Manuel Sánchez Pérez is the new President of the Spanish Natural Stone Federation for the 2009–2011 term. Sánchez, representative of the Andalusian Marble Dealer’s Association (AEMA are the initials in Spanish), explains the priorities for his term throughout this interview. During this time, he will focus his efforts on preventing the politicians in charge from brushing the industry aside. He will do so by sending them proposals to help them improve the situation.

At the same time the new president also has plans for creating Labor Committees to establish guidelines for following important issues in the natural stone industry. These include financing, research, improving the sales network and bringing the industry closer to public opinion through communication.

The industry’s trade balance from the previous financial year and the first quarter of this year continues to be positive, but with signs of slowing. How do you assess this data?
It is a highly important export industry. The trade balance in 2008 continued to be positive, reaching 595 million Euros. These are good data in comparison with other Spanish industries that export much less. Nonetheless, we are concerned that there has been a 5% decrease with regard to the previous year. This is something that has not occurred in fifteen years, during which the trend was constant growth.

What light can you shed on the rest of the industry data that was recently revealed?
Throughout 2008, there was a major drop in the internal demand brought on by the halt that construction has suffered in our country. This, together with the slump in exports mentioned above, means there has been a decrease in turnover by 700 million Euros.

General turnover has decreased. Companies and jobs have been lost due to the crisis. How do you expect that the 2009 financial year will end? Do you see a light at the end of the tunnel or do we still have to go through tough times?
In 2008, our industry lost one hundred fifty companies and more than six thousand direct jobs. These figures will be surpassed manifold in 2009. In the first quarter alone, production has decreased by 50% with the serious consequences that this entails, such as the disappearance of more companies and an ongoing loss of jobs.

As to whether this situation will be further prolonged, it is difficult to predict. This is because when UE countries such as France or Germany are starting a recovery, Spain continues to lose jobs and witness company failures. This outlook means that our Administrations are not doing things right. So unfortunately I don’t believe that it is a situation that will improve in the short term.

At the Federation, you feel disappointed by the Administration in light of the treatment received. Can you explain to us the reasons for this disappointment?
This industry feels frustrated because of the lack of attention that our Administrations are showing us. It is worrying that a competitive industry like this one that exports 30% of its production, and in the case of slate, it can reach 95%, is losing jobs due to lack of support from the Administrations. We have spent nearly one year requesting meetings with the ministers of Development, Industry or the Interior to present our situation to them and propose measures to improve the situation we are in, and we are not being heard.

The Administrations do not want to realize that this is an industry that is located in areas of scarce industrialization. Quarry and factory closures are causing the economy of entire towns to sink. This is our reality and our greatest concern.

Why aren’t you satisfied with the materialization of the Local Stimulus Plan directed at Municipalities?
Our industry had great expectations for participating in projects that have gotten the Municipalities up and running through the State Fund for Local Employment Investment. We also thought that we could participate in the infrastructure projects that the Autonomous Communities and the Central Government are implementing. Examples of these projects include the works at the Seville and Granada subway systems or the expansions of the Barcelona, Malaga and Minorca Airports. However, Spanish natural stone has barely been considered. This has contributed further to the drop in our companies’ productions.

What are you complaining about to both the Municipalities and consumer advocates?
The natural stone industry is, in general, asking the Administrations for greater sensitivity so that they take into account the use of Spanish stone in the public projects they develop. At this time, they cannot rule out the use of Spanish stone for price reasons. We are highly competitive in this aspect. We also have technology and sufficient productive capacity to give a reliable solution to the projects they propose us. Unfortunately, we are seeing the paradox that public projects are using foreign stone, but complicated and precision pieces are being supplied by Spanish companies. This means that something is missing in the process.

The natural stone’s strong point has always been exports and its presence in foreign markets. What are you claiming in this area?
We are asking for better coordination between the different administrations to execute internationalization projects. They should be led by the Spanish Foreign Trade Institute (ICEX) with support from Spanish Trade offices abroad and the local communities. We should be able to implement a joint plan to increase the prevalence of Spanish natural stone in the foreign market. We understand that it must be a plan that can cover the next 4 or 5 years. It should help implement the use of Spanish natural stone in those markets where it has less prevalence at this time and boost it in those markets where it has a greater presence, whether in Europe or on other continents.

There is a network of technology centers that support research in the industry. Do you think that one of the ways out of the crisis lies in research and committing to R&D at companies?
In order for our industry to be competitive in the future, it must continue incorporating added value to natural stone. To do so, the companies are finding support in Technology Centers that are located in the production areas. This R&D application must receive ongoing commitment to improve material usage, to continue incorporate design into stone or address the changes in consumer demand. These challenges are only possible if we work in coordination with the technology centers.

You have just been named President of the Spanish Natural Stone Federation. What are the main projects and goals you have for the industry in that capacity?
At present, the Federation’s Board of Directors is focusing its efforts on ensuring that the politicians in charge do not brush this industry aside. They will do so by trying to get the message across to them that in many areas, it is the only form of industry on which their economic development rests. We will also send them proposals that will help the industry improve its standing.

In a more general setting, the members of the Board of Directors are setting a series of Labor Committees in motion. They will establish the guidelines to follow for important issues for the natural stone industry. These issues include: financing, research, industrial development, improving the business development network, and establishing development plans or bringing the industry closer to public opinion through communication.

We have many things to do during these three years that lie ahead of us. As President of the Spanish Natural Stone Federation, and I thank the Federation’s Board of Directors for the support it is giving me to accomplish them.