Tile and stone specialist Ryan Fasan presented an update on the tile industry from a Spanish perspective to a virtual Coverings 2020 audience. Monday marked the first day of the Coverings Connected digital experience, which will join the tile industry through e-learning and web-displayed product innovation throughout the week in lieu of the cancelled New Orleans show.

On behalf of the Tile of Spain association of Spanish ceramic tile manufacturers, Fasan spoke to the Spanish perspective and market as it relates to the U.S. market. “Tile of Spain has grown to be 18.5 percent of the U.S. imports by value, which is almost 1/5 of the market.”

Overall, the U.S. is the second top consumer of tile produced in Spain, with France currently coming in at number-one. But this is a ranking Fasan predicts will soon change. “I’m expecting the U.S. to be number-one in the next year or the following year.”

This indication that the U.S. is a critical market for the Spanish manufacturing segment means big things in terms of where product development trends, promotion and marketing are going for Spanish ceramics, Fasan says.

“Anyone that went to Cersaie or Cevisama this year will see that most of the novelty collections—everything new that everyone’s looking for at those shows—is largely focused around U.S. product trends, needs and specifications. A lot of the promotional activities, the education, the adoption and standardization processes that our manufacturers are going through, as well, are focused on North America’s needs and codes.”

For more information, visit tileofspainusa.com.