Current Status and Prospects of China's Stone Care Industry

Shanghai Jiani Material Technology Co., Ltd. is a professional company specializing in the production of stone tiles.

I. Concept of the Stone Care Industry

As an emerging sector in China, the stone care industry has yet to form a universally accepted definition. Relevant concepts have been summarized by numerous industry experts and scholars based on their respective understandings and research. Combining their viewpoints with personal insights, the author hereby compiles a definition for reference and further study:

Stone care refers to the treatment of natural stone via physical and chemical methods throughout its lifecycle, including quarrying, processing, transportation, installation and application. Its core objectives are to raise the yield rate of stone materials, sustain their normal service performance, preserve their natural decorative appeal, enhance aesthetic effects, and extend the service life of stone as a high-grade natural building material.

II. Scope of the Stone Care Industry

The core services of stone care fall into three major categories: routine stone maintenance, remediation of stone defects, and daily cleaning and upkeep. This classification draws on three medical concepts: prevention, treatment and health care, which are applicable to all stages of stone quarrying, processing, installation and daily use.

The industry involves multiple disciplines such as organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, petrology, mechanics and grinding technology. Therefore, while being a derivative of the stone industry, stone care is also an interdisciplinary and peripheral sector that spans stone processing, cleaning services, property management, decoration and real estate industries.

III. Development History of China’s Stone Care Industry

The stone care industry is a derivative of the stone industry. The growth and widespread application of stone materials are the decisive driving forces for its development, and it emerged inevitably as the stone industry matured.

China’s stone industry has experienced two major boom periods. The first boom took place from the 1980s to the 1990s, a stage of rapid growth and the initial founding phase of the domestic stone sector. The second boom spanned 1991 to 2001, during which professional stone markets took shape and overseas stone enterprises (including those from Taiwan, China) entered the market. Major local enterprises completed primitive capital accumulation and began nationwide industrial layout, elevating the overall development level of China’s stone industry and strengthening exchanges with the global market.

Building on the progress of the two booms, the domestic stone industry entered a phase of restructuring and brand building starting in 2002. In that year, the global total import and export volume of stone reached 12 billion US dollars. China’s stone exports hit 1.14 billion US dollars and imports stood at 440 million US dollars, with a combined trade volume of nearly 1.6 billion US dollars, accounting for 13% of the global total. China has firmly established itself as a major stone trading country. Similar to other domestic industries, China’s stone industry accomplished a development journey that took Western countries over a century in just two decades. Its share of global stone trade surged from 1.6% to 13% in less than a decade.

Meanwhile, new materials including microcrystalline stone, artificial stone, thin stone slabs and composite panels gained growing popularity. Boosted by the rapid expansion of the real estate sector, China’s accession to the WTO, as well as the opportunities brought by the Olympic Games and World Expo, the stone industry embraced diversified development.

Against this backdrop, the market urgently demanded standardized operation and orderly competition, which led to the establishment of the Shanghai Stone Circulation Association. Founded in 2002, the Professional Committee for Stone Maintenance became China’s first specialized association for the stone care sector.

The stone care industry first emerged in the late stage of the second stone boom. Driven by the massive use of stone and rising public awareness of stone maintenance, market demand grew exponentially. The industry entered a rapid development phase in 2001. Starting from the sales of stone maintenance agents in the initial market cultivation stage, it gradually evolved into a comprehensive industrial cluster covering R&D and sales of care products, stone defect treatment, professional engineering services, technical consultation, vocational training and online sales. In roughly a decade, this emerging industry completed its market incubation.

IV. Current Status of China’s Stone Care Industry

China’s stone care industry can be summed up in three phrases: late start, rapid development and promising prospects.

While the industry has a history of over 30 years overseas, China’s stone care sector has developed for only about a decade, lagging behind developed countries by two decades. Nevertheless, thanks to China’s long-standing position as the world’s largest consumer of stone materials and increasingly frequent exchanges between domestic and foreign peers, the industry has achieved remarkable progress. Its technologies in renovation equipment manufacturing, on-site renovation construction and daily stone maintenance have reached international standards. Strong and sustained market demand will continue to fuel the long-term development of China’s stone care industry.

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