Foreign participants and buyers were also satisfied with Marble İzmir
Foreign Participants and Buyers Were Also Pleased with Marble İzmir
Marble İzmir, the Global Brand of İzmir, Becomes One of the World’s Major Trade Hubs Every Year
Foreign participants and buyers expressed their satisfaction with the large trade volume created at the fair, emphasizing that they were able to reach buyers and sellers from all over the world in İzmir.
Organized for the 30th time this year by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and İZFAŞ, the Marble İzmir – International Natural Stone and Technologies Fair was held between April 9-12, welcoming participants from 27 countries and visitors from approximately 150 countries. In addition to Turkish natural stones, 188 international booths from Europe, the Far East, and the Middle East showcased unique stones from all over the world. Foreign purchasing delegations noted İzmir’s unique status and stated they were happy to attend every year. Many highlighted the fair’s 30-year consistency as a key strength and expressed long-term satisfaction with participating in Marble İzmir. Foreign participants and buyers shared how the fair met their expectations and supported their business goals.
Greek Company Iktinos Hellas Has Participated for 10 Years
Kostas Protonotarios, Export Sales Manager of marble manufacturer Iktinos Hellas S.A from Greece, said they were very happy to attend the fair in İzmir every year and that the event brings them together with companies from all over the world. “We have the opportunity to present all our products here. Bringing stones from Greece and collaborating with our colleagues here is very exciting. This is a very special international fair—companies attend from all over the world, from the UK to India. İzmir is famous in this field, and it hosts a wonderful organization. Thank you,” he said.
Dutch Participant Bremen: “I Build Great Business Relations Here”
Nicky Van Bremen from the Netherlands expressed her admiration for İzmir and the fair, noting that she attends every year to select natural stones and make agreements for her company. “I place the İzmir Marble Fair in a special category among global fairs. I find high-quality stones and am very happy to be part of this large organization. I build excellent business relationships and forge profitable partnerships. I’m always happy to be here,” she said.
Dmit from Russian Company Stone Wealth: “The World’s Most Beautiful Stones Are in Turkey”
Returning for the second time, Maksimov Dmit, owner of Stone Wealth from Russia, praised Turkish stones. “We’re here to find new partners and beautiful stones for our upcoming projects. We’ve worked with Turkey for a long time and want to discover new trends. I really love the stones from Turkey—they’re the most beautiful in the world, in my opinion,” he stated.
Isayev from Baku Marble: “It’s the Top Fair Among Marble Events”
Yunis Isayev, Factory Manager and 25% investor in Baku Marble Factory from Azerbaijan, said they typically negotiate block marble deals at the fair and always appreciate the Turkish market. “We've been attending for three years. We buy raw, block marble, so the Turkish market is more suitable and advantageous for us. Each year, we reconnect with old contacts, meet new ones, and establish broad partnerships. We also find better stones and prices on-site. I believe Marble İzmir stands out among other marble fairs—perhaps due to its proximity to our market, I rate it the highest. Thanks to everyone involved in organizing it. We plan to attend again next year,” he said.
TÜMMER President Şimşek: “A Successful Fair Despite Global Challenges”
Hanifi Şimşek, President of the Turkish Marble Natural Stone and Machinery Producers Association (TÜMMER), said the high turnout of foreign participants and investors despite global conflicts was a major success. “This is the 30th Marble fair and the 35th year of our event, which originally started at Kültürpark's Sevgi Yolu. While there are pros and cons, it’s a successful fair overall. Despite wars in Russia and Ukraine, instability in Iraq and Syria, tensions in Israel, Libya, and Lebanon, and even U.S. economic measures like a 125% tariff on China—despite all this, we’ve had strong participation,” he explained.
“Marble Has Greatly Contributed to Reaching $2 Billion in Exports”
Şimşek highlighted the global natural stone market is worth around $20 billion, with Turkey accounting for 10%, or roughly $2 billion in exports. “30 years ago, we used to import machines. Now we export them. Our exports rose from $77 million to $2 billion over this period, with Marble playing a key role. The contributions of our former mayors, especially the late ones we remember with respect, and Cemil President's consistent support are invaluable. We are one of the top three international fairs in the world—alongside ones in China and Italy. In my opinion, we are number one. Why? Because in terms of color, quality, and durability, Turkey is among the richest in natural stone. Now our goal should be high-value, export-oriented production. This fair belongs to all 85 million of us. Marble İzmir should receive both financial and moral support from everyone,” he emphasized.
Cumalıoğlu: “We Expect a Trade Volume Beyond Expectations”
İZFAŞ General Manager Tuğçe Cumalıoğlu emphasized the critical commercial connections made by foreign investors and participants. “This year, we hosted participants from 27 countries and visitors from over 150. For the first time, we received applications from 12 countries for our Different Marble Design Competition—one of them from Poland even won third place. We have many international buyers. When the fair first began, Turkey’s marble exports were around $77 million. In 30 years, this figure has surpassed $2 billion—rising to $2.5 billion including machinery. Feedback from booths shows unexpected deals and partnerships. That’s why we believe our contributions this year will exceed those of previous years. Marble İzmir is one of the world’s top three natural stone and machinery fairs. We represent İZFAŞ and Marble İzmir at all mining and stone fairs globally. Right after the fair ends, we start working on the next year’s event. As I said, we’ll continue expanding our international network and embracing the whole industry,” she said.