Shandong Province, with long years culture sedimentation, is one of the contested places since the ancient time. With rapid development of Shandong stone industry, many industry leading enterprises gathered here from 2005.

Since the "Eleventh Five-year Plan", Shandong stone industry has become the second biggest province of China on industry added value, producing volume and foreign exchange from exporting, ranking only behind Fujian. This makes Shandong become one of the most potential stone industry markets of China. Located in Bohai Circle Region Economy Circle, may Shandong become the "Shuitou" or "Yunfu" in northern and create new opportunities in north China?

Rapid growth during critical time

After financial crisis, global demands decreased, and the situation would last some more time. Even the foreign needs would recover, there will be with structure adjustment, so China stone market development can no long depend on demands of international markets. Therefore, China stone enterprises based on import and export were widely influenced. But, still, there will be new increasing opportunities and new application sectors of "Twelfth Five-year Plan" stone industry in which the Bohai Circle Region economy cycle basing on Shandong province is now rising.

In 2011, Shandong leading companies achieved earning RMB 47.4 billion, revenue RMB 6.3 billion, respective increasing 29% and 23%, also with production of marble 5.67 million sqm, granite 58.43 million sqm, total achieved 64 million sqm, which make the economic indicator be the No. 2 in whole country. In the first quarter of 2012, when global economic situation was unstable and domestic economic was changing, the whole stone industry achieved earning RMB 12.1 billion, increasing 37% than that of 2011, and revenue RMB 1.7 billion, increasing 28%.

Holding opportunities during transitional period

Firstly, Shandong is located in Bohai Circle Region Economy Cycle that it takes advantages of good natural ports and industry basis. And, the development of the Cycle has driven infrastructure, residential and investment construction of Shandong as well as surrounding cities. Rising of those real estate market offers advanced future of stone market.

Shandong, as one of the famous stone provinces in China should continue doing innovation. We can see from law of industry development that industry adjustment and market needs are determined elements of every change and fluctuation during economy increasing process. Industry adjustments often tend to new development energy and industry chances. After more than 30 years development, there have been new increasing and supporting points of China stone industry which is from resources input to added value and branding promotion on technologies, services and industry chain segmentation. Stone enterprises gain profits no more from processing and selling but by promoting industry chain to home decoration market, perfecting industry mating system, creating industry originality, advancing competitiveness and enhancing services. 

For a time, the investment on construction of China will be more expanded without decreasing. Urbanization processing will enlarge the demand of infrastructure and real estate construction. Enterprises from Shandong should hold on to the opportunities to develop a more invincible stone market.

Innovation during development

Local enterprises of Shandong are turning development point to follow the new rising market. Stone groups like Laizhou, Pingyi, Wulian and Jiaxiang are supporting some leading stone enterprises with advanced technology, outstanding competitiveness and good reputation by integrating recourses and annexation and reorganization. These enterprises can make full use of market distribution recourses to carry out key projects and form an upstream and downstream integration stone industry. Except main stone groups, other local markets like Zhaoyuan, Rongcheng, Sishui, Wenshang should also take advantages of recourses to enhance cooperation on production, research, circulation, trading and information. High added value products like high end products, stone carving and craft products should be more developed as well as processing ability with advanced machines. Besides, following world green trend, China stone industry should set up thorough waste treatment standards and develop sustainable economy to create a long living industry chain.

With five years efforts, Shandong stone industry group has developed as domestic biggest stone group with rational construction, complete industry chains and green policies. In 2015, the total value of out-put of Shandong stone industry group will be 800 billion RMB with 1-2 groups over 10 billion income and 2-3 group over 5 billion. Together with two international stone fairs- Qingdao and Laizhou, the groups will further expand domestic and international stone markets.

International fairs for development

External forces should be used for market development and promotion that all recourses can be used to organizing activities and creating chain structures in order to form a win win situation. In July 16-19, the 6th China Qingdao International Stone fair will be held at Qingdao International Convention Center which is supported by China Stone Association, Shandong Stone Association and Qingdao Municipal Government. Devoted to pushing Huaibohai cycle stone market, the fair will offer the industry a one stop purchasing platform to help exhibitors finding projects and buyers. The fair will put near by stone markets in motion like Beijing, Shandong, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shanxi and Liaoning, etc.

There will be related stone industry forum and other activities during the fair period which will be reported by Create Living Stone magazine.Still can be predicted that during the "Twelfth Five-year Plan" period, there will be new innovation, new development, new actions and new promotion of China stone industry. And the Qingdao International Stone Fair will focus on north China market and cover the whole China as well as nearby Asia markets to create a more active Shandong stone industry group.