Stone+tec 2007 is set for June 6 to 9 at the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg in Nuremberg, Germany. This international trade show takes place every two years, and the 2005 edition featured 1,058 exhibitors and over 40,000 trade visitors from all over the world. This makes the exhibition one of the world’s biggest industry events for the international natural stone community.

Exhibits include natural stone as well as stoneworking machinery, tooling and maintenance products.

The event will also include the presentation of the Peter Parler Award. The purpose of the award is to increase awareness of stonemasons’ contributions towards the upkeep and preservation of the cultural heritage, as well as to encourage a commitment to the preservation of historic buildings.

Additionally, the German Natural Stone Award will be presented for the 13th time at Stone+tec. The competition focuses on natural stone as a creative design element in both interior and exterior applications.

Organizers of Stone+tec are optimistic that the event will coincide with an upturn of the international stone market. “Particularly, the German market for natural stone has not made a good impression over the past years, due to the weak building industry at home and booming regions abroad,” stated organizers. “Germany has, however, remained one of the largest natural stone countries in the world and is now increasingly looking positively to the future again.” The recovery of the overall economy also affects the natural stone sector: Calculations by the Deutscher Naturwerkstein-Verband e.V. (DNV) shows that production in Germany rose by altogether 5.2% in a comparison of the years 2004/2005. German consumption increased by 12.2% in quantity in the same period, although its value rose by only 4%. Imports of natural stone to Germany even grew by almost 17%. “Although the strong pressure on prices remains, these figures clearly show the growing appreciation of natural stone by consumers in Germany,” said DNV General Manager Reiner Krug. “Potentials exist at all levels here, and these must be utilized.”