The 10th Best Communicator Award saw the recent
Stands at the event became full-scale works of art and design to narrate the materials and technologies involved in the world of natural stone.
The award jury comprised Marco Romanelli (architect and president of the jury); Laura Andreini (deputy director of area); Alberto Biagetti (designer); Giovanni De Sandre (photographer), and Silvia Robertazzi (founder and curator of the Milan Design Film Festival).
After considering all the stand set-ups at Marmomacc, the jury chose those that best expressed the guiding values and philosophy of companies through the originality of their exhibits.
In the Design Category the first prize Italy went to Piba Marmi for its stand designed by Go Hasegawa, while the first prize international was awarded to Stoneasy Belgium for a new exhibition approach in this sector, inspired by the world of technology.
A special mention was given to Laminam and its stand designed by the company's art director Alessandra Stefani.
In the Stone Category the first prize Italy went to Marmo Elite for its stand by architect Enrico Toso, and the international first prize went to Graniti Tecnica from South Africa for the essential layout of its stand.
Special Mention was given to Kamen Pazin from Croatia with its stand designed by architect Sandra Krebel.
The Machinery Category saw the first prize Italy go to Barsanti Macchine for the overall impact of the stand, and the international equivalent went to Koenig from Germany with its stand by designer Clemens Beck for clear and immediately comprehensible exhibit.
Prometec was given a special mention for its stand designed by architect Giovanni Giorgi.
In the Tools Category Sorma was a\warded the first prize Italy for the iconic impact of its graphics and the precision design of the display cases, and a special mention was made to Sanwa Kenma from Japan.
The ceremony was also the occasion for the Master of Stone Awards, the origins of which date back to 1319 when, under the rule of Cangrande I della Scala, Verona saw the creation of the Ancient Free Corporation of Stone Arts.
In 1980, a group of operators and entrepreneurs active in the marble industry in Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella, during the International Marble Exhibition, re-founded the Ancient Corporation and, in the same year, Marmomacc set up the award for people who, in the course of their activities, helped ensure prestige for the entire natural stone industry and the economy of the local area.
Masters of Stone insignia were awarded this year to the Mayors of the Italy's leading natural stone processing districts: Flavio Tosi for Verona and Angelo Zubbani for Carrara.
They were joined by Fernando Leardini, owner of Intermarmi, based in Volargne, Verona, and Mahmoud Sarsali of the historical Iranian company Salsali Marble.
A special and extraordinary mention also went to the Istituto Paolo Brenzoni-Marble Vocational Training Centre in Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella, Italy.
