Marble and stone, the international horizon of Sardinian companies between revitalisation and innovation

From the consolidation of current presences to the conquest of new international markets. These are the objectives of the Sardinian companies that participated in Marmomac, the world exhibition dedicated to the stone materials supply chain. During the 3-day event held in Verona and attended by more than 1,400 exhibitors from 50 countries and 50,000 visitors expected from all over the world, the Sardinian entrepreneurs present, whose core business mainly concerns the quarrying of raw material but also the production of the finished product, had a space to exhibit their work and intercept potential buyers. Supporting the companies from Orosei, Abbasanta, Buddusò, Ittiri and Sedilo was also a stand of the Region, which 'has decided to focus on this sector. Which is characterised by a variety of products that have already conquered foreign markets. Like the Orosei fallow deer, 'already present in China, India, Jordan, the EU and northern Europe'. "European demand is holding up, while in Asia and the Middle East it remains strong on premium projects," comments Anna Scancella, owner of Scancella marbles and Simg Orosei. "In the next two years, with possible concrete steps of détente in the Middle East and the restart of large construction sites, we expect an increase in orders. And to take advantage of the relaunch, she emphasises, 'we need more capacity and reliability, shift automation, intermodal logistics, and port agreements to reduce lead times. Enhancement through tailor-made selections, LCA/Epd certification and after-sales services, with payment exchange and digital channels for catalogues and traceability'. In this scenario, facing a slowdown is Sardinian granite, which "is going through a period of low demand due to global tensions". The turnaround, as emphasised by Giovanni Soro, owner of Sga di Buddusò, should come with the end of the war, since then demand should exceed supply "which has been drastically reduced over the years". "The prospects for growth in the medium to long term are positive," he says. "In order to have a greater competitive advantage, interventions are needed to reduce transport costs and a regional incentive to improve the productivity and safety of the company by enabling the training of workers dedicated to the production of our materials. Looking positively towards the fair and thus the opportunities that come with the industry event is Rosanna Dessena, owner of Gv Orosei Marbles srl. "It is an event that offers the stone industry the opportunity to present its materials, establish business contacts, and learn about the latest technologies in the sector," she says. "The balance of the fair for the Orosei stone industry was positive, with an increase in exports, especially to the Asian market. In particular, China confirmed itself as the main destination country for Orosei marble'. Also looking at international markets is Trachite dura di Ittiri. "This new natural stone, widely used in the past to build roads, houses, churches, and public buildings," says Roberto Soro, owner of Trachite artigiana di Ittiri, "after its widespread use over the past 20 years to redevelop Sardinia's historical centres, is ready to make a leap forward from local excellence to a strategic resource for national and international stone markets. Opportunities that sound like a challenge for the sector looking to grow in international markets. "Sardinia, thanks to the variety of its natural stones, trachytes, marbles, granites and basalts, and to the presence of skilled workers, has all the requisites to establish itself as a stone district of reference in the Mediterranean,' he concludes. 'The combination of traditional craftsmanship and environmentally friendly technological innovation can in fact generate a competitive, sustainable and internationally recognisable production model.