The slate market - France

Slate is a rock derived from a clay that belongs to the schist family. It has properties that allow it to split due to its cleavage in the direction of sedimentation. Traditionally used as a roofing material for exterior buildings (roofing and tiles in particular), slate can also be used indoors, in bathrooms and kitchens (worktops). As a result, slate building solutions are considered highly durable and are widely used around the world as a construction material, both inside and outside the building. The world's leading market for slate, France imports over 95% of its needs from Spain, with a few exceptions, as all of its deposits are almost exhausted (the last major slate operation in France closed in March 2014). According to Les Echos, France alone consumes almost half the tons of slate produced worldwide, and the particular natural slate segment (representing the bulk of the market) in France is growing, despite a decline in the overall slate market in France. The slate market is dominated by a number of major players, such as the Cupa group, leaving little room for new entrants. To survive in an unfavorable economic climate, players in the slate market are seeking to reach specifiers (architects and the general public), and not just roofers. After France, the biggest consumers of slate are Australia, the Netherlands, Ireland and Poland. New markets are emerging in Finland, Kosovo, Japan, Kuwait and Qatar. The slate sector is gradually overcoming technological challenges to offer ever more innovative systems: from pre-assembled facade cladding panels for contemporary architecture to invisible solar thermal panel systems made of 100% slate, which use its ability to heat easily with solar radiation, even in the absence of sunlight. Slate is a product with unrivalled technical properties that can be adapted to any project, adding considerable value. Natural slate gives any roof or facade an inimitable, timeless appearance that will remain unaltered over time.