Encompassing two main islands and a region on the mainland, Xiamen is a port city on China’s southeast coast, across a strait from Taiwan. With its location near the sea and more than 12,000 stone-related companies in the surrounding region, Xiamen has become an important player in the stone industry.

If the crowds in the aisles at Marmomac 2018 are an indicator of the state of the stone industry, it appears things are on the upswing. Throughout the four-day event, the halls on the fairgrounds of VeronaFiere in Verona, Italy, were filled with 68,000 stone industry professionals.

It only takes a few minutes after stepping on to the premises of Stocchero Attilio & C. s.r.l. in Verona, Italy, to realize the company runs a top-notch operation.

Recently, Stone World published a report about the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative releasing a list of approximately $200 billion worth of Chinese imports that will be subject to additional tariffs, including quartz and a range of natural stone products.

The Stone Fabricators Alliance (SFA) is over 10 years old. It started with a few fabricators meeting at a trade show in Atlanta and they started sharing information and knowledge. Over the years, the SFA has grown into the largest fabricator organization in the world, with members from across the globe.

Hall One on the fairgrounds of Marmomac 2018 has been transformed into an elegant display of intricate and stunning stonework that resembles fine art.