May 19, 2006 | Recommend this Article »

Stonetech Shanghai

This trade fair, which alternates between Beijing and Shanghai, is China’s number one natural stone exhibition.

China occupies a top position in the world for both exports and imports of natural stone. China’s building industry needs stone, especially in view of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and for the Expo 2010 in Shanghai. The Chinese metropolis would like to show itself at its best by then. Natural stone from abroad is used everywhere: in many hotel lobbies, on tower block facades and in public amenities like Century Park.

Light or intensively coloured natural stones are popular, especially red materials: The colour red is associated with luck in China. It also brings luck to the producers of red natural stones like the Finnish company Interrock, whose Karelia Red granite is highly popular. The Turkish companies, which apart from Italy made up the largest share of foreign exhibitors, are also currently successful mainly with reddish material: There is a big demand for Turkish Rosso Levanto. The colourful Brazilian stones have also become established. Still interesting for the Chinese market here are the yellow natural stones like Giallo Fiorito, Ornamental, Giallo Veneziano, Giallo California and Santa Cecilia, but also cloudy materials in bordeaux, brown and cream, says Michael König of Brasil Quarries, Vitória.

The success of Norwegian Larvikite proves that high-priced natural stones certainly have prospects in China. Torger Lingelem, Marketing Manager of Larvik AS, notices growing interest especially in the Blue Antique variant.
The French company Rocamat also relies on exclusiveness in marketing its limestones from France: »We don’t want to reach buyers who decide only according to price«, says Dominique Savera. »We want to enter an exclusive segment; anyone who buys our stones should have the feeling of buying a bit of French flair at the same time.« A large residential project in Shanghai has already been built with French limestone.