Quartz Manufacturers Push for 50% Tariff to Protect Domestic Jobs

Industry representatives testified before the U.S. Trade Representative on June 16, pressing for relief following an International Trade Commission recommendation. Despite a 62% jump in demand for quartz surfaces over the last five years, domestic manufacturers report that their facilities are struggling against a 78.3% increase in imports recorded between 2020 and 2024. Executives from companies including Dal-Tile, Cambria, and LX Hausys detailed reduced operating shifts and workforce cuts, warning that without intervention, the sector—which currently supports 100,000 American jobs—faces further erosion.

During the hearings, the industry pushed back against concerns that trade barriers would inflate housing costs. According to the ITC, the cost of imported quartz accounts for only 0.07% of the total price of a new home, a figure manufacturers cite to dismiss claims that trade enforcement would harm housing affordability. For producers like Matt Kahny of Dal-Tile and Andrew Eich of Cambria, the proposed tariffs are not just about protectionism, but about creating the market predictability required to resume hiring and expand production lines across the United States.