Lebanese minister promises to put weight behind ceramics

Lebanese Minister of Industry Nadim Salem on September 16 said his ministry would support local ceramics.

At the opening of the second Arab conference for ceramics Salem said: "The ceramics industry is one of the main contributors to Lebanese exports."

Salem also announced that the ministry was studying the possibility of exempting raw materials in the sector from customs duties.

Ceramics are one of the Arab world's most important industries, as more than 40 factories in the region produce over 150 million square meters of tile a year, as well as 100,000 tons of bathroom fixtures and household equipment.