Trade show season kicks off

As fall approaches, another trade show season is set to begin. A week from now, I will be in Verona, Italy, touring the expansive exhibit halls at Marmomacc -- the world's largest stone exhibition. In addition to machinery, tools and accessories, and stone maintenance and installation products, the show will also include a large display of stones from around the world. Cersaie

Marmomacc -- like other exhibitions -- will provide a gathering place for industry members to conduct business and network. It will also present an opportunity for companies to introduce their latest products to the market. As in years past, I know numerous exotics and other types of stones will be prominently showcased throughout the exhibition floor at Marmomacc. I will learn about new sizes, finishes and even manufacturing processes.

At the same time I am in Verona, our Associate Editor will be traveling to Bologna, Italy, to visit Cersaie -- one of the largest international tile exhibitions that is held annually. The show will include a broad selection of tile collections. There will be tiles made of glass, porcelain and ceramic. It is amazing to witness the various styles that line the exhibition halls. Tiles are made to look like stone, wood and even fabric. Each year, technology is further advanced and the authenticity of these products continues to improve and textures become more defined.

Of course, there are also many other trade exhibitions that are held throughout the year. Each one is a great source of information and a way to stay abreast of new developments. As Editor of the Stone & Tile Design Insider as well as its print edition, Contemporary Stone & Tile Design, I am always in search of new products to share with our readers. In each edition of both publications, we reserve a certain amount of space for a product review. This is one way that we can serve as a tool to the architecture and design communities. By presenting new products, we hope that we spark inspiration and fresh design. In the next edition, I look forward to sharing some of the new stone and tile collections that our staff sees in Italy next week.

As Group Editorial Director of Stone World, Contemporary Stone & Tile Design and TILE, Jennifer Richinelli has been covering the stone and tile industries since she launched her career at BNP Media in 1996. Throughout her tenure, she has visited and reported on numerous national and international quarries, stone fabrication shops, trade shows and other industry events. She has also collaborated with members of the A&D community, including many renowned architects, on articles about designing with stone and tile.

Contact Jennifer at richinellij@bnpmedia.com or (201) 245-5204.

One of the main global events for the stone and machinery segment, offering an opportunity for buyers and sellers of stone products and services from around the world to source an astounding array of the very latest technologies, innovations and techniques.