Background

The market of Portuguese limestones export slabs has a certain representation in the overall export market of Portuguese limestones. This is in fact not the most demanded finished product, but has a certain demand specially from countries that do not have a well-developed manufacturing structure to process blocks into slabs.

Nonetheless, export slabs are still a type of product that many manufacturers in Portugal find interesting as a complement to their regular business of doing finished product. Many suppliers manage to compete in projects with the supply of slabs where they would not manage to do so if the product was entirely manufactured in Portugal.

Limestones

All Moca Creme variations as well as all Moleanos variations are on the top demand for slabs export. These are the main Portuguese limestones export materials and have a considerable demand in any form. In addition to these materials, there is growing demand for slabs of grey limestone, Cabeca Veada, Rosal, Semi Rijo and few other limestone.

Slabs are normally exported in both 2cm and 3cm thickness with diverse surface finishes such as polished, honed, brushed or bush-hammered.

Markets

The main markets for the export of Portuguese limestone slabs are Italy, the Middle East and several Asian countries such as India, Singapore, South Korea and Japan. All of these countries have great interest and demand for light beige colored limestones, as well as some grey limestones. But many as Japan, South Korea and Middle Eastern countries do not have blocks sawing capacity, which explains the reason why they import slabs.

In addition to these countries, there is a less representative demand from both South and North American countries.