Brazil slows but continues to shine

"Although the Brazilian economy is struggling, the biggest difficulties facing the country today are political given that structural problems that have remained unresolved for years are now coming to a head."

Antonio Carlos Kieling, secretary general of the Brazilian ceramic tile manufacturers' association Anfacer, doesn't mince his words in describing the economic, political and social context in which the world's second largest ceramic industry operates. But in spite of everything the tile industry succeeded in closing 2014 with growth, albeit considerably slower than in previous years.

"The tile industry's current growth is minimal compared to the double-figure increases of the past." - Kieling told us. "In 2014, production reached 903.3 million sq.m (+3.7%) and domestic sales - effectively equivalent to domestic consumption - rose to 853.2 million sq.m (+1.9%). Total sales, including exports of just 7.5%, rose by 2.4% to 922.4 million sq.m. In 2015 these three items are not expected to grow by more than 1-1.6%."

Read the full interview with Antonio Carlos Kieling published on Ceramic World Review 112/2015