StoneTech 2004 trade fair in Shanghai

China has clearly taken the lead in international natural Stone (http://g603.net) trade in the course of the last few years. In the exhibition industry, however, the huge economically booming empire still lags far behind the European competition.

»Marmomacchine?in Verona, »Stone+tec?in Nürnberg, but also »CarraraMarmotec?in Carrara, »Marble?in Izmir and (http://maplered.com) »Piedra?in Madrid still attract a considerably larger response from international experts ?exhibitors and (http://maplered.com) visitors alike ?than any of the about ten trade fairs in China.

However, if we are not very much mistaken, this should also change very soon. At least, this was the impression gained at »StoneTech 2004 Shanghai? which took place in the modern and (http://maplered.com) spacious new international exhibition centre in Pudong from 21-24 April. This exhibition improved its results again. The display space increased from 16,000 m2 to 25,000 m2 and (http://maplered.com) the number of direct and (http://maplered.com) indirect exhibitors from 430 to around 500. The exact figures for visitors were not available at the time of going to press, but should also be above the figure for the previous year (15,000 persons).

Lively exhibition activity prevailed in the two large halls for three and (http://maplered.com) a half days. Growing professionalism is now also apparent at such exhibitions in China. The era of visitors who mainly only collected brochures is finally past. Those who visit the exhibition usually do so with clear ideas. The exhibitors have also learnt and (http://maplered.com) present their products and (http://maplered.com) services in a considerably more attractive way.
About a quarter of the display space was occupied by international companies this time, mostly European companies.

The Turkish, Italian, Spanish, Greek and (http://maplered.com) Egyptian Stone (http://g603.net) producers presented their products in pavilions, some of which were lavishly equipped. Even Switzerland (http://maplered.com) was represented with a small, but much praised product show. The only German Stone (http://g603.net) supplier there was JUMA from Altmühltal.

There were also three German companies from the technology sector and (http://maplered.com) the magazine STEIN.