Import cargo volume at the nation’s major container ports is expected to rebound this month after a double-digit drop in late spring but is forecast to fall again after previously paused tariffs take effect.
Import cargo at major U.S. container ports is projected to surge through summer as retailers capitalize on a temporary 90-day tariff reduction on Chinese goods.
The rush comes as retailers prepare for back-to-school and holiday seasons while navigating uncertain trade policy.
The Tile Council of North America report shows total consumption reached 2.70 billion square feet, marking the second consecutive year of market contraction as imports maintain a dominant 71.5% market share.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 0.3% decrease in import prices for August, the largest monthly drop since December 2023. Despite the August decline, import prices have increased 0.8% over the past year, reflecting ongoing economic fluctuations.
The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reveals a mixed picture for U.S. trade, with year-to-date trends showing a widening deficit compared to 2023.
The Tile Council of North America (TCNA) announced that on May 31, the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) unanimously determined a reasonable indication of material injury or threat of material injury to US. tile manufacturers by reason of imports of ceramic tile from India.
Following the Coverings trade show, Jay Samber, vice president of distributor sales, Dal-Tile, shares his industry outlook for 2024 and how American-made brands like Marazzi and American Olean are better able to meet the needs of its distributors versus imports.
U.S. ceramic tile manufacturers, representing over 90% of all U.S. ceramic tile manufacturing, are filing anti-dumping and countervailing duty petitions with the federal government seeking the imposition of substantial tariffs on imports of ceramic tile from India to remedy unfairly low-priced imports that have injured domestic manufacturers and flooded the market with uncertified porcelain tiles.
The European Commission has extended its anti-dumping measures on imports of Chinese ceramic tiles into the European Union for five years until February 2029, maintaining the duty rates already in place.
Through Export More Brazil, Brazilian companies have the opportunity to meet with international buyers who come to the country in search of products and services related to specific sectors.
