The spectacular view of the spires of Milan Cathedral from the 15th floor of the Terrazza Martini accompanied the presentation of the 51st edition of Marmomacc, which will be held from 28 September to 1 October at Veronafiere. This edition promises a rich array of events and new additions, starting with an increase in the exhibition area of 2000 sq m (in Pavilion 10), in addition to the previous 78,000 sq m.
But if we are discussing numbers, the growth of the Italian stone industry should be highlighted above all, recording a 7.5% increase over last year. «It is a market that has a global turnover of over 23 billion euro, with Italy always in first place, recording 3.2 billon euro in exports in 2015», stressed Maurizio Danese, president of Veronafiere. This explains the importance of this trade fair, which in the previous edition alone featured 1,524 exhibitors, including 936 from 55 foreign countries and 67 thousand professionals, with buyers accounting for 61% of the visitors. «Marmomacc aims to be a B2B tool that is not limited to the trade fair itself, but is meant to represent a starting point for creating a marble community that we are promoting – explains Giovanni Mantovani, Director General of Veronafiere – This is why in recent years we have created partnerships and joint ventures in the US, Brazil, the North African market (particularly Morocco and Egypt) and in Iran».
Hence the initiatives that will define the next edition of the fair, designed not only to offer business opportunities, but also to develop a cultural background around stone products. The Italian Stone Theatre is at the forefront thanks to the collaboration between the Ministry of Economic Development, ICE-Italian Trade Agency and Confindustria Marmomacchine, returning for the second consecutive year as a space dedicated to culture and material experimentation. Among the exhibitions presented in Pavilion 1 are The Power of Stone, New Marble Generation and 50 Years of Living Marble. The first reveals the hidden, surprising qualities of materials, with the help of sophisticated equipment and technology. Meanwhile, seriality will be the theme of New Marble Generation, which will involve different designers in an investigation into new processing techniques. Finally, the last exhibition will pay tribute to Italian stone design over the last 50 years with a series of representative works selected by the curator of the three exhibitions, Raffaello Galliotto. The pavilion will also host the finalists of the new Stone Archmatathon Award contest, which involves 42 design studios.
Another award at the fair is the Icon Award, which aims to identify the work that will represent the Marmomacc campaign during the next edition.
Among the numerous initiatives are the Global Trends in Design and Sustainability conference, which anticipates the future of stone creations, and Marmomacc & the City, in which many installations star in a real open air exhibition, which exalts the versatility and aesthetic quality of the products.
