March 31, 2006 | Recommend this Article »

Brazil: From block supplier to slab producer

Espírito Santo leads

One could almost be envious: Whereas Europe is hoping for an upturn, Brazil’s natural stone industry is in full swing. The producers and processors in the world’s fifth largest country have every reason for optimism. A new quarry is opened every week and there are already well over 1,000 different materials. Brazil already holds fifth place in the world as block supplier and eight place for rough slabs and finished products. The total turnover of the Brazilian stone industry is estimated at 2.8 billion US dollars.
According to Brazilian statistics, altogether 6.4 million tons of marble, granite, slate and quartzite are extracted per year, of which 36 per cent are exported. The value of exports in the first half of 2005 was 347000000 US dollars.
The USA with 49 per cent is Brazil’s most important customer. The colourful granites are very popular among American end consumers. More and more American natural stone processors therefore purchase polished slabs and make them into kitchen worktops in the USA. Europe is the second most important customer with 36 per cent, followed by Asia with 6 and the Latin American market with 5 per cent.

Espírito Santo leads
Espírito Santo is experiencing particularly large growth rates. This state the size of Denmark on the southeast coast of Brazil leads the Brazilian market with a share of 47 per cent of total production and 44 per cent of exports. More than half the gang saws in Brazil are used in Espírito Santo. The transport infrastructure of railway and block loading facilities in the port of Vitória is being developed parallel to the production capacities. A number of Italian companies with their own production facilities have settled in Espírito Santo to produce locally for the American market. Espírito Santo already exports 71 per cent of Brazilian finished products.
The upturn is also noticeable in the exhibition industry. International exhibitions are organized twice a year in Espírito Santo: one in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim and one in Vitória. The Vitória Stone Fair 2006 achieved record results with 380 exhibitors and 17,500 visitors, says organizer Cecília Milanez. Almost 2,000 international visitors were counted from 58 countries. The exhibitors included companies from Egypt and Morocco for the first time.

Information about the exhibition: