The future of stonemasonry, or the evolution of the STONE trade fair

In keeping with the long-standing tradition of the Poznań International Fair, this year as many as 6 exhibitors who most spectacularly reconciled their stand vision with their company's marketing strategy left Poznań with Acanthus Aureus statuettes. Among the winners were the companies: Global Stone, Granit- Color, Hallindens Granit, Hm Granitos, Spatium Petra, Strassacker, Technistone.

The First Stone Industry Congress, organized in cooperation with the National Association of Manufacturers of Stone Products and the Polish Stone Association, inaugurated the STONE trade fair. The event was held on November 22, 2023. The congress was aimed at professionals from the stone industry and related industries - architecture, construction, restoration or conservation. Its topics will focus on stone - from geology, processing, application, but also on its importance in architecture. Presentations and debates, such as "Crystalline rocks as a building material, Imperial Porphyry in ancient Rome, building stones in the Hagia Sophia church, crystalline rocks of Poland" - Prof. Dr. Andrzej Solecki Institute of Geology, UW or "Architecture, stone, music" - prof. nadzw. UAP dr. hab. arch. Stanisław Sipiński. Also discussed were technologies for restoration and conservation of stone in architecture - a key topic of interest to the industry. Jacek Olesiak, Product Manager for Building Renovation and Historic Preservation at Remmers Polska, discussed a lecture in this area.

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An important issue that was discussed at the Stone Fair was occupational health and safety in stone factories. As part of the second day of the fair, for the first time, there was a panel devoted to health and safety in the stone industry. Partners in this event were the company OXYLINE SP. Z O.O., which presented respiratory solutions, the issues of reusable respirators with dust filters, the types and differences of dust filters and the system with forced air circulation, and the Central Institute for Labor Protection, which runs a social campaign under the slogan "Protect Yourself and Others - Wear a respirator," aimed at popularizing and spreading knowledge about respiratory protection using respirators.

Visitors also had the opportunity to hear about the future of stone in the context of social media, thanks to a presentation by Tomasz Kos of #marmorstone, which was a follow-up to last year's speech.

One of the key points of the Stone fair was, organized in cooperation with the Polish Stonemasonry Association, an area for promoting the stonemasonry profession and nurturing its development. In workshops on manual stone processing, led by industry professionals, vocational school students were given the opportunity to experiment with Pińczów limestone.

Last year's edition did not lack the element of art either - Lubosz Karwat, who has been running Pracownia Rzemiosł Artystycznych for more than 15 years, not only presented selected mosaics from his latest collection, but also conducted a workshop, for vocational school students, on mosaic laying and conservation.

SEE - > PHOTOS FROM THE STONE 2023 FAIR

What will the 2024 edition be like? The latest trends in the stone industry, innovative solutions and inspiration in the processing and application of stone in architecture and design. Conservation and restoration of stone - the importance of these issues for the stone industry, highlighting the essence of knowledge and modern approaches in these fields.

Representation of exhibitors from Turkey at the Stone fair in Poznan. Established cooperation between MTP Group and IZFAS, the Turkish organizer of one of the largest stone fairs in the world - Marble Izmir Fair.

We invite to cooperation all those who want to create, build perceive and seek... strength, durability and beauty in stone!

STONE Stone Industry Fair: November 20-22, 2024 in Poznan.

Photo: STONE 2023 Exhibition Team / MTP Group