Marmomacc welcomes the world to Verona

Marmomacc, the leading international stone industry trade show, is set to take place from September 29 to October 2 in the renowned stoneworking center of Verona, Italy. Held annually at Veronafiere in Verona, Marmomacc serves as a global showcase of stone materials and technology, and the event is looking to continue its success.

In 2009, more than 53,000 trade visitors converged on Veronafiere for Marmomacc, and they were welcomed by 1,500 exhibitors from 53 different nations. Of note, the visitors included 24,000 foreign visitors from 100 countries, truly making Marmomacc an international gathering of the industry.

Continuing a shift that began last year, the exhibition will once again take place from Wednesday to Satuday (as opposed to Thursday to Sunday in previous years). This adjustment proved to be a success in 2009, as Marmomacc attracted highly professional and specialist operators (up by 10 percent) and eliminated attendance by the general public that otherwise crowded the last day of the exhibition.

“We are satisfied by the result achieved, which is particularly significant in the light of the negative moment for the sector,” Giovanni Mantovani, Director General of Veronafiere, said of the 2009 edition. “The change of dates for the event, with the elimination of Sunday - the traditional day for visits by families - enabled us to qualify attendance even further. Moreover, we saw confirmation of the efforts by Marmomacc in recent years to bring marble and design closer together by establishing relationships between companies and leading architects and designers.” (The “Marmomacc Meets Design” program will continue at this year’s event, and an outline of the program follows this article.)

The 1,500 exhibitors at Marmomacc 2009 displayed their products across more than 800,000 square feet of space, including both indoor pavilions and outdoor areas that included full-sized stone blocks.

Marmomacc exhibits include displays of marble, granite, limestone, onyx and other stone materials in a range of formats, including blocks, slabs, tiles, mosaics, wall cladding, furnishings and other cut-to-size work. Each year, exhibitors from around the world rely on Marmomacc as an opportunity to release newly discovered materials, finishes and formats to the international marketplace. In effect, the fair becomes a showcase of the latest stone products - catering to an international audience of stone industry and design professionals.

In addition to natural stone products, Marmomacc is a platform for the world’s leading manufacturers of stoneworking equipment to showcase new offerings to the industry. A range of new machinery models and upgraded units will be on display in Verona, and attendees can see them in operation first-hand. These include large-scale machines as well as smaller equipment for fabrication shops, including CNC stoneworking centers, waterjet machinery, bridge saws, polishing machines, material handling equipment and more. Manufacturers of tooling and accessories for stoneworking - such as diamond blades, polishing pads, profile wheels and more - also carry an important presence at Marmomacc.

In terms of stone installation and maintenance, the world’s leading manufacturers of adhesives, sealants, cleaners and related products will also be at Marmomacc, with a range of hands-on demonstrations to give attendees a view of the materials at work. As with other products, many of these innovations will be on display for the first time at Marmomacc 2010.

International Pavilions

The international presence of exhibitors at Marmomacc is enhanced by the gathering of many companies in national pavilions. Countries such as Brazil, Spain, Turkey, Israel, China and more will be represented in national pavilions.

Additionally, 10 Palestinian stone and marble companies have joined together to exhibit at this year’s Marmomacc, marking the first time the country will be hosting a pavilion at the show. Although some of the firms have displayed at Marmomacc before, many of them will be exhibiting at the show for the first time. All share the same goal, however: to expand export markets for Palestinian stone and marble.

Most of the exhibiting companies have been producing high-quality items for export for years, but they are frequently channeled through a third party before reaching international markets. By exhibiting at Marmomacc, the Palestinian firms are looking to create direct links with end markets in Europe, North America and elsewhere - offering the same quality products at more competitive prices. They also aim to showcase the natural beauty and uniqueness of their Jerusalem Stone - including Hebron, Birzeit, Benjamin, Halila and Canaan, among others - and demonstrate how a modern aesthetic can be applied to this classic stone.

AIA-Approved Continuing Education Course “Designing With Natural Stone” to Continue at Marmomacc

The 12th edition of “Designing with Natural Stone” will run from September 27 to October 2, 2010 in Verona, Italy, in conjunction with Marmomacc, the world’s leading trade show for stone and design. More than 175 architects from all over the U.S. have participated in previous editions of the course.

Veronafiere offers this course to help architects learn advanced techniques in the use of marble, granite and other stone materials. The program is a unique combination of classroom lectures, guided architectural tours and field trips to local quarries as well as natural stone processing facilities. This comprehensive approach enables architects to better understand stone’s full life-cycle - including how marble is quarried, cut, processed, finished, selected for specific jobs and installed - all using the latest technologies and products.

The 2010 edition will include visits to a Botticino marble quarry and a nearby stone processing plant, a case study on stone use and an architectural tour of Verona. Sustainable Design (SD) became a principal focus of the course in 2008. A minimum of four AIA SD credits will again be offered, including a session on technology and sustainability and case studies of sustainable projects in stone. In addition, the course provides time to explore Marmomacc, with its more than 1,500 exhibitors of stone and stone-related products from around the world.

“Designing with Natural Stone” has been recognized by the AIA as a “Best Practices and Trends” educational program. Comments from last year’s students support this judgment:

“The week-long experience was great. What I particularly enjoyed was learning about new products and technologies now being used for stone. I will certainly utilize what I learned in my future work.” Saverio Manago - Michael Graves & Associates (Princeton, NJ)

“I’ve been attending and preparing seminars for my AIA chapter for more than 10 years, and the concept of having a specialized seminar throughout an entire week is the best continuing education I’ve ever received. I now possess a broader knowledge of natural stone and feel more confident in choosing the right type of stone for my projects.” Alberto Lastra - Rivera & Lastra (San Juan, PR)

Participants earn approximately 20 AIA/CES learning-unit hours. Many classes also count as HSW credits and four as SD credits. The class is limited to 30 architects, with 16 from the U.S. and the others from Canada, the U.K., South Africa, India, Vietnam, Singapore and Australia.

The course is co-sponsored by Stone World magazine and supported by the Marble Institute of America, which donates a copy of its MIA Dimension Stone Design Manual to all participants

The 12th edition of “Designing with Natural Stone” will run from September 27 to October 2, 2010 in Verona, Italy, in conjunction with Marmomacc, and it involves architects from the U.S. and around the world. The program includes visits to a stone quarry and processing plant, in addition to case studies and classroom lectures as well as a visit to the Marmomacc fairgrounds.