The world of entertainment, from theater and music to radio and cinema, carries echoes of Walk of Fame Hollywood, a place where fame isn’t found on a single pavement. The surface unites more than 2,000 stars, including celebrated Spaniards Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, and Antonio Banderas. The description here centers on terrazzo—a mosaic composed of small stone fragments bound with cement. This material, with roots tracing to 15th-century Venice for its durability and affordability, often used marble scraps, contrasts with genuine minerals like Galician slate. Terrazzo has, over time, become a strong presence in this Los Angeles district. In industry lore, the famous phrase “Set, camera, action” accompanies a world where stars traverse terrazzo for the public, while Galician slate quietly holds a different kind of prestige behind the scenes.
Native to regions such as Valdeorras, Galician slate has traveled far, reaching the rooftops of homes and now shaping trends across the United States. “It was done decades ago,” explains Severino Gonzalez, manager of the Galician Slate Cluster. He notes that exports have steadily expanded in the American market. Just last year, sales rose by more than 40 percent, marking the largest annual total in the history of the trade with 10,000 tons valued at 7.7 million euros compared with 2021.
in other states
Galician slate brings a sense of prestige to properties, and while Hollywood remains a major focal point, the slate also shines in other states. The pace of growth across the Atlantic remains modest relative to the leading markets. The United States, led by federal policy and a broad consumer base, ranks among the top destinations. After France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, and Ireland, the United States imports a substantial portion of slate in the global market.
On French soil, slate has found a strong foothold in cities like Orléans, which reported around 139,000 tons in 2022. Quarries in the region have been gradually shrinking, with only one remaining active after a few earlier closures. Maintenance work now focuses on historic Loire chateaux with slate roofs, where Galicia’s slate plays a key role in ongoing restoration and upkeep.
Price increase
The overall export level reached about 307 thousand tons in 2022, according to data from the DataComex portal of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism. This figure sits roughly 180,000 tons below the peak observed in 2000, which stood at 489,500 tons. Despite a 37 percent drop in export volume, the value of shipments declined by only about 0.8 percent, totaling around 234 million euros. The reason behind this resilience is a 60 percent rise in the price of Galician slate over two decades.
Among the top twenty markets, the highest unit values are found in Australia and Belgium, at approximately 1.13 euros per kilogram. Other high-purchasing-power regions include Luxembourg (1 euro), Canada (0.87 euros), and Denmark (0.86 euros). In contrast, Portugal remains the least expensive, at about 0.39 euros per kilogram.
different demands
Gonzalez points to several factors shaping demand. Each customer has preferences for different formats, and products vary by region. Thin slate is favored in France, while larger models are preferred in the United Kingdom. Shipping distance and currency fluctuations also influence pricing, all within a broader inflationary environment that poses challenges for the industry. Although large quantities continue to be exported, conditions remain challenging, impacting profitability and extraction margins.
As the head of the Galicia Slate Cluster notes, rising prices reflect higher costs incurred last year. Energy costs have surged, with electricity and diesel prices climbing, and freight and packaging expenses fluctuating frequently. Those dynamics help explain the current pricing landscape and the cautious stance of exporters in adjusting volumes.
War “buries” exports to Ukraine
Over the past five years, interest in Galician slate worldwide has shifted. France and Belgium have shown strong growth, along with Ireland and the United States, while the United Kingdom has contracted. The Ukraine conflict added uncertainty to the market, and the United States emerged as a prominent non-EU buyer. In Ukraine, export volumes dropped sharply in 2022, reflecting the broader disruption caused by the war. The downturn affected total sales and value, marking the lowest annual figures since 2017.