Xoan Martínez
In the last six months the world of international marine transport has suffered important tensions on a world scale that has directly affected the main sectors of our economy.
Since last December 2003, the logistical problems and, fundamentally, the increase in marine freight, has penalized exports and imports of companies dedicated to natural stone.
Floors and paving are presently the major application of stone materials being marketed constituting over 35%. In the last few decades igneous rocks, like the granite varieties and quartzitic stones have been considered, for quality and cost saving, maintenance and "durability", the most expedient materials for the purpose. The extensive colour ranges monopolized by the non-igneous rocks have now been supplemented by globalization of imports from new sources.
A Central Asian country of great natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan shares borders with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China. It is the farthest eastern Central Asian republic of the former Soviet Union. With an area of 198.500 km2 the landscape is rugged and mountainous - the average elevation is 2.750 m and almost 90% lies more than 1.500 m above sea level. Most of the 5 million or so population live in the valleys of the north and west. Agriculture (chiefly livestock farming) is the main activity.
The Inada Granite is a representative light grey natural stone of Japan for noble ornamental uses. This rock has been exploited since 1890 with stable supply up to the present. Most of Japanese traditional architectures are made up of wood, however, many modern buildings of this country adopt ornamental rocks applying to surface coating on their wall and pillar and to pavement of floor. Today, natural stones, especially granites and marbles, are dealt as noble construction materials even in the Far East of Asia.
The Bindesplatz (Federation Square) in the old city of Bern, the capital of Switzerland, has been re-designed and re-landscaped in 2003-2004 at total cost of 8 million Swiss Francs (approx. 5’2 million Euro). The new design provides a most attractive appearance by three simple elements: stone, water and light.
Viktor Yushchenko´s election as President of the Ukraine was confirmed on January 20th 2005. He supports a deepening of his country´s frail democracy and improved contacts with the west whilst maintaining traditional ties with Russia. In October last year, an international decorative stone exhibition was held in Kiev, the capital city. Leading Italian companies took part. All aspects of the Ukrainian stone industry are analyzed in this report by Paul Daniel and Oleg Geleta.
Stone terminology is not exactly at the top of the agenda in the stone sector. However, standardization and globalization have increased awareness for communication needs and rapid change is now taken place in priorities.
Every year the Spanish Stone Federation (FDP) compiles a detailed report on the state of the natural stone industry of the country with a wide range of statistics on production, exports, imports, divided by different autonomous communities. The complete report related to the year 2004 is about 100 pages long, and more information can be obtained at telephone (+ 34) 91 388 14 67 or carmen.lopezbarrajon@fdp.es. Below we publish some of the more import statistics relating to foreign trade in natural stone.
The exports of ornamental rocks of Brazil broke the historical record of growth in 2004, reaching 600 million US Dollars, which meant an increase of almost 40% with respect to 2003. In tons, the exports figure was 1,840,434, which represented an increase of 20% on the previous year.
The share of exports of Brazilian stone out of the total exports of the country was of 0,62%, and is expected to reach 1%in 2006.
Everyone who visits the Crimea falls in love with the region. Impressions of this virtual paradise are, in the author´s opinion, based on three main constituents - the warm, bright blue sea, the picturesque mountains, and the famous white stone which is still quarried today.
