USITC Filing Chinese Quartz Imports Marty Davis Statement | Page 2

PUBLIC VERSION
9.
In the combining stage, mixtures from the mixing stage may be blended.
10. In the dispensing and molding stage, the combined material is dispensed into a rubber
mold to be molded and then pressed.
11. In the pressing stage, the material in the mold is put under vacuum inside the chamber of
a press and the physical force of the press compacts the material into slabs of varying sizes
and thicknesses. Cambria standard-size slabs are approximately 55½˝ x 122˝ and Cambria
jumbo-size slabs are 65½˝ x 132˝. Slabs are typically 1cm, 2cm, or 3cm in nominal thickness,
with the precise thickness varying within a given tolerance.
12. In the curing stage, the slab is heated to harden the slab.
13. In the cooling stage, the slab is cooled.
14. In the polishing stage, the surfaces of the slabs are polished. The surface finish can vary,
for example the polish could be smooth or matte.
15. Finally, the slabs are inspected for defects and damage.
16. To the best of my knowledge and belief, quartz surface products are generally produced
in China through the same basic process of mixing, combining, dispensing and molding,
pressing, curing, cooling, and polishing.
U.S. Market Conditions
17. Demand for quartz surface products in the United States has been extraordinarily strong
over the past three years. This demand is driven by the increased popularity of quartz surface
products as compared to other materials such as granite and marble, increased construction
activity for new commercial and residential properties, and increased remodeling activity of
existing properties. Cambria’s innovation, marketing, and sales efforts were a primary
contributor to this growth.
18. Cambria maintains a distribution network of companies that covers the entire United
States. On a regular basis, the more than 240 members of Cambria’s sales and marketing
team and I confer with these companies about market conditions across the country.
Cambria’s salespeople often deal directly with the fabricators and installers who purchase
quartz surface products and fabricate/install them for the end user. As a result, Cambria has
detailed, up-to-date information about pricing and market conditions for quartz surface
products.
19. Based on Cambria’s experience and my own knowledge of the U.S. market, it is very
clear that competition in the U.S. market between Chinese imports and the U.S. product takes
place on the basis of price.