„StoneLab“ is the name of a new technology-warehouse for the stone branch, which has started up in Carrara. Next to further education and research, StoneLab offers its services to a range of interested parties across the stone branch, e.g. material testing for the CE mark. Involved in the project is also the Internazionale Marmi e Macchine (IMM) Carrara. Financing was provided mainly from within the Toscana Region.
The Marble Institute of America (MIA) and the Building Stone Institute (BSI) are engaged in preliminary discussions about joining forces. Over the next several months both powerful US stone organizations will be working together to fine tune a business plan that will be presented to both boards for consideration, according to a MIA information.
Latest news: the Carrara Marmotec fair, usually biennial, will change its cycle for the coming year due to the World Expo in Milan. The once famous stone event, which in the last decade has fallen to only regional importance, will open from June 18-21, 2015 from 16 to 24 o’clock under the name of „Carrara 2015 Marmotec Expo Edition“. The concept is meant to attract architects and international visitors to the fair and its nearby quarries, as informs IMM Carrara (Italian).
A center for research and development around natural stone and based Cachoeiro in the Brazilian Province Espírito Santo has started up work. It is to provide services for companies in the stone industry (Portuguese).
„Knots in traditional art“ is the title of a webpage on Wikimedia Commons depicting intertwined stone art – among other works.
Mothers’ day this year was the trigger-event for Juma Company to think up a heart-warming marketing idea: via Facebook, readers who sent a personal message to the company, were received a small Jurassic-limestone-heart. „Some 100 requests were received by the company“ according to Diana Bschierl, responsible form Juma Marketing: „apparently a matter of the heart.“
The Pedreira da Nave Quarry in Portugal’s Serra da Monchique was revived by Spanish David Fernandez Grande (DFG). Syenite destined mainly for China and the USA will be quarried there (Portuguese).
Video of the Month: the fascination of Obsidian black is the distinguishing mark which Asus Company gave its laptop „Zenbook“. Obsidian is a type of glass which ensues from volcanic lava when submitted to sudden cooling by water. In the stone-age such material was often chipped to make sharp-edged knives.
(02.10.2014, USA: 10.02.2014)
