Italy experiences increasing exports of raw and finished marble

 

The Italian natural stone industry is undergoing changes. In the period from January to October 2007 (statistics processed by the IMM) Italy recorded exports of 2.818.000 tons of marble and granite, including raw materials and finished products, for a value of 1 billion 549million Euro in the main categories, showing an increase of +4,84 in quantity and +3,04% in value. The largest increase was recorded for raw marble varieties (816.000 tons for a value of 156 million Euro, a + 12,33% increase in quantity and a +11% increase in value) and finished marble products, the latter being the most important export item with 892.000 tons (+6%) for a value of 666 million euro (+8%), while exports of finished granite products have been declining for some months now.

The super euro and the difficulties on some International markets, in particular the United States where competition from new producers is becoming ever fiercer, are very apparent, while significant changes are underway in terms of the flow of Italian exports which today more than ever have to stand by very high quality finished products.

 

CarraraFiere’s chairman, Giorgio Bianchini, announced the details of the event due to be held from 29 May to 1 June to the press as ”the year of change: we have decided to give the exhibition an entirely new look: from now on it will take place on a two-yearly basis and our focus will be the image of marble, the impressions it has on architects and designers. We believe it is necessary to give new energy to the finished products industry and give new life to the image of Carrara as the reference area for the entire natural stone industry. CarraraMarmotec will host mostly professionals who will have special areas to see the new uses for natural stone as we are confident that marble can have a new cultural life and a new relationship with the world of architecture. Our exhibitors have perfectly understood this new look and the responses have been immediate and positive both from stone suppliers and technology producers who are interested in the long-term vision due to unfold over the coming years. Our objective is to encourage modernisation in the industry and promote Made in Italy products, as is marble.“

 

The decision to make CarraraMarmotec a two-yearly event has meant that companies such as SIMEC, Pedrini, Water Jet, Denver have decided to come back and exhibit, while other important groups, already present, have requested larger spaces, especially covered spaces, and have already confirmed their participation for 2010 too.

Collective stands will be taken by Brazilian, Greek and Iranian companies with large exhibiting spaces which has led to waiting lists for some areas.

This is the result of strategic repositioning as well as much promotion work with the sending of free badges and promo mail to stone industry players and architects, 3.000 of whom will be expressly invited to visit the area set aside for architecture and design.

Over the last few months CarraraMarmotec has been promoted at the main stone trade fairs all over the world: Batimat (Paris), Kamien (Wroclaw), DAPEDO (Athens), Big 5 Show (Dubai), Stonex (Cairo), ISTECH (Teheran), STONA(Bangalore), Marmore Granito (Victoria), Techno+Stone (Kiev), Xiamen Stone Fair (Xiamen), Natural Stone Show (London), Marble (Izmir). The next will be in April, Stonetech (Shangai) and Coverings (Orlando – USA), followed by Piedra (Madrid) in May.

From 16 to 21 April CarraraMarmotec will be in Zona Tortona, where it will be hosting architects, designers and journalists at a reception in natural stone coordinated by Giulio Cappellini at Superstudio Più, a place with a long tradition in International design.

In Carrara, industry players and architects will have the opportunity to visit two important exhibitions set up in a special area: the first will show the winning projects from the International Architectural Awards Competition, the MAA, now in its 24th year, which in 2008 is open to designers who have completed works in South Africa, Australia, Central and Southern America. The awards ceremony is due to take place on 31 May and will include the traditional meeting with a leading figure in modern architecture who will give a lecture on his/her experiences in the use of natural stone.

The second exhibition will display the works of students from faculties of Design and Architecture and design schools, young people who have taken part in the “Dressed Stone Design Award”, a new International competition the objective of which is to identify and promote design solutions which exalt the quality and most appropriate uses of natural stone to put forward new uses both in communal and private spaces.