According to Milanez & Milaneze, which organizes the event, about half of the exhibiting companies displayed natural stone products, including tiles, slabs, cut-to-size pieces and blocks. Additionally, 19% of exhibitors displayed machinery and equipment (including many Italian firms); 17% exhibited abrasives and consumables; 11% offered services to the industry; and 3% represented other entities.
In addition to an upgraded exhibition facility -- which spans across 325,000 square feet and includes a new indoor pavilion to join two other indoor pavilions -- visitors to the fair were able to take advantage of the fair's location in Espirito Santo. According to Sindirochas, a national trade organization, the state produces 2.4 million tons of stone per year, holding 47% of the national total. Of this figure, 90% is granite and 10% is marble. Moreoever, a total of 1,621 companies within the state employ 20,000 workers, with the capacity for sawing 270 million square feet of material per year.
The city of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim is one of the most concentrated areas for stoneworking in the state, and it was the first to export blocks from Brazil in the 1930s. Next year's event will also take place in the state of Espirito Santo, although organizers are considering a move to the seaside city of Vitoria, which offers the infrastructure of a major city.
