Three pioneering decades
Stone+tec, the International Trade Fair Natural Stone and Stoneprocessing Technology, celebrates its 30th anniversary from
20-23 May 2009. The biennial Stone+tec generated positive signals for the industry at the last event in spring 2007 with 963 exhibitors and 41,084 trade visitors .
Whereas the USA was regarded as a lucrative sales market for natural stone in the past years, the present economic crisis there, the strong euro and the sound, indeed booming markets in Europe have directed the industry’s attention back to the old continent again. Stone+tec in Nürnberg is located at the heart of this demand and can meanwhile look back on three decades of reflecting and inspiring the German and European natural stone markets.
Robust economic situation in Germany
The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) has some good news to report in its latest press release on the economic situation in the Federal Republic of Germany: “Growth has in all probability accelerated in the first quarter of this year, driven by the dynamic development in the industry and in the primary building trade.” The market in Germany is thus developing positively despite the general cooling down of the world economy.
“The more clearly emerging weak phase in the USA is accompanied by increasing strains and risks to the world economy. (…) The economic and price risks have increased with the continuing problems of the US mortgage crisis, the distinct shift of currency relations and the further rise in the prices of crude oil and food.”
With a slight decline in international demand, mainly the domestic demand has a supporting effect, according to the ministry: “Building production showed particularly strong growth. This increased by another 3.7 % in February, after +11.4 % in January. The prospects for the manufacturing industry remain very favourable.”
The sustained upturn of investment in fixed assets and the improved situation of the public budgets should continue to provide impetus according to the BMWi forecast: “Orders in the primary building trade are developing in an extremely volatile way at present due to large orders. In the three-month comparison, which is less prone to fluctuations, the volume of orders is increasing (November / December / January compared with August / September / October: +3.3 %).”
Growth for Germany’s neighbours in Central Eastern Europe
The economic growth in the countries of Central Eastern Europe is still positive despite a slight weakening. In its estimate at the beginning of the year, the Federal Office for Foreign Trade forecast a change of some 2.4 % in the GDP for the whole European Union in 2008 – a figure that is appreciably exceeded by the countries of Central Eastern Europe. The forecasts are 6.8 % for the Slovak Republic, 6.4 % for the Russian Federation and Bulgaria, 6 % for the Ukraine, 5.9 % for Romania, 5.5 % for Poland and 5 % for the Czech Republic. Even “bottom of the table” Hungary with an expected 3 % is above the EU average.
Nürnberg: International get-together at the heart of Europe
With an international share of 28 % for visitors and 66 % for exhibitors, Stone+tec is one of the major international exhibitions in Nürnberg. Besides visitors from Germany, the European visitors came mainly from the Benelux States, Austria, Italy, the Czech Republic, Great Britain, Scandinavia, Poland, Switzerland, France, Ireland and Spain, but also from the Baltic States, Russia, the Ukraine and Belarus.
The visitors from non-European countries came mainly from India, North America, China, Israel and the United Arab Emirates. The leading exhibiting nations after Germany were Italy, China, Turkey and Spain.
Apply now to secure the early booking discount
The hectic phase of preparations for Stone+tec 2009 has begun with the mailing of the application documents to potential exhibitors. Exhibitors booking by 25 September 2008 get an early booking discount. More information and application forms in PDF format are available online from mid July at www.stone-tec.com. The database at www.ask-stone-tec.com provides comprehensive information about exhibitors and their products before, during and after the exhibition.
Stone+tec is organized by NürnbergMesse and the honorary sponsors are the Deutsche Naturwerkstein-Verband e.V., the Bundesinnungsverband des Deutschen Steinmetz-, Stein- und Holzbildhauerhandwerks and 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).
Products on display at Stone+tec 2009
Natural stone
- Natural stone for interior use, facades and exterior use; all types of stone and processing
- Fixing, maintenance, preservation and restoration of natural stone
- Industrial safety and environmental protection
- Services, trade press, associations
Technology
- Machines, installations and tools
- for quarrying natural stone
- for processing natural stone
- for moving and installing natural stone
- for manufacturing diamond tools
- Conveying, transport, packaging
Gravestones and accessories
- Natural stone for graveyards
- Grave design and decoration
Information and application documents:
NürnbergMesse GmbH
Exhibition Team Stone+tec 2009
Messezentrum
90471 Nürnberg
Germany
Tel +49 (0) 9 11. 86 06-81 08, -81 69
Fax +49 (0) 9 11. 86 06-82 58
stone-tec@nuernbergmesse.de
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