Stone-Ideas.com 
Italy’s natural stone industry officially comes out of the shutdown on May 04, 2020
Many companies had already been back in business for a week and completed interrupted orders / Follow-up projects have been postponed or canceled altogether
Markets & Marketing
Chen Guoqing: „China’s economy is expected to return to its normal growth rate in the third quarter of 2020”
In last decade, the country has consumed about 90% of its natural stone volume each year on the home market, according to the president of China’s national stone association CSMA, exports accounted only for 10%
Thanks to its quartzites, Brazil seems to be coming out of the valley of tears for the first time since 2013
The country’s stone industry recorded an increase in exports of almost (+)2% in 2019, while Brazil’s total exports fell by (-)6.8%
Freedonia market research: the US market for „Outdoor Living Products” will grow 4% to $9.9 billion in 2020
Above all equipment for cooking, barbequeing, lighting etc. was examined, but great opportunities for the natural stone industry can also be identified
China’s economy is slowly recovering: at least in imports there was an increase of (+)2.4% in March 2020 compared to the previous year
The government wants to bring production back on track and temporarily eases customs clearance
The demand for countertops in the US is expected to rise (+)3.8% per year to $42 billion in 2024
Freedonia Group’s market researchers see engineered stone as the fastest growing surface material / Natural stone’s share also increasing
Coronavirus: the mostly small companies of the stone sector have largely mastered the crisis so far
The critical point is the shipping which is partly at a standstill or has become more expensive / Adjustments in the companies with reduced workforces and home office
China’s foreign trade slumped significantly in January-February 2020 compared to the year before
Imports and exports fell on average by (-)11% / With ASEAN countries being the most important trade partners, however, there was a slight increase
Recycling as a sales argument: Sell natural stone for shop fittings with a deposit like for bottles
EuroShop trade fair in Düsseldorf (Germany) inspired an idea
The coronavirus will reduce China’s natural stone imports and thus have an impact worldwide
Consequences also for container traffic and trade fair activities / Politician in Massa-Carrara appeals: „We are not intimidated by a virus”
E-Commerce Congress at IMM Cologne: Achieving greater customer satisfaction and a better shopping experience with online trading
From the lectures one could deduce where the strengths of traditional trade and handicraft lie
Grassi Pietre has staged its underground quarry „Cava Acque di Grancona” as a museum for visitors
It shows the importance of Pietra di Vicenza for the region since the times of Andrea Palladio
Topics of the year 2020: Climate change and design – great marketing opportunities for the natural stone branch
Peter Becker, editor-in-chief of Stone-Ideas.com, asks what is coming in the next 12 months and what the sector should contribute
Despite all Western sanctions, Iran has become a big stone producer and exporter in the last years
In his statistic yearbook, Dr. Carlo Montani notes that the country’s deliveries go almost only to markets in the East