Marble İzmir Fair, which is one of the largest natural stone fairs in the world, opened its doors for the 27th time. Speaking at the opening, President Soyer stated that Turkey is strengthening its position in the natural stone sector day by day and said, “Marble İzmir is a stage for both Turkey and the world natural stone sector. We will continue to bring the capabilities and products of our brands and companies together with the world in a place worthy of this mastery, at the Fair Izmir.”
Marble İzmir – International Natural Stone and Technologies Fair, which was born in İzmir and became a world brand in its field, started to host its visitors for the 27th time. Denizli Governor Ali Fuat Atik, Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality attended the opening of the fair, which was organized by İZFAŞ under the auspices of the TR Ministry of Commerce and hosted by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality between 29 March – 2 April. Tunç Soyer, Democrat Party Chairman Gültekin Uysal, CHP İzmir MPs Bedri Serter, Tacettin Bayır, Former İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Aziz Kocaoğlu, TR Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources MAPEG General Manager Cevat Genç, İzmir Chamber of Commerce Chairman Mahmut Özgener, Tüm Mermer Doğaltaş and Machinery Manufacturers Association (TUMMER) Chairman of the Board İbrahim Alimoğlu, Denizli Exporters Association Chairman Hüseyin Memişoğlu, Aegean Mine Exporters Association Chairman Mevlüt Kaya, Turkish Exporters Assembly Mining Sector Board and Istanbul Mineral Exporters Association Chairman Aydın Dinçer, İZFAŞ General Manager Canan Karaosmanoğlu Buyer, representatives of political parties, district mayors, representatives of non-governmental organizations, marble sector representatives and sector professionals attended.
Soyer: “We prepared very intensively”
Speaking at the opening of the fair, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç SoyerExpressing that they celebrated the fair like a feast, he said: “As a country, we have the largest volume of natural stone production and export in the world. In 2021, the natural stone industry reached an export figure of over 2 billion dollars. In January and February of 2022, we achieved a ten percent increase in export figures compared to the first two months of the previous year. This year, we prepared very intensively for Marble İzmir to reinforce this momentum and support the sector. Turkey is one of the leading countries in the world, not only because of the reserves it holds, but also with its domestic production machinery, meticulous workmanship and skill. We are further strengthening our position in the natural stone sector with our products with high added value, whose export share is increasing every year. Marble İzmir is a stage for both Turkey and the world natural stone industry. On this stage, it is possible to meet with products and ideas that determine the trends of the world. You are the valuable participants who will determine the future of the natural stone industry, which is more popular and growing every year, and will be the light on this stage. As a country, we have a strong sector and potential that can exceed the export figure of 2 billion dollars with the incentives to be given to production with high added value and the investments to be made. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and İZFAŞ; It will continue to bring the capabilities and products of our brands and companies together with the world in a venue worthy of this mastery, at the Fair Izmir.”
“We are ready to bring you together with the world”
Mayor Soyer stated that they will take the fair organization even further and said, “I would like to thank our very valuable mayor Aziz Kocaoğlu, who served in the previous period. I bow respectfully in front of the memory of the late Ahmet Pristina, who said, 'Izmir will be a city of fairs' in the previous period. We will continue this path together. We will carry their flag forward. If you produce something, you have to market it. If you can't market, the value of what you produce means nothing. Therefore, the market is one of the most important activities in a world that has turned into a village and is globalizing. Specialized fairs are the most important grounds in terms of this fair organization," he said. Reminding that they increased the number of fairs to 2022 in 31, Mayor Soyer said, “Izmir Fair is at your disposal to bring all our sectors together with the world. We are ready to introduce you to the world," he said.
“A picture of pride”
Cevat Genç, General Manager of MAPEG, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Turkey, said, “I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the fair. I hope the expected results will be achieved," he said. Mahmut Özgener, Chairman of the İzmir Chamber of Commerce, used the following statements: “Since the first day it was organized, Marble İzmir is a very beautiful story that started with 50 participants and extended to thousands. A picture of pride… We will be together with thousands of professionals in all the corridors of the four big halls.”
“We play in the champions league thanks to the fair”
Mevlüt Kaya, Chairman of the Board of Aegean Mineral Exporters' Association, said, “We have come to incredible points. Thanks to this fair, we opened up to the world. "We are playing in the champions league while we are invisible in the amateur league," he said. Turkish Exporters Assembly Mining Sector Board Chairman and Istanbul Mineral Exporters Association Chairman Aydın Dinçer said, “I know that this fair will be very good like the previous ones. We can sincerely say that it will shape our industry and open new markets in the coming years.” İbrahim Alimoğlu, Chairman of TÜMMER Board of Directors, thanked President Soyer for their support to marble manufacturers. Hüseyin Memişoğlu, Chairman of the Board of Denizli Exporters' Association, stated that they expect a fruitful fair.
Atatürk bust opened
President Soyer and the accompanying delegation visited the marble producers after the opening. Then, Atatürk Bust, which was presented to İZFAŞ by Kömürcüoğlu Marble, one of the exhibitors, was inaugurated.
It is built on 150 thousand square meters
Marble İzmir Fair will bring the Turkish natural stone, the leader of world trade, with global buyers, with its variety of colors and patterns. Halls A, B, C and D and the entire open area were allocated for Marble in Fair İzmir, where all areas were filled. Within the scope of the fair, blocks and construction machinery are exhibited in the open area, natural stone in halls A and B, marble machinery in hall C and consumables in hall D. There are close to a thousand exhibitors and close to 150 stone blocks at the fair, which is held on an area of 400 thousand square meters. The fair consists of product groups such as natural stone, processed and semi-processed stone, marble machinery, construction equipment and consumables. Iran is participating in the giant meeting that the industry is eagerly waiting for with a pavilion. Also this year, 60 percent of the C hall was allocated to the marble machinery companies located outside in the previous years, and it was positioned as the “Machinery and Machine Technologies Hall”.
Natural stone, the national power of export
The export figures of the sector, which closed last year with a total turnover of over 2 billion dollars in natural stone, increased by 2022 percent in the first two months of 10 compared to the first two months of the previous year, and rose to 306 million 424 thousand 769 dollars. According to the January and February reports of this year, the economic growth in processed marble exports reached 30,27 million 132 thousand 430 dollars with an increase of 574 percent. Thus, the natural stone sector has come first among the sectors that make the most important contribution to closing the foreign trade deficit of Turkey.
At the fair, a "Buying Delegation Program" is organized with the four important exporter associations of the sector, Istanbul Mineral Exporters' Association (İMİB), Aegean Mineral Exporters' Association (EMİB), Denizli Exporters' Association (DENİB) and Western Mediterranean Exporters' Association (BAİB), and approximately 41 exporters from 500 countries. A B2B business environment is being created with approximately XNUMX visitors to attend.
Countries participating in the program are as follows: Germany, United States of America, Arabia, Albania, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Algeria, Ethiopia, Palestine, South Africa , India, Iraq, Spain, Israel, Italy, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Colombia, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Macedonia, Egypt, Nepal, Pakistan, Slovakia, Tunisia, Oman, Jordan, Greece.
The importance of using natural stone will be discussed by experts
There will also be two-session interviews with the participation of international natural stone experts on the position of natural stone in the world on March 31, 2022. In the session titled “Man-Made Materials Against Natural Stone: External Applications” Stone Specialist Daniel Wood from the Natural Stone Institute (USA) will explain the importance of using natural stone against artificial stones such as ceramics. The session titled “Different Uses of Marble in Design and Architecture” will be moderated by İlker Kahraman, Chairman of the Izmir Branch of the Chamber of Architects. The session was attended by Prof. from the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts. Michal Stefanowski, Stone Expert Daniel Wood from the Natural Stone Institute, Feryel Chebeane, Member of the Qatar Architects Center, and Architect Soheil Motevaselani Pour from Iran. World natural stone experts will focus on the importance of the use of natural stone and different areas of use within the scope of the 27th Marble İzmir.
Marble İzmir Fair, Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), Small and Medium Enterprises Development and Support Administration (KOSGEB), Turkish Marble Natural Stone and Machinery Manufacturers Association (TUMMER), Istanbul Mineral Exporters Association (İMİB), Aegean Mine Exporters Association (EMİB), Western Mediterranean Exporters' Association (BAIB), Denizli Exporters' Association (DENİB), Aegean Region Chamber of Industry (EBSO) and İzmir Chamber of Commerce (İZTO)
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