Marble Izmir – International Natural Stone and Technologies Fair, the largest global meeting of the natural stone sector, will bring the sector together in Fair Izmir between 17 – 20 April 2024. The sector’s demand for Marble Izmir, which will be held for the 29th time this year, is intense both domestically and abroad. Marble Izmir, which will be held with more than 1000 participants in an area exceeding 150 thousand square meters, will continue to be a hope for the sector this year with the trade volume it provides with participants and visitors from Türkiye and all over the world.
Marble Izmir International Natural Stone and Technologies Fair, hosted by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and organized by İZFAŞ, will continue to be the gateway of Turkish natural stone to the world in 2024. Marble Izmir, a pioneer with its participants from all over the world and the number of local and foreign visitors, will continue to contribute to the natural stone industry, which has reached its 2 billion dollar export target, to reach new targets.
Only natural stone and natural stone products, machines and technologies will be exhibited.
This year, in line with the decision taken upon requests from sector representatives, only natural stone, natural stone products, machinery and technologies will be exhibited at the fair. All indoor and outdoor areas were made available to participants this year as well. While all natural stone companies were located in the closed halls of Fair Izmir at the fair, a large part of Hall C and the entire Hall D were allocated to machinery and technology companies. The block marble area was also arranged as it was last year.
Marble Izmir, which has been a member of the International Fairs Association (UFI) since 1998, is of great importance for Turkish natural stone to open up to the world, increase its market share and reach new markets. The feedback and requests received from more than a thousand companies participating in the Marble Izmir Fair, which hosts all forms of natural stone and machines, are also meticulously evaluated. Work continues throughout the year by collaborating with all representatives of the sector in order to provide fair services at international standards and to improve Marble Izmir brand. This year, the fair is expected to create a larger trade volume than in previous years and create a very strong export potential. The interest and demand for the fair strengthens the natural stone sector on international platforms and reinforces Türkiye’s leadership in this field.
It will contribute to natural stone exports
While the total natural stone exports were 77 million dollars in the first year of Marble Izmir Fair, which brought the natural stone sector together at Kültürpark in 1995, Türkiye’s natural stone exports increased to 2 billion dollars over the years with the contribution of the fair. The sector improved the fair and the fair improved the sector and Marble Izmir became the lifeblood of natural stone exports over the years. In addition to Türkiye’s advantage of having one-third of the world’s reserves in the natural stone sector, as well as its richness of colors and patterns, natural stone exports have contributed approximately 20 billion dollars to the Turkish economy in the last 10 years. With the contribution of the fair, processed natural stone exports constituted 62.72 percent of all natural stone exports in 2023. Marble Izmir Fair, which started with 47 local participants in Kültürpark in the first year and hosted 4 thousand 719 people, reached 1015 participants, 167 of which were from abroad, last year, and hosted a total of 79 thousand 153 visitors from 148 countries, 9 thousand 56 of whom were foreigners.
Trade volume will increase with the buyers
As in previous years, buyer programs will be organized this year with the export support of the Ministry of Commerce and the cooperation of different exporters’ associations. Hundreds of sector professionals from the target countries will be hosted within the scope of the foreign buyers program. B2B meeting programs, which will be organized during the fair, will enable participating companies to meet with customers quickly and effectively. In addition to the buyer program, it is estimated that nearly 10 thousand foreign sector professionals will visit the fair. Companies participating in Marble Izmir will also be able to benefit from the supports of the Ministry of Commerce, Izmir Chamber of Commerce and KOSGEB, if they comply with the conditions.
There will be marble, granite, travertine, onyx, limestone, diabase, andesite, basalt, mining consumables, factory and workshop consumables, mining machinery, construction machinery and heavy equipment, factory and workshop machinery, environmental protection, recycling and Earnings systems, sectoral organizations and magazines, IT and software companies, transportation and logistics services, financing and credit services, public and official institutions, associations, unions and NGOs, media institutions and organizations in Marble Izmir.
The visitor profile of the fair is natural stone processing machinery and technologies dealers and wholesalers, natural stone applicators, construction and contracting companies, project management and consultancy companies, building inspection companies, architecture offices, construction markets, building materials wholesalers, retailers and distributors, construction machinery dealers and wholesalers, mining and natural stone companies from all over the world. In line with the demands of the participating companies, visitor works are carried out in a wide geography, especially in America and European countries. In this context, we also cooperate closely with our trade attachés in the USA, Europe, Asian countries, the Middle East and Russia.
Marble mobile application informs and provides convenience
Marble Izmir mobile application, prepared last year, will continue to be an informative guide this year as well. The application will inform everyone from all over the world who has heard of Marble Izmir and wants to come, to buy and to be informed about the products. All information about Marble Izmir and the companies can be accessed through the application, which can be used on phones and smart devices. The application, which can be downloaded to mobile phones and tablets from both the Apple Store and Google Play and which is in Turkish and English, will provide convenience to exhibitors and visitors.
“Novel” designs come to life with Marble Izmir
Within the scope of the fair; interviews, events, workshops, etc. works, and a natural stone design competition are also organized. Marble Izmir brings together young designers with innovative companies of the sector with the International Novel Natural Stone Design Competition, which is held for the 6th time this year. The original designs to be implemented in the competition, which aims to increase natural stone exports with high added value products supported by design and architecture and to reveal the innovative face of Turkish natural stone in the market, will meet the visitors at Marble Izmir. The projects of young designers from different countries that make it to the finals as a result of the jury evaluation will be implemented by the innovative companies of the sector, and the award winners will be announced at the 29th Marble Izmir.
Marble abundance will be experienced
In addition to contributing to the sector and its sub-sectors, exports and employment, Marble Izmir will also have a positive impact on the city and country’s economy in many areas from tourism to accommodation, from transportation to the food and beverage sector, as in previous years. Local and foreign participants and visitors who will come to the city for the fair will make the abundance of Marble felt in Izmir.
