An nyeong ha seyo!! which means Hello in Korean. Good evening!
Respected Founder President, Sh. Veeramani ji, Immediate Past President Sh. Ishwinder Singhji, Distinguished President Sh. Krishna Prasadji, Gen. Sec Sh. Manoj Kumar ji, STONA Chairman Sh. Madanji Jangid, fellow office bearers & EC members.
Foremost, please allow me to thank all of you whole heartedly for entrusting me to carry the beacon of our Federation to its 1st ever representation in Korea. The timing of this strategic decision shows the immense thought process that our FIGSI team is constantly engaged in. Highly commendable Sir.
With over 50 million people in a land spanning 100,000 sq kms, Korea has one of the highest population densities in world.
With GDP per capita of over $40,000 and being the 10th largest economy in the world, it is declared as a developed country.
Its exports mainly comprising electronics & automobiles, with popular brands including Hyundai, Kia, Samsung, LG. Korea imports from India mainly Leather & Ceramics.
With such a huge and rich population, construction is going full scale, and traditionally they have been using stones in all their structures and sculptures till date. With a big demand for stones, they hardly possess any stones.
Even for the few varieties of granite that they do quarry, those varieties are abundantly available in the Jalore & Sadarhally areas of India which are at a fraction of the cost of Korean granites.
The potential for Indian products in Korean stone market is huge & we have tried to capitalise on this gap by promotion of FIGSI, its members & Indian stone products through our representation at the Korea Stone Fair, held at KINTEX, from 21st to 24th February 2024 in its very 1st edition.
There were 40 stone exhibitors out of which 11 were Korean, 15 from China, 12 from Turkey, & 2 from India, including a FIGSI member, Stone Panorama Magazine represented by Sh. Jayesh Rastogi. Here I would like to personally thank him on behalf of FIGSI for supporting my operations from his stall.
And the only Indian stone exhibitor from India, M/s MARLBROS, our EC Member, Sh. Arun ji Malhotra.
Visitor footfall was immense, with over 30,000 visitors on the 1st day. Interest created by Indian stones was genuine, though as the knowledge about most Indian stone varieties is limited, it was more of a curiosity than a demand to buy.
Indian Ceramics & Chinese granites are still holding a major market share, yet the Korean stone importers now are desperately trying to move out of their dependence on China & shift focus to Turkey & Egypt for marbles & to India for granites & other stones.
In this direction, I was able to achieve the following:
We signed an MOU with Ms. Park Sun, President of the Iksan Stone Association, a body of 60 Korean stone manufacturers that are only producing local stone currently, to promote and buy Indian stones, to market and confirm visit to STONA fair, and engage in skilled manpower exchange, so we may train their workers in our skill center and our trained students can work in their factories.
We signed an MOU with Ms Reyhan Segzin, board member of the Aegean Natural Stones & Mineral Exporters Association, a body representing over 3000 Turkish stone companies, for a massive participation in STONA, which is been confirmed for a 2500 sq meter and mutual promotion of their association EIB & FIGSI in respective countries.
Sir, Turkey is a major stone producing nation, with a robust quarrying, manufacturing & sculpting sector. Stalwarts of Turkish stone, like our EC member, Sh Jagdishji Jagetia know how actively they promote their stones.
Yet they were amazed, rather they went crazy when I informed them about our twin skill centers, they simply vowed at the very thought, concept and vision of our leaders, under the direction of Sh. Ishwinder Singh ji that such a Skill center could be established solely for the betterment of our stone sector.
The Turkish thought it would be magical if such a center also came up in their country, they are absolutely keen and requested us to design a skill center in Turkey on similar lines.
We signed an MOU with Mr. Kim Swng, President of the Korean Stone Association, he has already visited STONA, FIGSI office & quarry visits under our EC Member, Yusuf Khan Sab, & met with our President, Sh Krishna Prasad ji and Vice President, Sh Guru Shastrimath ji, he is so impressed by our working that he wishes to associate with us strongly in every way possible, be it promotion of STONA in India, Korea Stone Fair Koex in Seoul, and display of Indian Stones in their Office Gallery.
We had a meeting with Mr KS Jung of the Global Manpower company, solely to evaluate all required formalities to place students trained by our skill center in Korea.
Sir, our skill centers must be renamed, they are no more FIGSI Centers for Stone Excellence, they have already become International Centers for Stone Excellence.
Inauguration of Jaipur Center was held earlier, and Hosur Center has only been unveiled, yet they have already gained global recognition and generated immense international interest.
The world is excited and looking up to us as the pioneer of stone revolution through skilled manpower, we now have a responsibility, not just towards our own industry, but the world stone industry to prove our objectives and establish our mission of stone betterment.
Sir, I now urge you to continue to expedite completion and implementation of all committed functionalities of our skill centers to maintain the trust and integrity that have been endorsed by the global stone forum, aided by FIGSI's Trip to Korea. Sir, here I would like to appreciate and admire the social media team, looked after by Manan for their prompt updates, which showcases a highly tech driven Stone Federation.
Jai Hind!
