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If further proof were needed that the UK stone industry is in the best of health it is certainly provided by this year's Natural Stone Show in London, 25-27 April.
Fortunately, the operators of ExCeL London exhibition centre where the show is staged every two years have been able to accommodate the growth of the show, pushing back the sliding walls to provide an extra 1,000m2 of space to accommodate all the exhibitors.
At the hub of the Show, as ever, is the Stone Federation Great Britain 'Village', where the Federation exhibits with its members. But the 'Village' is turning into a town, with more Federation Members than ever.
The Federation's Membership represents some of the industry’s leading quarry operators, stonemasons, specialist contractors and consultants.
In the Village this year you will meet British and Irish primary stone producers, including The Lovell Stone Group, operating quarries in the South West of England producing Hartham Park Bath stone, Somerset Lias, Chicksgrove, Hurdcott and Purbeck. There is Bath Stone Group, producer of award winning Stoke Ground Bath Stone; Albion Stone, showing its Portland limestone; Doulting Stone, as notably used in the construction of Wells Cathedral; Caithness Flagstone, found in the far north of Scotland; The Johnston Quarry Group with its Hard White limestone of Creeton, Cotswold Cream and Guiting Gold from Oathill, and the rustic brown ironstone of Great Tew. There is McMongagle Stone from Ireland showing its versatile Donegal Quartzite and the award-winning sandstones from its Mountcharles quarries, while Gallagher Group in Kent will proudly display the stone from the last active Kentish Ragstone quarry.
Stone Federation Member The Ethical Stone Company will be at the exhibition. It sources materials throughout Europe, pledging ‘innovative stone solutions that avoid activities which do harm to people or the environment’. CED, expert in natural stone paving for public and private places, is another Federation exhibitor.
Specialist knowledge from the industry’s most respected consultancies will be available from Sandberg, Harrison Goldman and Stewart Design. If you are looking for a design service for cantilevered stone staircases, perhaps, or guidance on the selection and use of stone for a project, advise on the implementation of European standards and ISO9001 compliant management systems, UKAS accredited laboratory testing, or anything else to do with stone, these are the experts to turn to.
You will see a comprehensive range of fixing, sealing, cleaning and maintenance consumables from companies such as Lithofin, GeoCel (Sherwin-Williams) and Dry Treat. Ardex is exhibiting its tile adhesives and grouts with its Rapidry Formula Technology, Tremco Illbruck is promoting high-performance sealing and bonding solutions and Jupiter Heating Sytems will demonstrate its dry-installed and environmentally friendly underfloor heating systems.
On the Federation stand itself there will be an enquiry desk to answer your stone-related questions, demonstrations of the hand skills of stonemasonry, and a booth where masons can register their individual banker marks on the Masonry Livery Company's register. The Federation is also presenting the Industry Day conference programme. The Conference is run in conjunction with the exhibition, with a different theme for each of the three days of the exhibition. Day one (25 April) is Architect & Designer Day, day two is Industry Day and day three is Conservation Day, presented by Historic England and the English Stone Forum.
And that is just the Stone Federation! The 'Village' will be surrounded by the stands of the other 150 or so exhibitors showing their stones, machinery and tools for working it, products for fixing and treating it, design and handling aids, and just about everything else the sector has to offer.
Check out all the latest show news at www.stoneshow.co.uk follow and contribute on Twitter at @stoneshowlondon #StoneShow2017
Exhibitor enquiries:
Tel: +44 (0)115 945 3897
Email: stoneshow@qmj.co.uk