The 46th edition of Marmomacc, the world’s largest international trade show for stone, will be held from Wednesday, September 21, to Saturday, September 24, 2011 at VeronaFiere in Verona, Italy. While the trade fair has been held in early October the last few years, the 2011 dates are more traditional of years past, according to show organizers.

The 2010 exhibition, which included 1,530 exhibitors from 56 countries as well as 56,000 attendees (48.5 percent from 132 foreign countries with an increase in international attendance over 2009 equal to 12.5 percent), offered a full display of stone, machinery, tools and accessories, and installation and maintenance products. The increase in international visitors was particularly evident for geographical areas with more lively economies, such as Asia, South America and North Africa, reports VeronaFiere.

Marmomacc 2010 witnessed a boom in attendance from India (+54.1 percent), where this year VeronaFiere set up VeronaFiere Lems India Ltd. for direct organization of trade events and initiatives, Brazil (+63.4 percent), Egypt (+21.43 percent), Libya (+75.6 percent) and Tunisia (+21.5 percent), as well as from countries such as Germany (+19.8 percent), one of the most important markets for processed products that has shown signs of recovery in recent months.

According to VeronaFiere, Marmomacc makes a strong effort to develop international ties with a host of countries, including India, China, Brazil, the U.S. and Middle East. In particular, Marmomacc has built a strong partnership in the U.S. that initiated StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas, which will be held from January 25 to 27, 2011 at the Mandalay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV.  Additionally, VeronaFiere and Confindustria Marmomacchine have created an “exhibition in an exhibition” for the stone, materials and technologies sector as part of Saudi Stone-Tech, which will be held from October 10 to 13, 2011 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The various activities that the Verona Exhibition Authority will develop within the scope of its 2010 to 2014 business plan also include a partnership in South America for the natural stone and technologies sector.