StonExpo, Marmomacc Strengthen Ties

DALLAS – The relationship between StonExpo and Marmomacc got stronger in early July with a new strategic alliance – and a new name for the U.S. stone industry’s show.
The October event in Las Vegas will now be known as StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas, following an agreement reached by Dallas-based Hanley Wood Exhibitions, the owner/producer of StonExpo, and VeronaFiere, the producers of Marmomacc in Verona, Italy.
The alliance and rebranding, announced July 2, shows a strengthening of relations between the two industry events. The two shows entered into a mutual endorsement agreement in April 2005.
“The combination of resources between Marmomacc and StonExpo will bring extraordinary value to the industry and participants of future events” says Galen Poss, president of Hanley Wood Exhibitions. “This is a big win for the North American stone community.”
“We are excited about expanding the Marmomacc brand and increasing our exposure and visibility in North America,” says Flavio Piva, market director and co-director general of Veronafiere. “Our previous endorsement agreements with StonExpo have proven successful and mutually beneficial, and we feel confident this new arrangement will only continue to strengthen both of these leading events.”
“We are particularly excited because of the close, on-going relationship between Marmomacc and the MIA highlighted recently by Marmomacc’s agreement to sponsor a new Grande Pinnacle Award,” said Garis Distelhorst, executive vice president of the Marble Institute of America. “This new alliance and the rebranding of StonExpo completes a perfect circle in the stone industry.”
StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas will be held Oct. 15-18, 2008 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Marmomacc’s 43rd edition will be Oct. 2-5 in Verona.