Stone-Ideas.com 
On its milestone anniversary, Marmomac had to contend with a sharp decline in exhibitor numbers: According to the trade show organizers, “over 1,300 exhibitors” attended the 60th anniversary of the major natural stone exhibition in Verona (September 22–25, 2026). By comparison, the figure was 1,480 in the previous year. We present the figures in a table below.
Preparations for B2B meetings involved Veronafiere, the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) and Confindustria Marmomacchine, which selected and invited 450 top buyers from 58 countries. The schedules arranged before the show included more than 3,200 B2B meetings, compared to 2,200 at the previous edition. Among the invited delegations, the largest groups came from India, the United States, Egypt, Canada and China.
The schedule of meetings included discussions with the Economic and Commercial Counselor of the Consulate General of China in Milan, the Algerian Ambassador and Consul, the Ambassador of Oman, the Consuls General of the Republic of India and Morocco, and representatives of the Istanbul Mineral Exporters’ Association (İMİB), which celebrated the 50th anniversary of its foundation at the show itself. “These relations strengthen the exhibition’s links with countries that produce and purchase materials and technologies,” the fair writes in its press release.
This year, the fair presented an international sustainability award for the first time. The award recognized innovative solutions in ecological transition, resource conservation, workplace safety, and process innovation. The award winners were:
* Marmor Dereli from Turkey for its process that converts marble quarry byproducts into a certified alternative to natural sand. What makes this process unique is that it can be implemented directly in the quarry, thereby eliminating the need for extensive transportation.
* A special mention went to Tesimas s.r.l. from Italy for its method of recovering process water. The jury highlighted the system’s adaptability.
* Lupato Mecchanica from Italy received the award in the Tools category for its “Hammer 12/30.” This tool enables ultra-precise machining even with the hardest rock materials.
* Ilpa Adesivi from Italy won the award in this category for its “Mastice BLU”: The styrene-free formula drastically reduces workers’ exposure to harmful volatile compounds.
* Lazorex Studio in Moldova won the award in the Software category for its “Rico Technologies.” By digitally scanning a slab once at its point of origin, the platform synchronizes supplier warehouses and processing labs in real time with precise textures, reliefs, and geometries.
* Blueshieldbeta60 from Italy won the award in the Startup & Innovation category for its anti-slip coating: a treatment at the molecular level that permanently increases the dynamic friction of walking surfaces without compromising the luster, aesthetics, or breathability of natural stone.
The “Mastri della Pietra” (Masters of Stone) is a traditional award presented annually to individuals who are committed to the culture and promotion of natural stone worldwide. The award continues a tradition dating back to 1319, with the Ancient Corporation of Masters of Stone in Verona, celebrating a craft that unites history, culture, and the future. This year’s award recipients were (from left to right, the photo also shows three representatives from the trade show): Grazia Signori – Geologist and stone expert; Jim Hieb – CEO, Natural Stone Institute; Federico Bricolo – President of Veronafiere; Joe Parenza – Ciot/Stone & Tile; Flavio Marabelli – Honorary President of Confindustria Marmomacchine; Giovanni Sacripante – General Manager of Veronafiere; Domenico Tommasi – Steinbruchmann; Francesca Zivelonghi – Event Manager of Marmomac.
The 61st edition of Marmomac is scheduled from September 21 – 24, 2027.
Photos: Veronafiere
