The Vitória Stone Fair took place in the stoneworking center of Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil, from February 10 to 13, and despite difficulties on the worldwide economic front, the show remains a key event for the international stone trade. After a somewhat slow opening day, traffic on the trade show floor picked up as the event moved along, and exhibitors reported that they had quality meetings during the fair. The general consensus was that the visitors who came to the event "came for business," rather than a junket to Brazil.

Many stone suppliers introduced new materials and finishes, and the range of exotic stones being quarried in Brazil continues to grow on a regular basis. Additionally, customers were able to visit the broad range of large-scale stoneworking plants in Vitória and throughout the Espírito Santo State, as regular shuttles were coming and going from the fairgrounds. Look for a full report on the 2009 Vitória Stone Fair in the April 2009 issue ofStone Worldas well on our Web site and in ourStone WorldE-Newsletter.