It’s finally here, the wait is over. The doors are open, the ribbon is cut. 

The Stone & Surfaces Show is officially open and in full swing!

At 10 am Tuesday, 12th May, the eagerly awaiting crowds streamed across the threshold of London ExCel, gaining access to the only UK trade show with a dedicated section for stone. 

As well as natural stone, it is also one of the UK’s leading gatherings dedicated to engineered surfaces, the technologies shaping contemporary construction and design. Bringing together architects, designers, specifiers, fabricators and suppliers, the event is celebrating the full lifecycle of surface materials — from quarrying and craftsmanship to fabrication, installation and innovation.

As visitors are finding, the show combines a vibrant exhibition floor with live demonstrations, technical insight and industry-led talks, creating a meeting point where tradition meets forward-looking material thinking. Alongside established stone specialists and global surface brands, visitors are being wowed by new product launches, advances in processing technology, sustainability discussions and practical knowledge sharing across the sector.

The talks programme, which extends across the Main Stage, Architects Theatre and Surface Cinema, opened with insights from Amin Taha and his keynote, Let’s Get Stoned. While an amusing title, Amin shared his expert experience with hybrid timber and stone buildings, and that set the tone for the very serious theme of reducing carbon emissions to play out throughout the day. 

The likes of  David Kong of Kong Industries, Marcus Paine of Hutton Stone and Giullian Giorgi from Allies and Morrison delivered their own thoughts about the sustainability credentials of stone, with the latter two doing so in discussion with design world A-lister, George Clarke.

In terms of the exhibitors, the hall is split into three main sections, and the stone area is a treasure trove of discovery! UK stone specialist Sonic Stone’s stand certainly catches the eye. 

The company is focused on precision fabrication and installation of natural stone and engineered surfaces for residential and commercial interiors. They’ve pulled out all the stops this year, with a selection of large-scale, backlit semi-precious panels ranging from deep green quartz to luminous agate.

A stand out surfaces offering comes from UK-based supplier Specta Surfaces, which specialises in large-format quartz surfaces for architectural and interior applications. The company focuses on high-performance, design-led materials suited to kitchens, bathrooms, façades and commercial environments, combining contemporary aesthetics with durability, low maintenance requirements and technical consistency. Visitors to the Stone & Surfaces Show can expect a beautiful range of products across an array of material types and colours, and all at a vast scale.

In terms of technology, there is much innovation to absorb! As a global manufacturer of construction chemicals and installation systems, that includes adhesives, grouts and sealants, visitors may already be familiar with Mapei UK. But what this showing underlines is its strong emphasis on research, performance and sustainability. Mapei supports architects, contractors and fabricators with products designed to enhance durability, efficiency and long-term material performance. At the Stone & Surfaces Show, the company represents the critical role of fixing systems and technical innovation in delivering successful stone and surface installations.

Of course, the fitout of any architectural project doesn’t begin with surfaces or their adhesion. They generally start with a measurement, and both Leica Geosystems and Prodim Systems have all of your measuring needs covered.  

Leica Geosystems provides advanced measurement and reality-capture technologies used across construction, surveying and fabrication. Its laser scanners, digital layout tools and precision measuring systems support accurate templating, surveying and installation workflows within the stone and surfaces sector. While Prodim Systems develops digital measuring, templating and workflow solutions tailored to the stone and surfaces industry. Its software and hardware systems enable fabricators to capture precise site measurements, streamline production processes and improve accuracy from survey through to installation. 

And what trade show would be complete without a notable installation or two? As we’ve previously reported, ANTI‑RUIN is an experimental research installation exploring new possibilities for stone reuse and material circularity. Developed by architect Levent Ozruh in collaboration with researchers at ETH Zurich, the project combines digital fabrication and advanced printing technologies to transform stone waste into newly engineered composite elements. A large section of ANTI-RUIN is presented throughout the event, and demonstrates how emerging technologies can extend the lifecycle of stone while challenging conventional ideas of preservation, demolition and material value.

More than a trade exhibition, the Stone & Surfaces Show has become a focal moment for the UK stone and surfaces community. A place to reconnect, discover emerging ideas and celebrate the enduring relevance of material expertise in architecture and design. And it’s not even finished yet!