Ceramics manufactured in India are surging worldwide, reshaping export dynamics and challenging countries like Spain, which cannot match the same labor and environmental standards. As reported by Mediterranean, part of the Prensa Ibérica group, Indian firms have already reached the top sales position in the United States, a market that Spain had held in recent years. This leadership has emerged rapidly: in 2021 India ranked sixth, and in 2022 it climbed to fourth place.
One key driver of this rapid rise is price. India moves more volume than any other country in the US, yet it ranks only tenth when price per square meter is analyzed. In other words, the country sells at very low prices.
Prices
The country best pricing its ceramic pieces is Italy, at 25.94 dollars per square meter (23.72 euros at current exchange rates). According to data from the North American Commerce Department and compiled by the Tile Council-North America (TCNA), Spain currently holds second place, at 20.35 dollars (18.61 euros). In contrast, India’s value stands at 6.88 dollars (6.29 euros). The product costs about one third of Spain’s price. Even nations like Malaysia, Peru, or Colombia do not reach these price levels.
In remarks during the 2023 results presentation, Fernando Roig, president of the Pamesa group, stated that Indian prices “are impossible to match,” adding that with those prices, “we cannot even cover raw material costs,” and suggesting some form of government support or subsidies to fuel global expansion.
Measures
The Secretary of State for Industry, Rebeca Torró, noted in an interview with this newspaper that possible measures are under consideration to address the situation. So far, the European Union has imposed a 7% tariff on detecting unfair competition (dumping). The sector considers this barrier insufficient. In the United States, a similar measure was enacted against Chinese tiles, but no comparable action is anticipated for the Indian case at this time.
Exports of the Province
Castellón’s total exports for January showed a positive trend, rising 2.9% compared with the same period a year earlier.
Sales from the province at the start of 2024 stood at 812.9 million euros, performing better than the regional average, which fell 5.7%. By province, Valencia dropped 7.3%, while Alicante declined 11.9%.
In terms of sectors, ceramics remains a decisive contributor to Castellón’s global sales. In January it generated over 260 million euros, down 7% from the previous year. The decline was more pronounced in frits and glazes for tile production, which fell to 54.3 million euros, a 19% decrease.
Investments
Meanwhile, the regional industry minister highlighted that the autonomous community attracted the highest ever level of foreign investments in 2023, totaling 3,375.41 million euros, representing 12% of all investments recorded nationwide.