Who is doing well in the Natural Stone industry in 2018?

Published in August, 2018

Those who are currently doing well or relatively well.

1. Most US fabricators.
2. Most wholesalers who have incorporated artificial stone in their product mix in a big way.
3. The mining industry in Carrara
4. Many companies specialised only in white limestone or granite and no other colours.
5. Companies specialised in the funerary monument industry.
6. Almost the entire Polish stone industry.
7. Almost the entire stone industry in Central and Eastern Europe.
8. Companies dealing with pavestones in Russia, be they quarry owners or manufacturers.
9. Many companies specialised in non standard products and also diversified in markets.
10. Those companies specialised in the craftsmanship segment of the market.
11. Small companies in India working in local market not focused on the upmarket segment.
12. Quarry owners of exotic materials.
13. Many companies working with small quarries of somewhat exclusive or special stones
14. Companies which have always focused on the premium segment of the market but with a consistent emphasis on quality AND on reaching the end customer.
15. Those retailers of natural stone which have understood that a luxury experience is an intrinsic part of a luxury product and have organised their showrooms reflecting this philosophy.
16. Chinese stone suppliers which have diversified into the home decoration segment in Chinese market.
17. The shameless people who do not pay their suppliers but always find another sucker trying to sell to them.(Reliable sources insist there is a special place in hell reserved for them).
18. Some companies with excellent political contacts in the Middle East (also applicable to many other countries).
19. Companies which have realised they need to specialise in those applications of Natural Stone which cannot be done by artificial stone.
20. The few companies which have (quietly) diversified into furniture or other new applications.
21. A large part of the stone industry in South East Asia.

Who is not doing well in 2018?

1. Most of the granite slab producing countries all over the world.( That makes it a LOT of companies, a very significant part of the natural stone industry).
2. Most of the industry revolving around standard beige limestone- be they blocks, slabs, tiles.
3. Those who think they just have to be patient and do nothing different or new because the good times will be back sooner or later.
4. Brazilian companies focused on the local market.
5. Those who think reducing their price and/or giving extended payment terms to buyers is the only way to do business when selling is a struggle.(That accounts for a LARGE majority of the industry people and companies).
6. A very large number of companies whose only market has been the Middle East.
7. Most Turkish processing factories.
8. Many quarry companies of dark coloured materials.
9. Most stone companies who still have a B to B approach to their business and have little knowledge of what the end customer is looking for.
10. Those companies whose product range has a large number of companies offering exactly same products and are not able to differentiate themselves from the rest.
11. Those who have still not understood that materials like quartz and the new generation of porcelain tiles and slabs are now going to be a fixed part of the competitive landscape and which will continue to make inroads in applications previously almost exclusive to natural stone.