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issue time:2006-06-22 10:24
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Everyone is talking about it: China and Asia in general are flooding Europe and the world with cheap exports, which is causing trouble for the classic natural stone country Italy. What is far less known, however, is that Italy鈥檚 natural stone industry is conversely very active in Asia. Actual examples of the Marble Architectural Award 2005 (MAA 2005) appear to prove this. For example, the winner of the first prize, the headquarters of the Bank of China in Peking, has been designed with the assistance of a Tuscan stone company using generous amounts of Italian marble and other natural stones. White Carrara marble has been used for the spectacular »Hill of Hope« in Hiroshima. Italian materials and/or technologies, largely from Tuscany, are also found on and in the new museums of Nagasaki and Shizuoka (Japan), and on many squares and buildings in Singapore, Korea, Taiwan and other Asian countries.
The 21st MAA competition 鈥� geographically restricted to countries in the Far East 鈥� was open to all architects and natural stone companies, who used mainly Italian stone or stone processed in Italy for the buildings entered for the competition judged by an international jury in Peking. Jury president Giancarlo Tonini and IMM CEO Paris Mazzanti emphasized at the presentation of the result that Italian know-how still has a chance, where the realization of a building demands the highest technical standards, special style and optimum quality. The Italian industry, especially from Tuscany and in particular Carrara, has no need to fear the competition when it comes to such buildings, but if no special importance is attached to the quality and only the price determines an order, then Italy inevitably comes away empty-handed.
Increasing exports to Asia
According to IMM, Italian natural stone exports to the Far East rose by 8.9 % to 468,000 tons last year, but the value of these exports dropped by 5.7 % to 142 million euros. China alone imported 184,000 tons (+46.5 %) worth 35 million euros, a record result largely attributed to the booming rough marble segment (+264 % in quantity, +282 % in value).
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