BUSINESS TIP ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Total U.S. manufacturing capac- ity is now about 1,204 m. sq. ft., with usage of manufacturing capacity at about 80%: • Dal-Tile: ~613 m. sq. ft. • Italian plants (Stonepeak, Florim, Florida Tile, Del Conca, Landmark): ~430 m. sq. ft. • Other main manufacturers: 161 m. sq. ft. Regional synopsis Here’s a synopsis of distributor activity according to region. Florida – After lows in 2009, sales spiked 60% in 2012-2014, with a 2017 boom for some distributors due to residential and commercial construction. Currently, most sales are for remodeling and commer- cial construction. Some distribu- tors are exporting to Caribbean islands. Hurricanes turned out to be a mixed bag: sales were lost for a month, but then sales to fix storm damage surged. Negatives include an oil spill in the Panhandle in 2010, Chinese competition, and flat sales from 2017 to 2018 due to competition by Floor & Décor, MSI and Emser. Southern states – Sales have improved across the South since 2013. In Tennessee, some distribu- tors report a boom; others com- plain of sales lost to LVT. Sales are up in Georgia, and booming sales in Alabama credit high-end resi- dential and new commercial proj- ects. Arkansas is enjoying a boom; healthy sales in Mississippi and Louisiana are up 10-15%, and sales in the Carolinas are flat to 15% up. Texas – Though there was a slow- down at the end of 2018 – which some companies attributed to the mid-term elections – many com- panies have reported sales gains 40 TileLetter | July 2019