Although Italy remains the biggest stone trader in Europe, Germany is the number one importer of finished stone goods, which makes exhibiting at the major two-yearly Stone+tec show in Nuremberg increasingly attractive for the rest of the world. However, the show gives the clashing Marmotec exhibition in Carrara a two-yearly headache. Paul Daniel and Eric Bignell report.

As May ended and June began the Stone+tec exhibition in Nuremberg gave way to Marmotec in Carrara as the biennial battle between two of the three giant stone exhibitions in Europe (the other is Italy\'s autumn show in Verona) was once again played out.

This time, unlike previous occasions, the two-yearly Stone+tec in Nuremberg came first (24-27 May) and Marmotec in Carrara followed on (31 May to 3 June).

Both shows offered a wide range of exhibitors from around the world. Carrrara is Italy\'s main centre of marble production and stone processing and is enjoying some growth again after a difficult few years.

Germany has seen declining imports of stone in the past few years as its construction industry remains stagnant. Nevertheless, it still imported 2.4million tonnes of marble, granite and stone last year and there is some confidence that the bottom of the downturn has been reached and recovery is on the way.

The Carrara exhibition this time created specific areas for stone restoration and conservation and for computer services for the industry.

Italy, with its wealth of architectural heritage, has developed significant scientific and technical expertise in the field of conservation and the Carrara fair is showing its commitment to the sector by creating this special display area for it.

There was also a seminar focussing on conservation among a programme of high level conferences that included the launch of the latest IMM annual report of trade in stone and the Marble Architecture Awards.

Nuremberg\'s programme of events also included its architectural awards as part of a special \'architecture day\', intended specifically to attract architects to the show.

Both shows are proving increasingly attractive to British visitors, especially as the stone industry in the UK is still booming. However, the annual Italian show in Carrara continues to suffer at the hands of the still expanding German show.

The growing international significance of Stone+tec is illustrated by the fact that there was a record number of exhibitors (1,251) and a higher proportion of them than ever before came from overseas - 66% of them (it was 61% last time) from 56 countries.

And the largest single contingent of overeseas exhibitors came from Italy - more than 300 of them. The next most numerous were the Chinese with 75 exhibitors. The UK was represented by seven firms.

There were 63,233 visitors, although the show is open to the general public and spanned a weekend and a public holiday.

The Italians had constituted the largest block of visitors from outside Germany in 1999 at 1,177 but, although there were 1,474 of them visiting this time, it was the Austrians who constituted the biggest single contingent at 1,660. There were about 1,000 visitors each from Poland, France and the Netherlands and even an unprecedentedly large turnout of 737 people from the UK.

Figures from Carrara were not available at the time we went to press but they are sure to have been hit by the success of the already larger and still growing Nuremberg exhibition.

Stone+tec is so big that, in order to make life easier for visitors, the site was divided into three sectors: natural stone; memorials; machinery and tools.

Block stone, slab, tiles and other stone products filled six halls. Memorials fitted into one hall and machinery filled four halls.

It did not quite work out. For example, sandstone and hard landscaping company Marshalls were in hall nine, which was flagged up as being devoted to technology. Well, Marshalls do have a pretty sophisticated product CD.

J Dougall Anderson, director of Marshalls\' natural stone division, said: We now regard Stone+tec as the number one show in Europe.

Our objectives in exhibiting were twofold - to sell (hopefully) and to procure. I\'m pleased to say we were successful on both counts. We will certainly return in two years\' time."