the marble market | France

1.1 Definition and scope of study

Marble is a limestone rock in calcite form, whose surface is laminated with cracks made of natural minerals and of various colours. [ CNRTL ]. The base colour of calcite is white, but there is a wide variety of coloured marbles due to the different sedimentary structures. It is used as a decorative rock, in sculpture or for interior design.

The marble sector in France is experiencing a structural decline in its activity. This has contracted on almost all products over the past 10 years, although high value-added marble-based objects (finished products) continue to be valued for their quality. However, certain factors and customer markets are progressing smoothly in their respective activities, such as construction and construction, funerals and the plastic arts.

Foreign competition is increasing. Originally with the Italian neighbours especially, and then Spanish, new countries such as China, India, or Turkey are entering the market with much lower production costs.

Regulations and standardizations in the sector are numerous, and involve different levels of actors: from the European level concerning physical verifications of materials, to the regional level for quarry management schemes.

Our study will focus on the different aspects of the marble value chain, from the extraction and production of raw blocks, to the creation of marble objects and fittings for private individuals