did not open their markets to
international trade until the
last decade (imports were vir-
tually non-existent in 2005),
since when they have main-
tained average annual com-
pound growth rates of more
than 30%.
Last but not least, it is interest-
ing to analyse the origin of
sanitaryware imports to each
region or continent.
This shows China’s position as
the largest exporter to almost
all regions of the planet. China
is the country of origin of 64%
of imports to Asia (India, Viet-
nam and Thailand trail far be-
hind with shares of between
5% and 7%) and 71.5% of im-
ports to Oceania (second-
placed Malaysia makes up
just 11%).
Even outside its own regional
market, China accounts for
52% of total imports to Africa
(India is in second place with
just 20.2%) and to North Amer-
ica despite the presence of
Mexico, the local big player
with a share of 35.6%. China is
likewise the top exporter to
South America with a 48%
share (compared to 37.7% in
2014), while Colombia, the
second largest exporter coun-
try, has seen its share contract
from 23% to 16%. Despite the
presence of strong local play-
ers, China is also the top ex-
porter to the European Union
with a 20% share, followed by
Portugal, Turkey, Poland and
Germany with shares of be-
tween 6% and 9%. Chinese ex-
ports are in second position
only in non-EU European mar-
kets with a 13.6% share of total
imports, compared to the 16%
held by the leader Ukraine.
Consequently, the analysis of
main target markets of the
largest exporter countries con-
firms that only a small number
of them have significant ex-
port shares outside their own
geographical regions. As men-
tioned, one of these is China
whose exports are divided up
38% to Asia, 31.6% to North
America, 12.7% to Europe, 9%
to Africa, 5.3% to South Ameri-
ca and 3.2% to Oceania. Like-
wise, India sells just 48% of its
exports in the Asian continent,
while 39.6% is shipped to Afri-
ca and 6.6% to North America.
Thailand sells 56.5% of its ex-
ports in Asia and Oceania
and 37.2% in North America.
The other large exporter coun-
tries are much more closely
linked to their regional mar-
kets: 97.4% of Mexican exports
are sold in North America; 99%
of Polish exports remain in Eu-
rope, as do 93% of Bulgarian
exports and between 83% and
86% of exports from Portugal,
Germany and Italy. Turkey’s ge-
ographical position spanning
Europe and Asia is reflected in
the fact that Europe is its larg-
est market with 68.4% of its ex-
ports and Asia the second
largest with 20%. 5

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Statistics

The big players in the sector

To round off the international ers (large multinationals, Where available we also pro- This allows for a more uniform
trade figures for the sanitary- groups or individual compa- vide the figures for turnover comparison between large
ware sector, we are presenting nies) updated to 31 Decem- generated purely from sales of groups which often operate in
the key figures for the big play- ber 2015. sanitaryware. multiple segments.
Installed capacity

Production

Exports %
(mill. Pcs.)

(mill. Pcs.)

Total group
Main Brands /
Group Country turnover Sanitaryware plants / Location
Companies
(mill. €)

75 (total group).
Sanitaryware plants in Spain (9), Roca, Laufen, Celite, Incepa,
1,717.0
Spain Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, Cro- Parryware, Jika, Ying, Santeri,
1 Roca n.a. 35.4 84 (sanitaryware, tiles,
atia, Poland, Czech Rep. Bulgaria, Santek
distribution)
Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Morocco,
Egypt, Malaysia, India, China

12 in USA, Mexico, Brazil, France, Kohler, Jacob Delafon, Sterling,

2 Kohler Group USA 22.0* 18.0* n.a. n.a.
Morocco, Thailand, India, China Ann Sacks
Sanitaryware plants in Finland, Swe- Kolo, Keramag, Ido, Ifo, Colom-
Sanitec Switzerland n.a.  den, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, bo, Koralle, Selles, Allia, Pozzi
3 14.0* 12.0* n.a. 
(Geberit Group) (2,394.0 Geberit Group) France, Portugal, Italy, Ukraine Ginori, Porsgrund, Sphinx
16 in Japan (4), China, Taiwan,
Japan 4,300.0
4 Toto 11.0 11.0 15 Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, India, TOTO
(bathroom, tiles, other)
USA, Mexico
474.0 Corona, Mansfield, Incesa
Colombia 7 in Colombia (2), USA, Nicaragua, Standard, American Standard,
5 Corona 13.9 10.9 19 (283.0 sanitaryware,
Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico Ecoline, Lamosa, Vortens
191.0 tiles)

Lixil 10- 10 in Japan, China, Vietnam, AS, Lixil, Inax, Grohe,

6 Japan 7-8* n.a. 6,969.0
Corporation 12* Indonesia, Thailand, South Africa Vaal Sanitaryware

1,061.0
7 Duratex Brazil 9.8 n.a. n.a. (338.5 sanitaryware, 722.5 5 in Brazil Deca
wood panels & metal fittings)

Poland 416.0 10 (total group), 4 sanitaryware Cersanit, Opoczno

8 Rovese 7.4* 6.0* n.a.
(tiles, sanitaryware, other) plants in Poland, Romania, Ukraine

Ideal 2 in Italy, 1 in Czech Rep., Ideal Standard, Jado, Armitage

9 Belgium 6.0* 6.0* n.a. 713.0
Standard 1 in Bulgaria, 1 in UK Shanks, Dolomite

159.7
10 Lecico Egypt 6.7 4.8 57 (83.7 sanitaryware, 3 (incl. tiles) in Egypt, 1 in Lebanon Lecico
76.0 tiles & other)
755.0
RAK UAE (490.0 tiles, 2 in UAE, 1 in Bangladesh, RAK, Elegance
11 5.0 4.8 70
Ceramics 109.0 sanitaryware, 1 in India
156.0 tableware and other)

Turkey 710.0 VitrA

12 Eczacibasi Vitra 5.5 4.5 65 1 in Turkey, 1 in Russia
(tiles, sanitaryware, other)

3 in Germany, 2 Egypt, 2 China,

13 Duravit Germany 4-5* 3.5 82 432.3 1 France, 1 Turkey, 1 Tunisia, Duravit
1 India

Tile International 1/2017 74

 Statistics

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To provide a more com- over. or in some cases were

plete picture of group The figures were sup- based on estimates or
size, we also include to- plied directly by the obtained from public
tal or consolidated turn- companies themselves sources. 5
Installed capacity

Production

Exports %
(mill. Pcs.)

(mill. Pcs.)

Total group
Main Brands /
Group Country turnover Sanitaryware plants / Location
Companies
(mill. €)

106.0 
14 CISA Group Ecuador 4.5  3.3 25 (85.0 sanitaryware, 2 in Chile, 1 in Ecuador Edesa, Briggs, Fanaloza
6.0 tiles, 15.0 other)

Saudi Saudi Arabia 416.4 Saudi Ceramics

15 n.a. 2.5 3 2 in Saudi Arabia
Ceramics (sanitaryware, tiles)

803.8
Villeroy & Germany 14 (total group) Villeroy & Boch
16 3.5* 2.4* n.a. (496.9 sanitaryware,
Boch in Germany, Mexico, Thailand
306.9 tableware)

17 Ferrum Argentina n.a.  2.4* n.a.  144.0 2 in Argentina Ferrum

18 Trebol Peru 3.0   2.3 9 n.a.  1 in Peru Trebol, Barcelona

907.0
Thailand (755.0 tiles, COTTO
19 SCG Group 2.8 2.2 33 2 in Thailand
93.0 sanitaryware,
59.0 fittings)

Ceramica Egypt n.a.  Cleopatra, Eldorado

20 2.5* 2.0* n.a.  2 in Egypt
Cleopatra

148.0
Ceramic In- South Africa Betta, Bettabath
21 2.3 2.0 15 (117.0 tiles, 2 in South Africa
dustries
31.0 sanitaryware)
45.5
Kirovskaya Russia Kirovskaya
22 2.0 2.0 0 (31.8 sanitaryware, 1 in Russia
Keramika
13.7 tiles)

23 Golsar Fars Iran 1.3* 1.3* n.a. n.a.    12 in Iran Golsar

345.0
Turkey (278.5 tiles, Kale
24 Kale Group 1.6 1.1 32 1 in Turkey
22.0 sanitaryware,
44.5 bathroom products)
100.0
Turkey (50.0 sanitaryware, Creavit
25 Creavit 1.2 1.0 30 1 in Turkey
50.0 bathroom furniture &
fittings)

75 Tile International 1/2017