Once a broad and visibly dominant sector, Germany’s natural stone industry has shrunk over the years. In 2023, it included 190 stone-extracting companies employing approximately 9,000 people. These firms operate around 240 quarries and produce roughly one million cubic metres of stone annually. In addition, there were around 4,500 stonemasonry businesses, many of them small-scale operations—about 1,300 being one-person enterprises and most of the rest employing no more than five people. The total workforce, including freelancers and subcontractors, stood at around 15,000 people. At first glance, these numbers might appear to be impressive, but they actually communicate a steep contraction. Some consider it the coming of the end. For others, it just means that the natural stone industry in Germany will become leaner and much more focused. One of the main issues is the lack of skilled labour and apprenticeships. This is most acutely felt by the much smaller, family-owned businesses. With one on to take over, they have no choice but to cease production or get sold off. Larger firms are already consolidating the market by acquiring these smaller operations and running them as centrally managed branches. Changes in cultural attitudes are impacting demand, particularly in the gravestone sector. Traditions in mourning and cemetery, the biggest market segment for natural stone, are quickly evolving and what we’re seeing is that the overall number for orders for gravestones is declining. What’s worse is that whatever orders do come in, they become much smaller in scope. In the construction sector, activity has slowed following a surge during the pandemic years, and public sector restoration projects have been hit by tighter regional budgets. So, how has Germany adapted? Companies have begun to refine their focus. Rather than chasing large-scale expansion, many businesses are leveraging craftsmanship, tradition, and specialised skills to remain competitive in a changing market.