Marmomacc and Abitare il Tempo: Natural stone meets interior furnishing, design and contractt

An increasingly crossways exhibition where natural stone business communicates directly with the world of contract and interior furnishing. This is the main innovation for the 49th Marmomacc, scheduled at Veronafiere 24-27 September 2014. The most important international event dedicated to the natural stone sector will be held for the first time in conjunction with Abitare il Tempo, Veronafiere@¬#s b2b exhibition for operators in the contract sector with the best proposals for materials, interior finishes and furniture. The two shows were presented today at the Milan Triennial by the President and CEO of Veronafiere, Ettore Riello and Giovanni Mantovani, the President of ADI, Luciano Galimberti, designer Giuseppe Viganò, and historian and art critic, Martina Corgnati. Journalist and television presenter Giorgio Tartaro moderated the occasion.

The decision to hold the two events together, says the President of Veronafiere, Ettore Riello, turns these two events into a system representing the manufacturing excellence of Made in Italy involving natural stone and furniture as complementary items in a sector value chain. Marmomacc – with attendance in 2013 by 54% of international operators from 143 countries – is also the ideal platform for developing the international status of Abitare il Tempo. The initiative finally meets the needs of operators who attended Marmomacc in 2013 since research indicates that 68% of Italian and 56% of international operators believe that it is now vital to involve exhibitors from new sectors.

As every year, the natural stone sector is the absolute protagonist at Marmomacc: blocks, slabs, semi-finished and finished products, machinery, technologies and accessories such as diamond abrasives and tools. Italy ranks fifth in the world in the field in terms of production and processing and continued to grow abroad even in 2013, with exports – especially of finished materials – coming to nearly 1.9 billion  euros (+6.7%), while technology and processing machinery came to 969 million euros (+10.5%). This positive trend was also confirmed in the first two months of 2014 with total Italian exports of finished and semi-finished marble and granite products, unhewn ornamental and dimension stones, limestone, gypsum, clay and slate totalling 249.5 million euros (+5.9%).

This is why Marmomacc always and increasingly looks abroad for development and, today, the Marmomacc in The World network of international events ensures an active presence on the most important markets for the present and future of this business: the United States of America, Brazil, Arabian Peninsula and North Africa.

This year we have further strengthened our international expansion, says Veronafiere CEO, Giovanni Mantovani, thereby consolidating our role of leading natural stone centre in the world. In addition to Marmomacc@¬#s traditional appointments in the United States, Brazil, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Morocco, 2014 sees the debut in Oman with an event focusing on interior design, decor and high-end furniture, Egypt with MS Africa and Middle East-The Marmomacc and Samoter Show, without forgetting TISE StoneExpo/Marmomacc Americas which doubles its presence in North America in Miami after Las Vegas. In November, lastly, Espirito Santo State will host EXPO Construções, a trade fair targeting the promising Brazilian construction market.

Marmomacc@¬#s international mission can rely on important institutional partners such as Sace and Simest (in Brazil), over and above Confindustria Marmomacchine, Hanley Wood Exhibitions (the largest organizer of construction exhibitions in the United States) and Centro Servizi per il Marmo di Volargne, a landmark for the Veneto Marble and Natural Stone District.

One of the strengths of Marmomacc lies in the decision to combine business with design and product culture thereby also turning the event into one of the most important occasions for comparison, innovation and education for companies and professionals working with stone. This aspect is further enhanced this year by co-scheduling with Abitare il Tempo: this makes the use of natural stone all the more immediate and tangible in relation to furnishings and interior finishes in projects designed for the contract world.

This aspect was highlighted by all speakers. Design has two souls: one is more technical and the other more narrative and both are very well represented by Marmomacc and Abitare il Tempo, said Luciano Galimberti. Giuseppe Viganò, on the other hand, emphasised the need for culture and training to promote appreciation and awareness of the potential of marble to a wider audience. The two events in fact dedicate an entire Hall to culture – Inside Marmomacc & Abitare il Tempo – with an impressive programme of conferences, workshops, exhibitions and installations ensuring in-depth analysis of the creative use of marble, with special emphasis on projects by some the most famous architects from the Iberian Peninsula.

Martina Corgnati, historian and art critic, pointed out that stone is still at the centre of interest among artists and architects and continues to live, thanks to innovative technologies, in ways never imagined in the past. And Marmomacc bears witness to this.

Italian natural stone industry economic data
Italy ranks fifth in the world for production and processing of marble and granite after China, India, Turkey and Brazil. 2013 was the third year of consecutive growth for the Italian natural stone industry. Marble and granite "Made in Italy" closed last year on a positive note again, on the strength of exports – processed and unhewn products alike – worth 1 billion 900 million euros, an increase of 6.7% compared to 2012. Italian finished and semi-finished products are increasingly in demand abroad in construction, interior design and contract fields. The American continent (+18.9%), Eastern Europe (+12.1%), North Africa (+26.6%) and the Middle East (+12.9%) all posted double-figure growth in demand (Source: Marmomacc Observatory).

These was also a positive trend in the technology sector. Italian exports of marble and natural stone processing machinery in 2013 achieved turnover of more than 700 million euros (+10.8%), while other products – especially abrasives and diamond tools – came to 269 million euros (+10.2%).

Growth also continued in the first two months of 2014: overall, Italian exports of finished and semi-finished marble and granite products, unhewn ornamental and dimension stones, limestone, gypsum, clay and slate came to 249.5 million euros against 235.5 million euros in the same period in 2013 (+5.9%).

* For further information: www.marmomacc.com / www.abitareiltempo.com