STONE SCULPTURE SHOW

This year's edition of Stone fair will include a stone sculpture show during which works made at the…

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MARITIME INDUSTRY IS AS STRONG AS A STONE

The 5th edition of the International Maritime Congress was held on 8–9 June in Szczecin. The congress serves…

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SCHOOL FOR STONEMASONS-TO-BE

The new school will be set up at the Border Protection Corps School Complex in Szydłowiec. This new…

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STUDENTS RESTORED THE 17TH-CENTURY GRAVESTONE

Restoration of an old gravestone was a part of the internship organised by the State Construction Schools in…

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Swiat kamienia no. 2 (81) 2013

Swiat Kamienia nr 2(81) 2013

THE BRIDGE OF JAN STACH

Stone after stone. The most famous and the biggest structures are results of collective effort. If there is method in madness, we can most probably find it in the history of the creation of a stone bridge in the village of Znamirowice in Nowy Sącz county. In that place tens of years ago most probably the biggest hydraulic structure ever built by a single man was erected.

Pyramids used to be built collectively. Slavery to a great extent and for a long time was a flywheel of hydraulic structures. The architecture of the Roman Empire is admired by builders of all ages. Roman roads were also for many centuries the main arteries of the European transport. Ancient engineering left behind some models for modern constructors. Before, that is 3,000 years ago, the Phoenicians discovered a material which hardens even under water. They used to mix mortar with volcanic rock. In the 3rd century BC the ancient knowledge and skills reached the area of the Roman Empire. Then the Roman concrete was born, which revolutionised the following civilisations. Cement mixed with crushed rock and sand is a basis for products of civilisation even today.

Swiat kamienia no. 1 (80) 2013

Świat Kamienia nr 1(80) 2013

Kamień-Stone 2013

Last year the fair was visited by more than 8,000 visitors. This year slightly more than 6,000 visitors had a chance to meet the offer of nearly 250 exhibitors. It is a pity, because many interesting novelties, events and important discussions were waiting for the visitors of the largest event for manufacturers and distributors of natural stone in Central-East Europe.

From the very beginning of the event (7-10 November in Poznan) we could notice a kind of rationalism at many stands. This year many stands were simply smaller, so the exhibitors took just two pavilions (pavilion 5 and 9 of the International Poznan Fair). We could also see the lack of some important representatives of domestic branch, and the producers and distributors in most cases presented far fewer machines and devices than during previous editions of Kamień-Stone. We could not, however, complain about the number of exhibitors from abroad. Poznan was visited by the representatives of stone branch from Italy, Germany, India, Turkey, Spain, Czech Republic, France, Finland, China and even from Africa. The organiser took professional care of a good contact with potential buyers of stone. It is enough to say that long before the event media had been talking about a 30-tonne… bag or slightly smaller 20-tonne Christmas tree ornament. These works, made by the designer Ewa Solima, were shown in front of the main entrance to the International Poznan Fair premises. They surely contributed to the promotion of the values of stone and the potential of the branch.

Swiat Kamienia no. 6(67) 2010

Świat Kamienia nr 6(67) 2010

Swiat Kamienia no. 5(66) 2010

Świat Kamienia nr 5(66) 2010

The time for polish stones

The investment boom is favourable for Polish natural stones. The extraction, processing and application of both hard stones as well as sandstones, marbles and limestone largely increased in 2010. We should not be too optimistic, though. The time of prosperity has weak foundations and we cannot take advantage of this time without a wise strategy concerning the quarries.

The days of stone in Strzegom

At the first weekend in September Strzegom hosted two important events related with stone industry: the Polish-wide stone festival (Ogólnopolski Festyn Kamienia) organised on Saturday and Sunday by Strzegom-based stone companies and the Town Council and the stone congress (Kongres Kamieniarski) organised by the Association of the Stone Industry Employers.

Swiat Kamienia no. 4(65) 2010

Świat Kamienia nr 4(65) 2010

Stone industry in Masovian province

How can we describe stone industry in Masovian province? It is a difficult task because of the domination of Warsaw metropolis. Most stone works, not only in Masovia, but in the whole Poland, is concentrated there. On the other hand, however, stone works in Warsaw are carried out by many companies from other provinces. When we speak about the market of stone companies in Masovia, we mean, most of all, Warsaw and the towns nearby, where the most prestigious projects, both for individual customers and for institutions, are carried out. But the stone companies which specialise in construction stone industry are usually located outside Warsaw. At the same time, however, Warsaw is a seat for as many as 200 hundred stone companies. Many of them are Polish-wide enterprises and representatives of foreign companies.

A strange year 2010

Autumn 2008 was the time when the beginning of the recession was announced. Stone industry in Poland was managing very well with it for more than a year. And then a strange year 2010 came... The symptoms of some changes always come first to the intermediaries wholesalers of blocks and slabs and this report is about them. First six months of this year brought serious changes in contracting slabs and blocks and, most of all, a huge decrease in popular stones. Before we analyse the year 2010, in order to find out the causes of the current events, we need to go several months back.