About 500 workers demonstrated yesterday morning, called by UGT-PV and CCOO-PV, at the gates of Feria Valencia to protest the “blockade” in the negotiation of the collective agreement in the tile sector. Given the situation, yesterday afternoon the employers’ association, Ascer, called them to a meeting to try to reach an agreement that would avoid the strike called by the workers’ representatives for today and March 1, but at the time of writing These lines had not been resolved.
The stalled negotiation of the collective agreement thus reaches the very doors of Cevisama, where these days the sector exposes its news and where it also takes stock of a year marked by the “demand crisis”, as the president of Ascer, Vicente Nomdedéu, explained yesterday. , in the presentation of the annual report.
According to the data provided, the estimated total turnover of the sector in 2023 is 4,864 million euros (-14.3%), of which 3,564 million euros were allocated to 189 international markets. Sales in the domestic market are estimated to have reached 1.3 billion euros. In parallel with the contraction in demand seen by the sector, production in 2023 was reduced by 21%, reaching almost 400 million euros.
Despite what they consider a “negative evolution”, companies value the fact that Spain maintains first place in terms of production in the European Union. As the president of Ascer pointed out, “Europe only represents 8.4% of total world production, when barely a decade ago we were the ones who clearly led the sector. Our products compete in international markets under unequal conditions compared to other producers with less demands in terms of environmental respect or respect for labor rights, to give a few examples. It is important that the rules of the game are balanced and our clients demand compliance with higher standards from their extra-community suppliers.”
Regarding the drop in sales, Nomdedeu pointed out that “our foreign sales are not immune to the contraction in demand that has occurred worldwide and have decreased by 16.6% in value and 22% in volume.” . By geographical areas, Europe continues to be the natural market for Tile of Spain – the brand that brings together national producers – with six countries among the top ten markets.
“They are mature, demanding markets that appreciate the added value of Spanish ceramics, but during this year they have been very marked by inflation and the consequent slowdown in their construction market,” explained the president of Ascer. “If we count the European Union market plus Spain, which is our main customer market, we have 57% of our total sales remaining in the community market and it is vital to defend our position and establish rules that allow us to compete in equal conditions,” he added.
