Undoubtedly, the way that the country's economy is out of recession is the industries that, despite their high potential, are working far beyond their potential. The country's stone industry is one of the sectors that should be considered as one of the main priorities of the government in development programs, considering the richest and most diverse reserves in the world. Currently, the industry's share of the global market is not beyond one percent.
In order to scrutinize the current situation of the market and examine its problems, we interview with one of the experts in this industry, i.e. Mr. Akbar Zanganeh, the chairman of the board of directors of the marble company in Iran, the largest producer of marble in the country. Zanganeh criticized the main problems of this industry in two parts of supply and demand. Zanganeh believes that the industry needs to recover from a stagnant situation by identifying foreign effective target markets in the demand sector, due to the reduction in the volume of construction and development activities inside the country. This is possible in light of the incentive policies of government exports and the appropriate commercial-political relations with other countries. Zanganeh also evaluates the current state of the technology industry to respond to demand, but it is not possible to inject raw materials consistent with available demand at reasonable prices given the lack of proper equipment in the mining sector. Zanganeh considers the solution to this problem in conducting the banking facility to this sector.

How do you evaluate the potential of the Iranian stone industry, and in particular the potential of the country in marble?
Iran has the first place in terms of the amount of stone reserves and the diversity of marble rocks in the world. Therefore, in terms of resources, we have a very high potential in the world. Marble is a product that has been in special demand since the present and currently demand for this stone has grown considerably both in the domestic and foreign markets. Marble is one of the unique stones that its use in religious places, churches, hotels, restaurants, palaces, castles, etc. has also caused a good demand in the global markets where the country's stone industry will advance to gain market share. That seems to be a big deal with the current problems.
What can you do to get global markets in the stone industry? What are the problems of this industry in the field of exports?
The easiest way in this field is to participate in various exhibitions or rent a warehouse and establish a showroom in the country of destination. But if we want to scrutinize the main reasons for reducing the demand for marble exports, two main reasons can be stated. First, it should be noted that the largest marble customer in the world is the United States of America that we have practically no access to this market because of the political difficulties between the two countries, and our products enter the market of this country in an intermediate manner. For example, our products are exported to China, Italy or Spain as raw materials, and then sent to the markets of America, Australia and Canada after processing. The presence of intermediaries will reduce our share of this market. But another major problem is the lack of access of the country's stone activists to the appropriate banking channels for commercial transactions. The nature of the stone exchanges is due to the high exchange rate so that the parties need time to trade and the use of credits is inevitable. A foreign buyer should have enough time to market and sell the stones and deliver them to the next customer, we also need to have a reference to know that we will get our money within a specified time, but applicants will actually lose their planning power in the absence of credits and they are unwilling to buy from us. Thus, the lack of proper bank channels is one of the factors affecting the reduction of the volume of international demand for Iranian processing stones.
 
How is the industry's domestic market situation?
Now we are faced with a high supply surplus on the domestic market. In one estimate, production volume is more than 4 times the domestic demand. Unfortunately, the infrastructure of the stone industry has been shaped by short-term shocks in the domestic market, and the lack of effective demand for the industry has already been unused. Between 2009 and 2013, huge projects such as Maskan Mehr or Metro and government building activities have increased the capacity of the factories and the establishment of a large number of factories, but many manufacturers are currently in doubt with the decline in construction and the reduction of domestic demand. Of course, creating an effective demand can still be an important solution. For example, the housing exit from a recession or, more importantly, the expansion of the export of stone products is the only way forward for using the potential of this industry.
 
Is raw retail of stone products a factor in reducing the development of stone industry?
I believe that the idea that raw stone exports are a factor in reducing economic value is inaccurate. Six, seven years ago, with the aim of increasing value-added exports of cut stone, toll 70 percent was applied to raw stone exports, but it was surprisingly observed that cutting stone exports reduced by decreasing the raw stone exports. It should be noted that part of the effective demand on the market is absorbed from the raw stone channel. Almost no place in the world, even in highly developed industrial countries, which have a significant advantage in the stone processing with high quality and low prices (such as Italy and China), do not prevent the export of raw stone. Raw stone itself has a value added of 50% and a semi-processed material, so it cannot be said selling raw crude products is an obstacle to the process of foreign exchange to the country.
 
Which section of the stone industry should be reformed?
As you know, each market is moderated according to the supply and demand mechanism. Perhaps at first glance, the figures indicate surplus supply in the stone industry, but we do not have a suitable supply consistent with real demand in the export market. Currently, most of our factories, although not having an high-advanced production line, have some of them up to 90% of the equipment needed to produce high quality stones that can meet the demand for these products. The missing link in the production cycle of stone industry is mine production capacity consistent with efficient demand. In other words, our mines do not have the necessary equipment to increase production in products that have a good export demand.
What is the root of the movement of banking resources towards the factories? What is the strategy of injection into mines?
Providing collateral for high-amounts banking facilities has been one of the main factors driving financial resources towards the factories. Mining licenses have a short-term credit, for example, 5 years, and then, if not renewed, it is void, but the factories are capable of ownership. This is a logical behavior of the banking system, just like any business enterprise, which places the factories at the priority of the loan. But in terms of substance, the capacity of efficiency and creating value-added in mines are much higher than that of factories. In other words, if the justifying and technical appraisal and technical design of the mines are evaluated expertly and scrupulously, not only do banks achieve the principal and interest of loans granted, but the stone industry also benefits from the side-effects of this approach, which is to reduce the price of raw materials and increase the production capacity of mines. While targeting mines as the main destination of the facility, we need to connect the effective demand in the global market to its body. Mines should be strengthened in the production of demanded products in the foreign market, which is the main reason for the out of the industry from recession. Perhaps the consideration of the expert plans of this sector and the involvement of the government in order to guarantee them based on a merit-based approach is worth knowing. At present, our mines do not have the necessary investment power in this sector. ...

Hossein Mahmoudi
Architect
Iranian original stones in the art of architecture today have a special place. It can be said that at least 20-30% of the most used and beautiful stones used in the world are exported from our country to the rest of the world from Europe to East Asia. But only export cannot create a profile and brand fit for a stone. What architects and specialists in this area pay particular attention to is how to process and grind for stone.
The role of architects in the branding of stone products
A simple stone that is not purchased in the country, with its proper processing when it comes to an appropriate polishing and glazing, enters the international arena with a new identity. For example, Iran's thunderstone is used in the world's 5-star hotels while there is no demand for it at a much lower price. It's interesting to know that when consumers in Iran are looking to buy Italian, Indian or Brazilian stones, they are actually buying home-made stones. Many of our stones have been exported to other countries as blocks in the absence of suitable cutting and processing technology, and as such, more valuable brands are entering the country. The anonymity of domestic brands in the market for home-made architects has reached the point where even some factories, by importing similar equipment and producing high quality products, are compelled to use foreign names (for example, Italian stones) to sell their products.
Architects have a huge impact on the stone industry market, and sometimes the market boom and recession will be followed by their decisions. Architects regularly observe journals and news about the use of decorative stones in different parts of the world, from famous buildings to hotels and ultimately to luxury homes. Using a particular type of stone by them will guide the behavior of the applicants and send an effective demand to the market. For example, Travertine Silver was a stone that some thought it should be used on sidewalks, but the application of it in the facade by one of the activists in the country strongly influenced its popularity and demand, or the use of the stone in Europe has increased its price by up to 4 times the Dehbid stone (the best of the homeland stones). So if today’s homeland stones do not have domestic demand and prevailing stones used are foreign brands, the origin of this signal should be probed in the logical approach of the architects. Architects have a thorough and subtle view of the choice of stone, from its dimensions, designs, and its integrity to its polishing and glazing and its implementation. When home-grown products are so scrutinized by experts in this area, they generally lack demand. In the meantime, instead of criticizing this group, it should be noted that this fact reflects the low productivity and sterility of the country's stone industry in the appropriate processing of stone products. The cycle of creating effective demand initially begins with the production of world-class products. When architects have a range of high quality stones, each building and construction can be an advertising and arena for institutionalizing the Iranian brand.
Improving the country's stone condition depends on the improvement of the processing of stone products. At present, our mines are working at low productivity and inappropriate technology. The products of stone cutting, which are the first step in the production process to make the right payment, giving attractive polishing and glaze, and also producing products whose implementation with the least possible flaws and possible beautiful form at all stages is defective. Obviously, when products are not offered in the proper quality, they will not be demanded, but these products will be a high quality and popular product for applicants when they are processed by another country and once again imported into the country. So the first step is to improve the condition of the mining equipment. The government has to buy and equip its technology with the prospect and potential of mines. Parallel to this approach, the government should provide a platform for linking architects and manufacturers and introducing homeland products to experts in the field. Holding conferences with an approach to expanding the use of domestic products can be a solution. In this regard, it is possible to introduce the most widely used foreign products samples and compare it with domestic processed samples. This also stimulates the supply sector of the country to produce high quality products. Equipping the supply sector, producing high quality products, and comparing them with foreign samples to experts in this area, is in fact a structured branding process for stone industry products.
Domestic architects must also learn the knowledge of stone in a country that is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of having stone mines. In this regard, the establishment of a school or a training base for the accurate knowledge of the stone and its application in different areas compatible with environmental conditions is worth paying attention to. Now, most of the accumulated experiences in this area are the result of trial and error tests, which are both costly, also increase the risk of investment. In the light of the true understanding of the nature of the various stones, the process of introducing and creating a market for it will be carried out with high speed and accuracy. ...

Engineer Mohammad Reza Nikbakht
Perhaps in a general survey, it can be said that the current state of the stone industry, like other industries in the country, has been influenced by the prevailing economic situation. The conditions that affect the general industry of the country and there are points of commonality among them in many ways. Architectural art generally requires that the obsession with the use of stone products be always used either for the quality of the product or for its welcome in global markets. We cannot expect architects to use out-of-stock or inferior quality products to support domestic products, but one can hope to provide a product that is compatible with the tastes of applicants, creating a market for it and developing the products in the field.
 
Architectural look to Iranian stone industry
Our country is rich in terms of diversity and various resources of decorative stones. Even in the present conditions, some Iranian stone samples, such as black, red, and yellow travertines, are still published in foreign journals and world-class magazines, or marbles of white, yellow, green, etc. have no similar foreign samples. The existence of these mines indicates the potential of the country's industry to attend the international arena. But entering the global markets involves varying economic and commercial conditions. An architect cannot scrupulously analyze the economic and commercial stone industry but can easily examine why the demand for imported stones is more than the existing ones inside the country.
When the structure formed in various industries, in particular, the stone industry is based on the knowledge available in this field, the products will be offered in such a way that they will consider all the prospects for market share. Architects apply stones to use in their projects that are consistent with global trends and existing methods of production and supply. Therefore, if we want to have a review on the existing state of the country from the perspective of an architect, it can be said that the knowledge poverty in this industry has affected all its dimensions. When manufacturers seek to gain global markets, they constantly monitor new products and they will produce it if there is a potential capacity in the country. Producing a product that is compatible with global demand will be needed to improve the productivity of industries and equip the machinery, along with global changes. In other words, attention to the main consumers of stone products implicitly inject productivity and strive to reduce production costs. The use of architects of stone products in projects is, in fact, an affirmation of the quality and updating of products. Architects cannot be expected to create false demand for the stone industry, and, contrary to desire and scientific nature of their field, will block the entrance of foreign stones to the domestic market. The beauty of stones is relative like other beauties, and what drives the orientation and convergence of tastes into a particular stone is the attention of manufacturers to the knowledge of the day and the movement trends of the global markets.
At present, it cannot be said that the quality of all domestic products is low, even some manufacturers produce very good quality stones, but our production capacity does not fit into the wide range of existing stones in the market. Occasionally, production units even lose the market for stones of high demand worldwide due to low production volumes. The entry of a stone into the market and its use in various projects in different parts of the world is the basis for introducing and branding it in global markets. Therefore, any disruption in this field means the loss of demand for domestic products and the entry of alternative foreign products. In the absence of reasonable consistency and sufficient knowledge, markets cannot be properly targeted and many sources of the country are lost. In addition to supplying appropriate knowledge and adjusting the supply of the country in line with the demand on the world markets, appropriate support should be considered to facilitate the flow of production in the country. Producing a high quality product of worldwide origin also requires competitive advantage. This factor is not possible, except in the form of government support, export incentives and, more importantly, appropriate political interactions. Undoubtedly, appropriate economic and commercial interactions are always the cause of the political relations that are appropriate to other countries. The set of these factors will lead to the production of high quality products with competitive power in different countries and can be a step in the direction of development of the country's stone industry. ...

The first “meeting of the Challenges and Opportunities of Iran's Stone Industry” was held recently and talks about a memorandum of understanding between Iran and Italy's stone industry were presented. According to this agreement, it was proposed to establish an Iran and Italy stone joint Institute in the Rey City. According to experts and activists of Iran's stone industry, the largest export destination for Iranian decorative stone is the lack of technical knowledge to produce high quality products and the lack of adequate familiarity with marketing in the global market. To overcome these obstacles, creating training units for stone activists can solve the problems in this sector. According to the information provided by the authorities, the education of the activists of the decorative stone industry, in addition to Rey City, the establishment of the institute in Isfahan, Mahallat and Fars is also on the agenda. Member of the board of directors and secretary of the Iranian stone association about the establishment of Iran and Italy Institute of Stone said: The establishment of an institute is aimed at educating all stone industry activists from simple worker to undergraduate courses to improve their work and skills. Ahmad Sharifi believes that export development and increase of Iran's stone quality level depend on education which the desired result will not be achieved without it. He mentioned the results obtained from the negotiations between the Association of Iranian and Italian Stone Industries and said that the training center, which is to be founded with the investment of the Iran and Italy Stone Association, will start its operation in addition to one million and 500 thousand euros. Sharifi stated that the main node which should be opened for the development of Iran's export of stones is training and should therefore be given priority, saying: In fact, the Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the technical and professional organization, the Iranian Stone Association and the Italian Stone Association which provides technical and professional facilities to the institute, which results in the Institute's activity with very high capacity. Isfahan University of Technology and educational institutions in Isfahan have been negotiating for the establishment of the institute's center in this province. The secretary of Iranian stone association has signed a memorandum of understanding with Isfahan University of Technology to establish the Institute along with Tehran to find a way to build a stone industry pole in Isfahan. In this way, two very powerful and efficient training centers will be set up and opened to enhance the level of knowledge and ability of individuals by providing practical training and theory together. Other training programs for standard production are also in mining and processing, marketing and exporting of mineral products. He believes that people working in the field of Iranian stone industry, with training in marketing and exports, can be prepared to enter the target market. The result is 100% positive. The CEO of Zarsa Zagros stone Company in an interview with Samat about the establishment of the joint institute of Iran and Italy's stone industry and its impact on this area stated: The establishment of joint educational institutions with Italy is 100% beneficial to the Iranian stone industry and it will boost and restore life to the decorative stones mines of the country. Farzad Taheri said: "One of the problems of the Iranian stone industry is the lack of sufficient knowledge to carry out mining activities. In the years 1997 to 2005, new Italian machinery was imported into Iran, but the use of them was not possible due to the lack of software and technical knowledge. He believes that holding training courses is one of the most important needs of the stone industry. For example, a country like China does not have the remarkable technology for the stone industry, but produces high-quality products due to its mastery of technical knowledge and innovation, because they define certain conditions for each stone and therefore have complete assurance of the results. According to the activist of the decorative stone industry, there are new technologies and equipment in Iran, but, on the other hand, there are no experts who have mastery and knowledge of using this equipment. On the other hand, the arrival of specialist experts from the countries that own the technology also has a high cost. Thus, holding training classes and learning the right way of working to stone industry working actors is much more important than importing equipment and technologies of the day.
Taheri stated: "Today, active users and workers in the production line should be up-to-date and know which sector of what kind of equipment and the technologies should use." The result is a major step towards the development of Iranian products exports and leads to an increase in the quality of domestic products. In response to the extent to which miners and stone industry enthusiasts are welcome to attend training classes, he said: There will certainly be a good welcome from the stone miners. Especially with the establishment of a joint institute in the Mahmoudabad area of Isfahan, stones cutter can take part in training classes. They are fully aware of the defect of their work, which is due to lack of technical knowledge. The lack of technical knowledge has always been raised at the meetings between the activists of this field and it is said that if some of Iran's decorative stone reserves were given to the leading countries in the stone industry, such as Italy, they were able to capture the global market, because the problem is only in the processing sector, and if we can properly process the products, it will surely be a positive result and a big leap in the Iran stone industry. ...