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KAMIEŃ-STONE 2012

fot 1Last 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.

What stones?

fot 2Natural stone is more and more often used, it tempts with its original colours and technical solutions. The November fair Kamień-Stone also showed the latest interior trends 2013. Many people think that brushed stone tiles will be more popular in the coming season. Their characteristic feature is rough surface and anti-slip finish, which makes cleaning it easier. Mirrored floors are also getting more and more trendy now. Seamlessly combined, they reflect the light very well and add brightness to the interior. As regards colours, yellow, beige and cream colours are supposed to prevail.

Much more about designing gardens, rock gardens, small water bodies, paths and other small architecture objects could be found at the common stand of the foundation “Bazalt” and the Institute of Landscape Architecture of the University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wroclaw. They presented a stand where you could get advice from a landscape architect. Also students were taking advantage of the presence of architects. On Saturday (the last day of the fair) there was a series of stone- and architecture-related competitions and quizzes at the stand of the foundation. A new way of promoting stone products was also drawing the visitors’ attention. At the stand we could see, for example, stone goods and jewellery made of Strzegom granite. The series of elegant goods made of granite was produced at the request of  the Town Council of Strzegom. Necklaces and bracelets made of tiny granite balls became a real hit. This is for sure an interesting signal for stone branch. The fair was visited by many people who highly value jewellery, for whom stone is often the main decoration. Many of them did shopping at the Minerals and Precious Stones Exchange.
There were also a lot of people at the mosaic workshop who wanted to learn how to make it. We mean here the stand of the artistic workshop of Lubosz Karwat. Another interesting place for the visitors was the exhibition entitled “Travelling stoneworkers” which attracted a lot of people. You could see there the photographs taken during the group trips of Polish stoneworkers to India, Brazil, Turkey and China in the years 2009 – 2012 co-organised with the organisers of stone fairs of particular countries, with the magazine “Świat Kamienia” and with the Association of Stone Industry Employers. All these trips aimed at visiting stone fairs, processing plants, building stone mines as well as learning about the sights and cultures of the visited countries.
This year our magazine prepared a lot of additional attractions. For example, the “Master of Sandblasting” competition attracted a lot of people and repeated the success of the last edition.    

Master of Sandblasting 2012

fot 3The competition to become the most skilled stoneworker is the most spectacular event of every Kamień-Stone fair in Poznan. This year was no exception. Not only did the time of sandblasting matter, but also how well it was done. The time trial competition included preparing the letters to a proper processing and, of course, the sandblasting process itself.

There were 10 participants who took part in the competition. Mariusz Żoch, the president of LITERNICTWO ŻOCH from Strzegom, won the competition and his time was 10 minutes and 31 seconds.
I started working as a letterer when I was a teenager. I knew I would win! Lettering is a profession I love and I put my heart and soul into it; besides… I am very fast – said the “Master of Sandblasting” when receiving the award.

Except for the title, the winner got 1000 PLN (ca. 250 Euros) worth rolls of Hart sandblasting foil. Abra, Lastrico, Atrium and the International Poznan Fair sponsored the event. Our magazine decided to award the runner-up, too. Mr. Tadeusz Hirschfeld was the runner-up and he got a yearly subscription of Świat Kamienia.
The attractions prepared by the organisers together with the Association of Stone Industry Employers and with KKM Kozień project workshop also attracted a lot of people. The lectures given by specialists, for example about the application of stone in building projects, made the Speaker’s Corner in pavilion 5 full. It was also worth listening to the lecture concerning the new EU legislation in the light of production, distribution and import of stone goods. On the second day of the event there was a discussion on “the prices in difficult times”. A training workshop about practical ways of establishing, implementing and defending prices was prepared by an expert from FernPartners company. The most spectacular was, obviously, the awards gala.   
Klaudiusz awards and distinctions

One of the most important item on the agenda was the presentation of statuettes: Klaudiusze 2012.
A special award of KAMIEŃ-STONE was presented in three categories: the best product – tools, devices and machines for ABRA Sp. z o.o. for the sandblasting and engraving table Tornado cnc, the best product – natural stone for Towarzystwo Eksploatacji Surowców Mineralnych (the Association of Minerals Exploitation) for stone bark, and the award for the most beautiful stand went to RED GRANITI. The awards helped to attract even more visitors to the stands of the awarded companies.   

The distinctions in the category of “tools, devices and machines” went to the following companies: Mekanika – Polska for Five Wires GMW 5 (Gaspari Menotti), to Terminator Polska for Terminator Bigfoot Core Drills (Continental D.I.A. Diamond Products Inc.), to PPHU GUZDEK for a device for stone recycling URK-WG-1. In the category of “natural stone” the distinctions went to the following companies: to Interstone for quartz sinters; to Polimer System for European Rosette. Distinctions for stands went to SANSONE SAS (France), ANTOLINI LUIGI & C (Italy), INBRA POLSKA.

Technology suppliers did not have any reasons to complain, either. Weha stand was very popular among the visitors because of the tools made by Italian company Lupato Meccanica: graining plates in various diameters to use for polishing machines, automatic machines or polishing lines. Abra company attracted its visitors by means of a groundbreaking solution in the field of CNC machines. Many transactions concerned buying machines which deal with stone waste management. The latest technologies in the field of cutting and processing stone were presented by the following companies: Mekanika, MC DIAM. Cutting plotters Mutoh Kona had their debut in Poznan. They are dedicated not only to stoneworkers but also to advertising agencies. Sandblasting foils Ikonos were designed for stoneworkers. This 100% Polish product competed well against the offer presented by Chinese exhibitors. We need to stress the fact that the offer of Asian manufacturers was again very wide. They presented many tools and ready-made stone elements, but accessories such as velcro polishing pads were the most popular.

Rafał Dobrowolski
Fot: R. Dobrowolski

 

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