Marmomacc 2013 Opens Today
VERONA, Italy – Marmomacc 2013 opened its doors this morning with some high praise for the Italian stone industry for looking beyond the country’s borders.
“Italian export figures highlight a marble-stone sector which is very competitive abroad, thanks to extraordinary efforts on markets that has filled the gap caused by slow domestic demand,” said Carlo Calenda, Italian deputy minister for economic development.
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The manufacturing fabric is consolidated and it is therefore the duty of the Government to stand alongside companies and initiatives such as Marmomacc in their growing internationalization efforts in one of Italy’s high-tech sectors,” he added.
Calenda also commended the machinery and processing technologies sector, defining it as “excellence made in Italy based on constant innovation.” He also noted the continuing efforts for even greater impetus for the export sector, based “on increased funds for foreign trade, new trade missions and efforts to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers that still affect Italian and European products”.
Calenda joined other national and local officials, along with world-champion figure skater Carolina Kostner, to cut the opening ribbon for this year’s event. The 2013 edition features more than 1,400 exhibitors from 60 countries, 16 international group attendances, 44 foreign trade delegations and professional operators from more than 130 countries.
“Despite the period of general crisis, the stone sector has chosen to attend Marmomacc once again, said Giovanni Mantovani, director general of event organizer Veronafiere . “All 12 halls and outdoor areas of the Exhibition Centre are occupied, and there are even newcomers among foreign exhibitors from Singapore, Slovenia and Ireland.”
“The natural stone field boasts 35,000 jobs in Italy,” said Elena Donazzan, Veneto Region councilor for employment, “with companies characterised by great traditions for which Marmomacc has always ensured important support. Veneto exports have improved by 8%, and the exhibition system has proven capable of helping and accompanying companies in this challenge.”
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