Stone Events Off in Turkey, Germany, Canada
Three major stone fairs this spring pulled the plug in the past 72 hours due to uncertainty about the spread of Covid-19.
The MARBLE IZMIR show in Izmir, Turkey, Stone+tec in Nuremberg, Germany, and Stonex Canada near Toronto will not be held on their schedule dates in 2020.
And, in a coronavirus-related action, a major quarantine across the breadth of northern Italy over the weekend posed concerns for tile manufacturers and stone processors.
Organizers for the MARBLE show announced a postponement from the original dates of April 1-4 in the Turkish port city, with a plan to reschedule the event later this year.
“Following the statement of Turkish Ministry of Health, MARBLE IZMIR – 26th International Natural Stone and Technologies Fair is postponed until a later date,” noted an official statement from the event.
“In order to take precautions regarding public health due to the global Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, MARBLE IZMIR Fair will take place on a date which will be announced by Izmir Fair Services Cultural and Art Affairs Trade Inc. (IZFAS) after the consulation with the Ministry of Health and the industry.”
NurnbergMesse, Stone+tec’s organizer, took the event went off the 2020 schedule today, with rescheduling at least 14 months in the future.
“Together with the Stone+tec Advisory Board, NürnbergMesse has decided to postpone Stone+tec 2020 from 17-20 June 2020,” according to a statement. “The next Stone+tec will be held in Nürnberg in May / June 2021.”
Organizers called the action “a preventive step” based on feedback from customers and industry representatives, along with a study of “the changed industry calendar.”
“The industry associations, the advisory board of Stone+tec and NürnbergMesse as organizer agree: the postponement to 2021 is associated with the opportunity to hold Stone+tec in a much more stable economic and social environment, especially with regard to the important natural stone regions,” says Petra Wolf, a member of NürnbergMesse’s management board. “The postponement to a new date now gives exhibitors and visitors planning security and is the prerequisite for a successful exhibition experience for all concerned.”
MARBLE Warsaw Fair, a European stone event, is still slated for June 4-6.
Late today, Informa Exhibitions postponed Stonex Canada, set for May 10-12 in Mississauga, Ont.
“Despite the fact that there is no Government or Public Health advice to delay the running of any event in Canada, a siginificant trend during the past few days in particular has seen an accelration in the number of countries and companies issuing travel constraint policies,” noted a statement on the event’s Web homepage.
“Since a large number of our exhibitors are from Europe and Asia, travel restrictions and visa delays have a significant impact on our event,” the statement added. “Given ongoing COVID-19 developments and after consultation with members of the industry, we have made the decsion to reschedule the event and are seeking new dates.”
Covid-19 concerns led Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to declare the entire country a quarantine zone late today, after setting an initial zone across northern Italy in the wee hours of Sunday morning Travel in-and-out of the zone is highly restricted, with large public events prohibited and major facilities closed, until at least April 3.
The area includes the vast majority of Italian tile producers, including companies manufacturing large hard-surface slabs, as well as the major natural-stone regions surrounding Verona and Carrara.
Initial indications point to a somewhat-business-as-usual situation in the region. Confindustria, Italy’s association of manufacturers, advised members on Sunday that Italian government officials confirmed that “all business activities are ‘proven working needs;’ therefore, the Prime Minister’s Decree will not lead to the blocking of activities production, work activities, nor much the blocking of transport and movement of goods to and from (the quarantined area).”
, (Note: Article changed March 9 to include full quarantine of Italy and postponement of Stonex Canada.)
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