BI is the combination of two materials, of two tactile sensations, of different colours…. Some combinations are inseparable, others are temporary and still others artificial. Ligurian stones are protagonists of this project so they can be arranged together and with other new materials…. Francesco Lucchese
The BI exhibition event that will be held in the prestigious Palazzo Ducale in Genoa from the 5th to 20th November 2009 focuses attention on Ligurian stone materials in an innovative way. The exhibition is the integration of a promotional project of the Stone Sector, promoted by the National Institute for Foreign trade (ICE) and by the Liguria Region, in collaboration with Liguria International, the regional internationalization company.
The artistic direction of the event was entrusted to Architect Francesco Lucchese. The set up shows traditional materials and the two industrial districts through a renewed design language valuing the customary uses of the materials and suggesting ideas for possible new applications.
The project involves the two marble and slate districts, 20 designers and the companies established in the territory that have implemented the designers projects coordinated by the Lucchese Design studio.
The space project is perfectly integrated into Palazzo Ducale’s portico thanks to a calculated intervention which uses light both as a constructive element of the space and as a decoration considering the vaults of the portico itself.
The exhibition path is comprised of a long grass carpet articulated through 20 volumes of light supporting the stone design products displayed.
A video recording tells about the emotions generated by the materials and includes more didactic communications regarding the industrial districts and their stones of reference.
THE PROJECTS
The exhibition presents 20 design projects by designers with an international reputation who interpret the Ligurian stone materials and expand the theme of combinations, contrasts and the connection between them. The materials used are marble and slate.
The typical marbles of the territory like the rosso levanto , the verde levanto and nero portoro are combined with traditional materials such as wood and glass and to more modern materials like Plexiglas.
The ability of the marble to interact with the light gives life to evocative luminous subjects. Slate is valorised as a material of daily use within the home thanks to the various possibilities of processing and the numerous possible finishings that transform the material into an ever different subject.
The proximity of marble and slate in some objects is a clear signal of the infinite design possibilities offered by these materials.
The designers involved in the exhibition are:
Angelo Micheli
Donato D'Urbino & Paolo Lomazzi
Elena Brusa Pasquè
Elena Perelli
Leonard Theosabrata
Luca Scacchetti
Lucchese Design
Makio Hasuike & Paolo Rossi
Marco Piva
Raffaella Mangiarotti
Setsu&Shinobu Ito
Simone Micheli
Ligurian Slate at “StonExpo 2007”, Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay, October 18-20
In the United States, one of the main markets for the Italian export of stone materials, the construction market has been expanding significantly for several years now in particular as regards residential construction and renovation.
In 2006 the US’ imports of stone materials increased 17.93% with respect to the preceding year, reaching $3.14 billion. In the same period the imports from Italy increased 5.6% from $609.94 million in 2005 to a little more than $644 million in 2006.
Italy continues to hold first place among the countries supplying the US but, as has been noted for several years now, the Italian market share continues to decrease (from 22.87% in 2005 to 20.49% in 2006) in favour of the imports coming from developing countries, in particular Brazil (19.62%), China (13.74%) and Turkey (13.49%). In fact, since the US has the only economy recording continuous growth in comparison with other more stagnant western markets, the numerous competing countries are responding with ever more aggressive trade and advertising in an effort to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the US market.
Italy is adapting to the global changes in the sector by accentuating its strong points. Its strengths include the production of materials which are renowned world-wide, the ability to work according to historical traditions, and the high quality and technological production which allows for the provision of products requiring complex processing. In addition, naturally, is the production of slabs and semi-processed materials which are the most subject to the competition posed by developing countries. Nevertheless, the competition from other producers will continue to expand in the highly technological stone sectors as well.
The US remains a favourable market even though the appearance of varied and diversified product lines and the growing number of enterprises operating in this sector have significantly increased the competition, and, consequently, the necessity of adopting a more aggressive marketing policy oriented toward the satisfaction of consumer demand before the competition.
Stonexpo, the sector’s main tradeshow on the west coast of the US, is a fundamental opportunity to promote Italian stone companies with US and international importers and distributors. At this year’s tradeshow more than 250 exhibitors from different countries participated. The show was visited by approximately 7,500 operators in the field.
Within the terms of the agreement between ICE (Istituto
per il Commercio Estero; Foreign Trade Institute) and the Region of Liguria, an elegant stand covering an area of approximately 150 square metres was set-up to promote the Italian slate production district.
To represent the production of Ligurian slate the following companies participated: ARDESIT, GARBARINO & CUNEO, L.E.A.N.I. SLATE, Consorzio LVL/LA VERA LAVAGNA/LAPIS, and LE PIETRE DI DONDERO GIULIA.
Participation at Stonexpo 2007 offered an opportunity to experience the manner of doing “business” in the USA, leading to a greater knowledge both of the distribution network and the specific needs of the local market. In addition, the show offered the opportunity to create new commercial relationships and/or strengthen those already existing, through personal contact that, as a fundamental instrument to increase trust between vendor and customer and, consequently, to increase the volume of transactions, is otherwise difficult to create in international sales. Moreover, during this important tradeshow the trends of the stone sector and the machinery for its processing are delineated.
The Ligurian companies were assisted, during the entire show, by the staff of the Los Angeles ICE which provided services including interpretation, recording visitor’s data, distribution of illustrative materials, etc.
In order to promote the participation of Ligurian companies in the tradeshow the following advertising initiatives were conducted:
1 advertising page in the sector’s main publication, Stone World, in the pre-show issue (September, 2007) and the issue distributed at the show (October, 2007)
Electronic invitations sent to more than 500 architecture and design offices operating in the States of Arizona, California and Nevada
The success of this last edition of Stonexpo confirms that this tradeshow is proving to be an important event in the Western USA for companies dealing in stone materials. The presence of the stand provided by the ICE/Region of Liguria was a point of reference of the show where American representatives of the sector were able to see both the modern and traditional designs coming from Italy.
Participation in the tradeshow has turned out to be very positive for the Ligurian companies confirming the trend by architects and designers to prefer innovative Italian products.
THE “ARDESIA LIGURIA” (LIGURIAN SLATE) TRADEMARK
In 2006, within the scope of the ICE-Region of Liguria Agreement, the “ARDESIA LIGURIA” (LIGURIAN SLATE) trademark of origin and quality was created. It is a strongly visual graphical mark: a light blue brush stroke stands out on the black and rough surface of the stone, which recalls the sea and the sky. The “Consorzio Ardesia Liguria scrl”, which is located in Via Isolona 11, 16040 Orero (GE) Italy, has been created in order to protect the trademark and allow manufacturing companies to use it. Its President is Mr. Fabio Arata. The Consortium is registering the trademark in all European Union countries and in the USA. The manufacturing companies who request to use it must guarantee the Ligurian origin and quality of their products, according to the procedure established by the Consortium. This is yet another instrument that is used to counteract the competition coming from new manufacturing countries that have appeared on the international market in recent years.
Download the exhibition's invitation