The fair will feature the national pavilions of Turkey, Italy, Brazil, India, Iran, Portugal, Egypt, Spain, France, Germany, Finland and Greece. The World Stone Congress will also take place at this year’s event. The World Stone Congress aims at communication and cooperation of the global stone industry.

MIA+BSI Seminars

The MIA+BSI will sponsor several seminars throughout the duration of the Xiamen Stone Fair. The following is a list of the scheduled sessions:

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Sustainable Natural Stone

March 6, 2016

Time: 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Room: 402

Learn about the new ANSI approved Standard for the Sustainable Production of Natural Dimension Stone (developed by the Natural Stone Council, this standard is also known as NSC 373). This session will provide general knowledge on the objectives and principles of the NSC 373 Standard. Gain an understanding of the sustainable production practices and benefits of natural stone, and how to differentiate these practices among different companies and products when choosing natural stone products for projects.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn about the objectives and development process of the Sustainability Assessment Standard for Dimension Stone to understand the basic principles of the standard.

• Understand more about why natural stone is a leading sustainable building material.

• Examine the benefits of the standard and sustainable business practices to natural stone specifiers and users.

Speakers:

• Dan Rea, Coldspring

• Jim Hieb, MIA CEO, Marble Institute of America (MIA)

 

Thin Veneer Stone

March 6, 2016

Time: 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Room: 402

This session is designed to provide an understanding of a relatively new application (thin veneer) of a product (natural stone). Explore natural stone’s             beauty and durability on structures from around the world. Learn the history and best uses for different types of stone veneer, how thin stone is produced and common application techniques and opportunities.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover how thin veneer stone can impact design, cost and sustainability

• Explore the history and best uses for different types of veneer

• Gain insights into the manufacturing processes of natural stone thin veneer

• Weigh the advantages and disadvantages of thin veneer over anchored veneer and manufactured stone

• Learn about the governing documents for adhered veneer published by ASTM and other standards organizations

Speaker:

• Charles Muehlbauer, Technical Director, Marble Institute of America (MIA)

 

Panel Discussion:

Commercial Installation

March 6, 2016

Time: 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Room: 402

This open discussion forum for commercial contractors is an excellent opportunity to discuss many of the challenges involved in the commercial installations market. The session will cover everything from fabrication methods, equipment needs and materials to customer expectations, personnel and sales strategies. Attendees should come prepared to share ideas and discuss opportunities and common challenges and are encouraged to participate by presenting a problem or sharing a solution. 

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the differences, contractually and technically, between the residential and commercial markets.

• Explain how other contractors deal with the myriad of issues involved in the stone industry.

• Discuss fabrication methods, equipment needs, materials, customer service, personnel and sales strategies.

Speaker:

• David Castellucci, Kenneth Castellucci & Associates – 2016 MIA president

• Dan Rea, Coldspring

• Robert Zavagno, Cleveland Marble Mosaic

• Jim Hieb, MIA CEO, Marble Institute of America (MIA)

 

Stone Exterior Wall Cladding

March 7, 2016

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  |  Room: 401

This session will detail several varieties of exterior cladding systems, best practices and techniques, as well as outline the required minimum skills, education and experience that should be achieved before attempting the installation of different
stone materials.

Learning Objectives:

• Overview of the variety of exterior wall cladding attachment systems available

• Understand the required minimum resources for competent participation in the exterior market

• Develop an awareness of the risks specific to the exterior cladding contracting sector of the industry

• What resources are available to ensure the right level of education for the competent provision of exterior stone cladding systems?

Speaker:

• Charles Muehlbauer, Technical Director, Marble Institute of America (MIA)

 

Natural Stone Promotional Campaign

March 7, 2016

Time: 11:15 a.m to 12:15 p.m.  |  Room: 401

The Marble Institute of America is leading an effort to expand the promotion of natural stone with the assistance of several Brazilian companies. This effort includes the online distribution of positive articles and videos about natural stone. The goal is to reach the millions of readers who are looking for products for their home improvement or construction projects. Gain insight into this new campaign and how your company can become involved.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn about how current trends and marketing efforts of competing products contributed to why a promotional campaign is necessary

• Learn about usenaturalstone.com and how the articles and videos posted on that website can be used in your company’s marketing efforts

• Understand why leading stone companies are getting involved with this initiative and how you too can support the promotional campaign

Speakers:

• Dan Rea, Coldspring

• Jim Hieb, MIA CEO, Marble Institute of America (MIA)

• Others (if available)

Flooring, Finishes and Friction

March 7, 2016

Time: 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Room: 401

While the properties of natural stone haven’t changed over time, the technologies of hardscape surface applications have changed immensely. This session will familiarize attendees on the basic stone types and methods for installation commonly found, the surface finishes applied to these natural stones and the measurement techniques used to evaluate the frictional properties of the material as well as their influence on pedestrian safety.

Learning Objectives:

• Natural stone products and finishes used in pavement applications

• Installation methods, including traditional thick-bed mortar systems, dry-pack mortar systems, granular beds, thin-set installations, and self-spanning or pedestal supported systems

• Pedestrian locomotion, including the human gait; elements of the walking cycle; initiation of slips/falls and comparing SCOF to DCOF

• Friction, including measuring friction, tribometers, dealing with noisy data and the influence of contaminants on walkway surfaces

Speaker:

• Charles Muehlbauer, Technical Director, Marble Institute of America (MIA)

 

Doing Business in the U.S.

March 7, 2016

Time: 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Room: 402

This session will cover what stone standards and testing requirements that govern commerce when supplying stone in North America. The session will also introduce information about a new ‘supplier-to-buyer’ manual intended to help make the commerce of supplying stone easier (outlines for purchase orders, progress reports, customs, claims, insurance, arbitration and more). This information should be used to strengthen your relationships with suppliers and buyers from around the world.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand what stone standards are most widely used to supply stone to the U.S. market

• Learn about the new “supplier-to-buyer” manual and how it can become a guide for commerce with clients around the world

• Gain information to strengthen
your relationship with U.S.
customers

Speakers:

• Dan Rea, Coldspring

• David Castellucci, Kenneth Castellucci & Associates – 2016 MIA president

• Jim Hieb, MIA CEO, Marble
Institute of America (MIA)

• Others (if available)