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ARAB WORLD. With the ARAB world in turmoil, one of the most important region for demand for natural stone (and of production), many stone companies from all over the world with presence there, have been seriously affected. Libya and Iraq markets almost collapsed, and Saudi Arabia is showing all the signs of a saturated and over supplied market.
1.- The construction industry in China is slowing down and demand for imported stone is declining after 12 years of consistent growth. But this should not be mistaken for an imminent crash in demand for natural stone. The Chinese government has recently announced plans for building infrastructure for a further 100 million people moving from the rural areas to the cities by 2020 and this should mean a lot of demand for all kinds of stones.
Rogerio Moutinho, MGLW (United Kingdom)
What do architects and designers really look for, when they want to use natural stone?
Without trying to be too simplistic, what one really wants when choosing natural stone for a project is:
1.- A stone with the right colour and pattern
2.- A stone that is suitable or adequate for the purpose, i.e., it is hard enough,not too absorbent, etc.
3.- That the natural stone is fairly easily available, i.e., in the quantity that one requires, and is so within the time frame of the project.
An initiative of WONASA (World Natural Stone Association) www.wonasa.com
Antonio Molina,
Technological Centre for Marble (Murcia), Spain
laboratorio@ctmarmol.es
The US 305/2011 Regulation for building products published on 9 March, 2011 comes into effect on 1 July, 2013, substituting the current Directive 89/106/CE for Building Products. The new Regulation does not impose on the manufacturers of natural stone more conditions than those in the Directive, but obliges them to make some changes in the documentation of the products.
Shipping costs for natural Stone are a significant factor in the industry and are closely monitored by the exporting and importing companies. We publish below the latest, approximate shipping costs for closed 20´DV container for some of the most common origins and destinations.
We hope to update this section frequently.
Our thanks to Susie Su, Xoan Martínez, Varujan Ozberg, Dr. Gopal, Aya Alaa and the company TFA Cargo for the information provided.
By Geert Legein, Director Febenat (Belgium National Stone Association)
De gustibus et coloribus non disputandum est. A Latin proverb, know by many, and still forming the basis for discussions. Fact is you cannot really discuss colour and taste. Why is this still a subject leading to impossible discussions?
Choosing is part of being human
“This is not Chopin who needs us, we are the ones that need to warm up with the splendor of his fame and genius” – said Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, capital’s president, during the official opening of the Fryderyk Chopin Museum in Warsaw. The building that honors the memory of the great composer is situated in the seventeenth-century Ostrogski Castle at Tamka Street. The works lasted several years.
