The international stone industry will once again meet in Nuremberg, Germany, from May 20 to 23 for Stone+tec 2009. The event, which takes place every other year, features exhibitors of stone, machinery and related products from around the world, and it draws a large, worldwide audience of attendees.

Products on display at Stone+tec 2009 include natural stone for interior use - including slabs, tiles, mosaics and custom architectural pieces - as well as exterior stonework such as paving and facades. Other stonework on display includes memorials and other products for the funerary sector. The event also includes materials for stone installation, maintenance, preservation and restoration.

In the area of technology, Stone+tec features the full range of stoneworking machinery, including large-scale equipment for slab production, such as gangsaws and polishers, as well as machines for countertop production and residential work, such as bridge saws, edge polishers, CNC stoneworking centers, waterjets, handling equipment, air/water treatment systems and templating systems.

The event will also have displays of the latest tooling and accessories for stoneworking professionals, including blades, polishing bits and hand tools. There are also exhibits of products for industrial safety and environmental protection.

Assistance in Attending

Visitors who would like to make the best use of their time at Stone+tec 2009 have many possibilities for organizing their visit in advance. Information about exhibitors, products and services - as well as tools for research, arranging appointments and downloading - can all be handled directly at www.ask-stone-tec.com before or after the exhibition. Using this site, contacts within the industry can quickly be established at any time.

The online ticket shop for the event was activated at the beginning of April so that visitors could order tickets in advance. This ensures fast admission to the exhibition, as there would be no need to buy entrance tickets on arrival.

Organizers have also arranged for online assistance with travel to Germany. Details on travel, accommodations and the Nuremberg exhibition venue itself can all be found at www.stone-tec.com/visitors. The city of Nuremberg has a range of accommodations, and it can be reached by the European motorway, rail and flight networks. The exhibition center is connected to the main rail station and airport by underground railway.

Supporting Program

In addition to the exhibition itself, Stone+tec has an extensive program of events, seminars and presentations for attendees. These include the following:

• May 20, 1:30 p.m.: Seminar: “Laying and Experiencing Natural Stone” (CCN Ost, Kiew Room)

• May 21, 11 a.m.: “Stone Craft Day,” including presentation of the Peter Parler Awards (Hall 1, Event Area)

• May 21, 1 p.m.: “Innovations for the Stonemasonry Trade,” including Exhibitors Forum: Training for stonemasonry firms (Hall 1, Event• May 22, 10 a.m.: “Architecture Day,” including the Natural Stone Architects Forum (Hall 1, Event Area); presentation of the 14th German Natural Stone Award (Hall 1, Stand 1-207); “Natural Stone Architecture - Made in Germany” (Hall 1, stand 1-307); “Tilers Meeting-Point” (Hall 1, Stand 1-317) and “The Future of the Gravestone Industry” (Hall 4A, stand 4A-317).

2009 Peter Parler Awards

As part of “Stone Craft Day” on May 21, the Peter Parler Awards are presented for high-quality work in natural stone. The purpose of this award is to create awareness of the contributions made by stonemasons towards the upkeep and preservation of culturally significant projects. It is also intended to encourage stonemasons to become more involved in the preservation of historic buildings and monuments. The award is presented by the Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz (historic preservation trust) and the Bundesinnungsverband des Deutschen Steinmetz-, Stein- und Holzbildhauerhandwerks (stonemasons and sculptors guild).

The Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz provides a total of $19,000 (15,000 Euros) as prize money. The judging criteria includes creative restoration skills and professionally executed/carefully documented conservation work for historic preservation. The involvement of external experts - such as preservation specialists, qualified restorers, art historians and scientists - is also rated favorably.

2009 German Natural Stone Award

Part of the “Architecture Day” program on May 22 is the presentation of the 14th German Natural Stone Award, which honors innovative, high-quality and user-oriented natural stone projects. It is presented by a jury of architects and natural stone producers, headed by Michael Frielinghaus, President of the Bund Deutscher Architekten BDA. The award is presented for exemplary design and technically modern construction of projects in Germany and abroad - in which natural stone from German production is used as a primary material, and the work is performed by natural stone contractors. The German Natural Stone Award, worth a total of $38,000 (30,000 Euros), is presented by the Deutscher Naturwerkstein-Verband e.V. DNV in cooperation with the Bund Deutscher Architekten BDA, and it is sponsored by NürnbergMesse as organizer of Stone+tec.

Stone+tec Nürnberg 2009 is organized by NürnbergMesse, and the honorary sponsors are associations such as the Deutscher Naturwerkstein-Verband e.V., the Bundesinnungsverband des Deutschen Steinmetz-, Stein- und Holzbildhauerhandwerks, other associations in the German natural stone industry, the Fachabteilung Natursteinmaschinen im Fachverband Bau- und Baustoffmaschinen des VDMA e.V. and the Fachgruppe Diamantsägen und Diamantbohrer in the Verband Deutscher Schleifmittelwerke e.V. (VDS).