The Italian stone industry is continuing to grow on markets with exports increasing in the first half of 2017.
As Italy prepares to host the 52nd Marmomac in Verona from 27-30 September, it has also been revealed that the sale of rough blocks, semi-finished and finished materials totalled €969 million (+3.3%), while machinery and technology also performed well, posting €640 million (+26.3%) in H1.
Veronafiere, organisers of Marmomac, says it welcomes back the most important international exhibition dedicated to natural stone, from semi-finished and finished products to machinery, technology and processing accessories, and the latest applications in architecture and design.
More than 1,650 exhibiting companies (64% international from 56 countries, with four more countries than in 2016) will be attending, and all the exhibition space was sold-out five months prior to the opening of the show, which covers 80,000m².
Veronafiere says it is expecting 67,000 specialist operators and buyers from more than 145 countries. Pointing out that Marmomac accompanies and reflects evolution in a sector that has always seen Italy among the leaders in world trade.
It says Italy takes top spot in terms of global technology market share (25%) and fifth place for processed natural stone (10%).
The Italian stone industry boasts more than 3,200 companies and 33,800 employees, according to Confindustria Marmomacchine data, and in 2016 posted production worth €3.9 billion euros, 74% of which was exported.
Against this background, a central role is played by the Verona natural stone district which, with 100 local companies exhibiting at Marmomac, once again confirmed in the first six months of the year its status as the landmark Italian province for processing marble and granite, supplying 28% of Italian exports.
Information about Marmomac was presented at Veronafiere by Veronafiere executives Maurizio Danese, president; Claudio Valente, vice-president; Giovanni Mantovani, CEO and director general and Elena Amadini, vice-director of sales, who were joined by Raffaello Galiotto, the curator of exhibitions in Hall 1, together with architect Vincenzo Pavan.
“Marmomac at every edition strengthens its leadership as a global platform for business, training and innovation in the natural stone sector,” says Maurizio Danese.
“This role has also been acknowledged by the Italian Government that since 2015 has included it among the strategic events within the scope of the Special Made in Italy Promotion Plan implemented by the Ministry for Economic Development and ICE-Italian Trade Agency.
“This edition will also continue the development of the event which will equally be further strengthened by the recent conversion of Veronafiere into a joint-stock equity company, the business plan envisaging investments totalling 100 million euros through to 2020 and related digital transformation.”
Veronafiere says that Marmomac's success lies in its ability to combine business with culture for a product that has traditions going back thousands of years in Italy but nonetheless now looks to the future.
This concept at Marmomac 2017 finds expression in The Italian Stone Theatre, a 3,500m² hall set up in collaboration with the Ministry for Economic Development, ICE-Italian Trade Agency and Confindustria Marmomacchine, who will host three exhibitions: Territory & Design, Virtuous Machines and Soul of City, narrating the interaction between natural stone, processing technology, experimentation and design through cutting-edge projects by famous architects and designers.
The Italian Stone Theatre once again provides space for wine and food excellent interpreted by the chefs of the Rosso Verona' Ristorante d’Autore.
“Marmomac's international profile expands with every new edition, not the least thanks to Veronafiere's programme of initiatives embracing the United States, Egypt, Morocco and Brazil where our subsidiary Veronafiere do Brasil operates,” says," Giovanni Mantovani.
“In addition to the consolidated calendar of appointments, we are also keen to make Marmomac in Verona the culmination of an approach implemented seamlessly throughout the year, thanks to road shows, training events and trade missions in new areas with high growth potential.
“In May, for example, we explored the market in Lebanon with the We speak stone initiative in Beirut, and in 2018 we are targeting China, the United Kingdom, Germany and Iran.”
Action to promote incoming operators from abroad sees Marmomac continue its cooperation with ICE and Confindustria Marmomacchine within the scope of activities involved in the Special Made in Italy Promotion Plan set in motion by Ministry for Economic Development.
Verona is set to welcome 350 top buyers from 58 countries selected among importers and distributors of stone products, machinery and processing, construction companies, contractors for large private and government projects, quarry and plant owners. These official trade delegations, during Marmomac, also take part in visits to local businesses and b2b meetings targeted on Africa, the Middle East and the Far East.
Together with the Veneto Region, this year Marmomac is also organising a focus meeting to present excellence in the local stone industry.
The third edition of the International Stone Summit also finds space, and the World Conference dedicated to natural stone will be attended by the leading international associations in the marble sector.
Innovations in 2017 include collaboration with the Milan Design Film Festival that will give life during Marmomac to the Stories of Stone, seven short films by international directors dedicated to the world of marble and natural stone.
Following its debut in 2016, the Icon Award will be made again to identify one of the works exhibited within The Italian Stone Theatre that will become the image of the Marmomac 2018 communications campaign.
Marmomac & the City will take the stage for the sixth year running, bringing 12 works and installations in natural stone (26 September-30 October) to the streets and courtyards of the historic centre of Verona.
The Best Communicator Award returns with its 11th edition. This Marmomac award promotes attention and originality dedicated to exhibit design by exhibiting companies.
