With US$ 1 billion in exports, the ornamental stone sector seeks greater internationalization

The ornamental stone sector in Brazil, at the same time that it has faced an increasingly competitive national market, with the presence of companies and products from all over the world, has also advanced in its internationalization process. It is common among industry professionals to mention the third wave of exports the sector is experiencing. The first wave was marked by the export of blocks, the second of slabs and the third of finished products, with higher added value, ready for use.

Today the sector exports around 1/3 of national production, with the USA, China and Italy being the main destination markets. The increased participation of quartzite slabs and marble in sales abroad has contributed to the increase in the values exported by the country. Diversifying the agenda and destinations are constant challenges.

Over the past twenty years, the annual value of exports from the sector has multiplied by five, now surpassing the figure of US$ 1 billion per year.

Achieving the good results is due to a combination of factors such as business investment in technology, commitment to the qualification of professionals in the sector – with emphasis on personnel in the commercial area in tune with the international business environment -, and the actions of representative entities. and support to the sector such as Abirochas (Brazilian Association of Ornamental Stones Industry), Centrorochas (Brazilian Stone Exporters Center), Sindirochas (Union of Dimension Stone Industries of Espírito Santo), among others.

As part of a recent survey carried out by researchers Amanda Fonsi, Jean Ferreira and Nicolle Castanho, from Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (UPM), Alphaville campus, analyzing the internationalization processes of companies Guidoni (Brazilian) and Cosentino (Spanish) when interviewing geologist Cid Chiodi Filho, technical consultant for Abirochas, obtained, among other important assessments, that “in the domestic market, the great challenge is to transform stone suppliers into civil construction systemists, promoters of integrated solutions for the cladding of buildings”. With regard to serving the foreign market, Chiodi pointed out that “the sector has more than 400 companies exporting products covered by chapters 68 and 25 TEC NESH”. The same professional also highlighted the importance of Brazilian companies participating in sectoral fairs abroad to promote their products.

Among the country’s comparative advantages in the international ornamental stone market, the Mackenzie researchers identified that the fact that Brazil has the world’s greatest geodiversity of ornamental rocks is a comparative advantage and, through the competent work of companies in the sector, if competitive advantage. In this direction, the president of Centrorochas, Frederico Robison assesses that “Brazil needs to show what it produces with excellence. Brazilian dimension stones are much more than stones: we offer diversity, quality and refined finishes”.

Associated with geodiversity, another strength factor is the technologically up-to-date industrial park that the country has, with around 350 modern multi-thread looms. The acquisition and installation of automatic multifunctional lathes represents a new level of technological updating.

With regard to sector fairs, it is worth noting the presence of 45 Brazilian companies in the sector in the latest edition of Marmomac, an important annual fair that takes place in Verona – Italy. In addition to the significant presence of companies from the host country, the 138 companies from Turkey, 42 from Greece, 39 from Germany, 34 from Egypt and 23 from Iran, among others, attested to the importance that these fairs occupy in the marketing strategies and international insertion of sector companies.

On the sector’s fair agenda, another edition of Vitória Stone Fair will take place between the 11th and 14th of February, in Serra, Espírito Santo, with the presence of companies from more than 50 countries and an estimated 18,000 visitors. On the agenda of events, in March it will be the turn of Expo Revestir, in São Paulo, when traditional companies in the ornamental stone sector will also be present at what is considered the main fair in the finishing segment in Latin America.

From the information above, it can be seen that the ornamental stone sector in Brazil has been facing, in a proud way, the challenges that are imposed in a globalized market that will demand from national companies more and more business synergy, strategic vision and understanding of the dynamics of international markets .

Arnaldo Francisco Cardoso is a researcher and professor at Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie.

* Main image credit: Freepik