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February 09, 2010 |
PIEDRA 2010 |
PIEDRA 2010 and EUROROC, the European and International Federation of Natural Stone Industries, have signed a collaboration agreement in order to boost the promotion of the fair at an international level. EUROROC, which will take part at the fair with its own stand, has based this initiative on the important strategic role that PIEDRA plays due to its location, as well as on the leading status that Spain enjoys as one of the world´s main producers of natural stone.
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February 09, 2010 |
Piedra´ 2010 Architecture Award |
In view of the Award´s international character, both Spanish and foreign professionals can enter their projects, provided that they feature a significant use of Spanish natural stone. Furthermore, these projects must consist of works completed before Monday 29th March 2010, the deadline that has been established for receiving the corresponding documentation.
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January 15, 2010 |
StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas Announces Co-Location With SURFACES |
Hanley Wood Exhibitions announced today that StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas will co-locate with SURFACES beginning in January of 2011. Both exhibitions will be held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, January 26 – 28, with conferences beginning on January 25.
Over the past several years, StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas has experienced a steady increase in quality attendees and an expansion of exhibit offerings to include more natural stone as well as alternative surfaces. The co-location of the show with SURFACES is a natural fit for both events.
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December 30, 2009 |
CarraraMarmotec 2010 |
CarraraMarmotec 2010 is held at a very complicated time for the marble and technology industry on world, national and local levels. From January to September 2009, according to statistics processed by IMM Carrara, Italy exported two million 42 thousand tons of marble and granite, including raw materials and finished products to a value of one billion and 13 million Euros, thereby recording a -14,47% drop in quantity and a -21,27% drop in value compared to the same period of 2008. This is a very drastic reduction since the 2008 figures also take into consideration the months before the serious crisis that hit all markets (starting from the US real estate market that was the market of reference above all for the high quality bracket with a high added value for finished products in marble and granite).
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September 03, 2009 |
Stone+tec Nuremberg 2011 |
The date for Stone+tec Nürnberg 2011 has now been set: the 17th International Trade Fair Natural Stone and Stoneprocessing Technology will be held from Wednesday, 22 to Saturday, 25 June 2011 at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre.
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August 27, 2009 |
A look at the U.S. stone industry |
The U.S. stone industry is not immune to the global economic downturn. A spot survey of Marble Institute members suggests that nearly all of our member stone companies have experienced a dip in their business, which has forced most companies to tighten their belts. In fact, nearly three out of four members surveyed told us they have delayed capital investments like new machinery purchases. Many have also been forced to reduce staff.
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August 04, 2009 |
Further decrease of Italian exports |
In the first four months of 2009 Italy exported 1 million 48 thousand tons of stone (raw materials, finished products and chips), for a value of 427 million 475 thousand euro, which corresponds to a 21,3% reduction in quantity and a 23,6% reduction in value compared to the same period in 2008.
These figures, published by the Internazionale Marmi e Macchine Carrara that carries out the collection, processing and analysis of production figures and trends on the natural stone markets on a regular basis, show that fears that 2009 would be a difficult, bleak year were founded.
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July 14, 2009 |
Machines and stone materials down |
The last few months have been difficult times for the techno-stone industry but 2008 data suggests that although the crisis is evident is has not hit us as hard as in other sectors.
Flavio Marabelli, President of Confindustria Marmomacchine, the confederation of industry organisation representing 330 companies in the machinery and stone sector which last March signed an outline collaboration agreement with VeronaFiere, the organiser of Marmomacc, comments on the situation: "The world techno-stone industry is tackling the most complex moment in a crisis that first appeared in 2008, while 2009 is still revealing the hardships of this recession - although, in any case, our companies still rank among the `peaks of excellence` in Italian industry."The Italian value chain still boasts leadership all over the world and for now has only been scratched by the crisis: last year, machinery exports came to 826 million euro against 851 in 2007.
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May 28, 2009 |
Stone+tec Nürnberg 2009 |
The mood at Stone+tec Nürnberg 2009, the 16th International Trade Fair Natural Stone and Stoneprocessing Technology held in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg from 20-23 May, largely corresponded to the early summer weather outside the halls: cloudy, but mainly bright. Some 34,000 trade visitors used the four days of the exhibition to source information about the latest range of international products and services in the exhibition segments of natural stone, technology, and gravestones and accessories.
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May 06, 2009 |
U.S Census Bureau News |
The U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced on 4th of May that construction spending during March 2009 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $969.7 billion, 0.3 percent (±1.3%)* above the revised February estimate of $967.1 billion.
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May 06, 2009 |
Facts and Figures |
The U.S. Census Bureau publishes facts and figures about the Residential Construction. Did you know that half of all single-family homes sold had at least one fireplace? Or that the average single-family house completed had 2,521 square feet, 801 more square feet than in 1977...
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May 06, 2009 |
Myths Dispelled |
Found on every continent on Earth, global resources of dimension stone are virtually limitless.
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March 20, 2009 |
Stone+tec Nürnberg 2009 |
When the international natural stone industry meets from 20-23 May 2009, the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg offers a comprehensive range of products from companies from all over the world in the three major exhibition segments of natural stone, technology and gravestones & accessories, plus another broad supporting programme and special theme presentations for added information and inspiration.
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January 27, 2009 |
Spain |
According to the report "Comercio Exterior del sector de la piedra natural en España" (Foreign trade in Spain´s natural stone sector), drawn up by the OMPN (Observatorio de Mercado de la Piedra Natural – Natural Stone Market Observatory), reporting to the AIDICO (Instituto Tecnológico de la Construcción – Construction Technology Institute), and the FDP (Spanish Natural Stone Federation), in 2007 Spanish natural stone exports exceeded € 1 billion for the first time, an achievement made possible by the accelerating internationalisation seen in the sector since the beginning of this century.
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January 06, 2009 |
India |
Representatives of various Indian granite and stone industries demanded a slew of measures from the Union Government to save the trade, which has been badly affected by the economic meltdown in the US and UK.
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December 30, 2008 |
Safety of granite countertops |
The most comprehensive scientific study of health threats from granite countertops did not find a single stone that poses any health risk. Quantities of radon and radiation emitted by stones included in the analysis all fell well below average outdoor background levels that are commonly found in the United States.
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November 26, 2008 |
Exports of marble and granite down in the first six months of 2008 |
In the first six months of 2008 the natural stone industry exported 1 million 610 thousand tons, for a value of 849 million 890 thousand euro, with a -1,7% reduction in quantity and -4,8% reduction in value compared to the same period in 2007. These are the figures published by the Internazionale Marmi e Macchine Carrara, having processed the Istat data available, limiting assessments to the higher value products (marble, granite and travertine, raw materials and finished products) and not products such as chips, powders and slate.
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October 28, 2008 |
MIA offers granite/radon information on a global level |
Continuing its extensive efforts to educate stone users on the truth about granite and radon, the Marble Institute of America (MIA) recently made presentations at the Marmomacc trade fair in Verona, Italy, and StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas in Las Vegas, NV. The audience at Marmomacc included several members of the international trade press - a key factor considering the need for worldwide support for the MIA´s "Truth About Granite Fund." Meanwhile, the large audience at StonExpo included fabricators, distributors and other trade professionals.
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September 19, 2008 |
Stone+tec 2009 in Nürnberg |
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 .
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September 08, 2008 |
Discussion about Radon |
What do hot coffee and granite kitchen worktops have in common? The answer is easy for Americans: Both are so dangerous that the unsuspecting consumer must be urgently warned about them. Coffee can only burn your fingers, but a granite worktop is all the more treacherous as the danger is invisible and only detectable with highly sensitive instruments. After an article in the New York Times, all home owners now know this and the name of the enemy: radon, a naturally occurring radioactive inert gas that is supposed to escape in hazardous concentrations from granite slabs and is regarded as the main cause of lung cancer after smoking.
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July 03, 2008 |
Granite is now the surface of choice |
Granite and quartz have survived a rocky stretch a few years back to rise to the top of the heap in kitchen counter materials. The natural surfaces have grown more popular in household projects, being seen as artistic but practical. "Nature just does it right," says AnnaMae Lenkey, who is wrapping up a kitchen makeover with granite countertops in her Fox Chapel home. "I knew that was what I wanted as soon as I started looking at the granite."
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June 30, 2008 |
Green building |
According to recent data, buildings -- and not cars like many might think -- are the largest source of both energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in America as well as around the planet. The NSC believes that the use of Genuine Stone may have a positive effect on the overall health of our communities and the world by reducing the current environmental impacts of construction and building. The design of more energy-efficient buildings is a crucial step in addressing the dangers to our environment, and we firmly believe that eco-friendly design and construction will become the norm in the next decade.
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April 28, 2008 |
Life Cycle Analysis |
LCA is the only instrument of environmental management which enables quantification of all environmental impacts associated directly or indirectly to a product, allowing comparison with the performance of other products. The analysis makes it possible to organize and disseminate a database of products and services in the country, including dimension stone activity.
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January 22, 2008 |
Hotel in a chinese quarry |
The innovative design of the 400-bed resort hotel stands two levels higher than the rock face of the 100 metre deep quarry and includes underwater public areas and guestrooms. It will incorporate conference facilities for up to 1,000 people, a banqueting centre, restaurants, cafés and sports facilities. Sustainability is integral to the design ranging from using green roofing for the structures above the ground level to geothermal energy extraction."
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January 19, 2008 |
Countertops: Rock-solid and elegant |
It used to be that granite countertops graced only high-end kitchens. Increasingly though, the coarse-grained rock made mostly of quartz is providing surface support to homes of all income levels.
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December 05, 2007 |
CE: Testing, monitoring and certification |
All amendments and improvements to the European Standards for certain products of natural stone have been obligatory since September 2006. Joachim Deppisch, author of the CE brochure “Natural stone products: The new standards”, explains what companies producing natural stone must know.
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November 11, 2007 |
Glass architecture – lessons of a large-scale experiment |
Many office buildings with visionary fully glazed architecture, which has dominated modern office building for the last 10 years, can barely contribute to the well-being of their users in the hot months of the year. This has been shown by a survey entitled “Glass architecture – Lessons of a large-scale experiment”, which was initiated by the Darmstadt Institute for Living and the Environment and carried out on 24 mostly prestigious office buildings with fully glazed facades.
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July 03, 2008 |
“MARMOTECA ITALIA” resumes its U.S. roadshow |
The 2008 edition of Coverings (Orlando, April 29/May 2) also featured “Marmoteca Italia”, an institutional stand with an objective display (giving just the names of the materials and their regions of provenance) of around 600 samples of authentically natural Italian marbles, granites and stones.
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February 06, 2008 |
Silestone supports Fernando Alonso |
Cosentino the Spanish family-owned manufacturer of Silestone quartz work surfaces announced its sponsorship of the Spanish former Formula 1 world champion racing car driver, Fernando Alonso. Silestone is the only quartz works surface to contain Microban anti-bacterial protection.
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January 19, 2008 |
Countertops in the U.S. |
Demand for residential kitchen and bathroom countertops is forecast to increase 1.3 percent annually to 540 million square feet in 2011. Demand growth will decelerate from the pace of the 2001 to 2006 period, primarily due to weakness in the new single unit home market.
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Stone+tec 2011, Nürnberg, June 22-25, 2011 |
STEIN The magazine for the natural stone market.
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