The world stone industry extracted 4% more stone last year than in 2010 and traded 2.2% more of it internationally, according to the Italian World Stone Industry report launched at the Marmomacc stone show in Verona. And it is the Chinese who are leading the growth.

China is the most significant force behind changes in the stone industry identified in the 23rd World Stone Industry Report launched at the Marmomacc exhibition in Verona, Italy, last month (26-29 September). China now accounts for a third of world stone production and 27% of trade in dimensional stone.

The continuing success of China and the Far East in general was evident at Marmomacc. The region accounted for 37% of the exhibitors this time, only just behind the 40% from Europe when both EU and non-EU countries are counted.

The continuing economic growth in much of the Far East inevitably played its part in putting positive figures on the global balance sheet for the stone industry in 2011, which showed growth of 4% by volume in production and an increase of 2.2% in imports and exports.

The World Stone Industry Report includes 136 data tables, the summary of which is that around 240million tonnes of stone (or 1,265million square meters if it were all 20mm thick) were sold, more than a fifth of it (49.5million tonnes) to a buyer outside the country of production.

The seven major stone producers (in order of the volume produced) are now China, India, Iran, Turkey, Brazil, Italy and Spain. Together they account for 77% of world output, about the same as in 2010 but eight points more than in 2005, again notably due to growth in China. Last year China improved its production leadership by another two points.

Even the way stone is being traded is influenced by China as the country buys more raw block from the rest of the world and processes it for the rest of the world. There are said to be more than 500,000 people working in the stone industry in China’s main stone area of Xiamen alone.

The World Stone Industry Report figures highlight another significant reality – that almost three-fifths of stone is now processed in countries other than the country of installation, often, of course, China, whose exports, comprising largely of finished products, came to 13.5million tonnes. It has now gained almost a monopoly position as a supplier to South Korea and Japan, as well as having a strong and strengthening position in the United States and Europe.

In value terms, China’s stone exports grew by $1billion last year – 22.2% – to reach a new record of around $5billion dollars.

Outside of China, Greece, Spain and Portugal, where austerity measures are reducing costs, managed to counteract the effects of still difficult economic prospects and increase exports.

Italy once again performed poorly, closing 2011 with a downturn in exports of 2.6% by volume. It is now selling nearly half its exports as block with finished product sales 42% less now than in 2000, indicating the continued difficulty processors are finding of adding value.

Burlington Stone flies the Union Jack in Verona

Burlington Stone was flying a lone flag for British stone at Marmomacc. With around 1,400 exhibitors, architects, designers and all those interested in the natural stone market from around the world descended on the Veronafiere to see an amazing display of natural stones and Burlington wanted its range to be among those seen.

Having taken over the marketing of the stones previously quarried in Cumbria by Kirkstone, Burlington now has 11 stones to offer and Marmomacc proved the perfect setting to allow visitors to see the range presented on the floor of the stand, along with images of a number of landmark projects Burlington have been involved in on the walls.

Together with the inclusion of products such as strip and square mosaics, exterior and interior cladding and walling, Burlington Stone was able to highlight the outstanding range of standard product lines and truly bespoke pieces the company is now able to offer.

Some other news from the show:

• On the Marchetti stand was the Axco 1600 CNC workcentre that has already been sold by Marchetti’s UK agent, New Stone Age, to Richard Heather’s Meister Masonry in Cheltenham.
• Amir Patwa of Chemspec Ltd in Staines, Middlesex, the UK distributor for Klindex floor refurbishing machines, was with Ercole Bibiano, the Export Manager of Klindex, on the Klindex stand. You will have a chance to take a closer look at the Klindex products on the Chemspec stand at the Natural Stone Show in ExCeL London 30 April-2 May next year.
• Mark Brownlee of Accurite Industries was on the Comandulli with Comandulli area manager Ivano Tirapelle. Comandulli edge polishers are among the brands sold by Accurite in the UK. Mark was keeping a close eye on the new Comandulli Speedy machine with automatic ‘V’ grooving that was going to Accurite’s showroom in Ulverston, Cumbria, directly from the exhibition.
• Italian stone giant Antolini Luigi was auctioning a 2m x 900mm mosaic mirror created by the internationally acclaimed artist Francesca Cesterallo using stone supplied by Antolini Luigi. The background to the mirror is Bianco Perlino and the creatures are created from a variety of semi-precious stones, such as Blue Sodalite, Rose Quartz, Blue Louise Quartzite and onyx, among others. The gold colour is pieces of gold.
  Antolini Luigi auctioned a mirror during Marmomacc to raise money for the children’s home of the Capuchin Fathers’ Santuario della Beata Vergine della Rocca at Cento in the Province of Ferrara that was devastated by the Earthquake in May this year. The money raised will be used to repair a room used for children’s recreational and cultural activities.