Considered to be the largest stone trade fair in Latin America and one of the most important of the world, the next edition of the Vitória Stone Fair - taking place from February 15 to 18, 2011 in Vitória, Brazil - will serve as a showcase for the Brazilian stone sector and beyond. The event features stone suppliers from Brazil as well as international stone producers, along with stoneworking equipment, tooling and accessories.

Promoted by stone associations, Sindirochas and Cetemag, as well as show organizers Milanez & Milaneze, the Vitória Stone Fair will occupy an area of nearly 354,000 square feet (32,000 square meters), with 20,000 visitors expected from over 65 countries and the main Brazilian states.

The exhibition space at the Vitória Stone Fair has been 100% sold out since this past November, and approximately 400 exhibitors will be on hand at the Carapina Expo Center in Vitória.

Cecília Milanez, Director of Milanez & Milaneze, said that the early sell-out of the exhibition space confirms the show’s importance to the stone sector on a national and international level, calling it an important “instrument for Espírito Santo and the Brazilian economical development, benefiting the entire production chain.”

Many Brazilian stone producers - as well as suppliers from abroad - use the Vitória Stone Fair to launch new materials to the marketplace, including varieties of marble, granite, slate, quartzite and other stones. In addition to stone materials, the event includes a range of stoneworking machinery, particularly for large-scale stone plants, as well as tooling, accessories, adhesives, maintenance products and resins.

Among the Brazilian varieties of stone, materials will be highlighted from the stoneworking center of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, a southern city in the Espírito Santo State. The region now accounts for 90% of Brazil’s domestic stone production, and it is also its main exporter.

Stone will also be showcased from the Brazilian states of Bahia, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Pará, Paraná, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Ceará, Piauí, Roraima, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina.

International suppliers

In addition to Brazilian stone suppliers, a total of 80 international exhibitors will be on hand in Vitória, including firms from countries such as Italy, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, India, Argentina, Greece, China, Turkey and the Dominican Republic.

With the Brazilian market strengthened and predictions for growth in the construction sector - due to investments for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games - the nation has become attractive to stone exporters from around the world. 

Looking to take advantage of this, national pavilions have been established by the Aegean Exporters Association from Turkey and the Portuguese Association of Manufacturers of Marble, as well as a large number of Spanish stone producers.

Brazil and the Espírito Santo region

According to data from the Brazilian Centre of Dimensional Stones Exporters (Centrorochas), exports of Brazilian stone reached a value of $883.86 million during the first 11 months of 2010 - equivalent to 2.065 million tons of stones. This marks a 34.15% increase from the same period in 2009.

The fair’s location within Espírito Santo is particularly advantageous for Vitória Stone Fair attendees, as the region is the main producer and the major processor and exporter of ornamental stones in Brazil.

Exports of stone from Espírito Santo showed an ever greater increase than Brazil’s national average. In all, stone exports from the state were valued at $631.19 million over the first 11 months of 2010 - equivalent to 1.311 million tons of stones - a rise of 43.44% compared to the same period in 2009.

For more information on the Vitória Stone Fair, visit www.vitoriastonefair.com.