Analysis of Carrara Marble Business - Case Study Example

The Carrara Marble Type Executive summary The Carrara marble business has for the past two decades gained a lot of momentum. This has been the case majorly due to the escalating growth of the construction industry. The need for luxurious finishing has also led to an increased demand. The marble mining industry has however been in existence for a long time. It has undergone a lot of evolution to the present day efficient and effective process. It has also embraced international participation in terms of investment and markets leading to increased incomes. Despite all these developments, there are a lot of challenges that has marred the industry since it started being exploited for commercial reasons. The environmental effects for instance have raised a lot of concern. Consequently, there is a lot of legislation that has been put up to control the manner of extraction and the measure taken to correct this. On the economic and social front, the Carrara marble mining has had very big impacts. The standards of living have been heightened and the social interactions have increased. This is because many other professional and peoples from outside have come in to contribute to the success of the mining industry. Many investors, as a result of the growing need for the shining stones have expressed interest in joining the industry, keen on reaping the benefits that come with such venture. But to ensure they remain relevant, they have to ensure that they help the human life and growth in the regions of their operation in various ways. This way, they enhance the quality of life, both locally and internationally. Key words Carrara: A city and commune in the Province of Massa, Tuscany, Italy where the Carrara Marble is mined. Carbonate: The chemical makeup of the marble stone Exhibition: An organized presentation and display of a selection of items Finishing: Final decorations done to a house or structure to make it look ideal Exponential Growth: An increasingly increasing growth that is proportional to the functions that bring about such growth. Mining: Extraction of a mineral from the earth. Overview of the topic The word marble means a shining stone having come from the Greek word, Mamaros, which means “to shine”. Marble is a non-foliated, Granular Metamorphic Rock that is formed by the Metamorphism of Limestone and Dolostone. Marble is calcium Carbonate (caCO3). Marble stones are carbonates by chemistry. The first time that mining of marble took place was in the ancient times of the Roman period. It was during the imperial times that the demand for marble Carrara became prevalent and it became a most wanted commodity in the building and construction of houses and structure. Since then Carrara was a synonymous of marble of worldwide fame that was requested worldwide for buildings, statues, objects, etc. To date, about a million tons of Carrara marble is extracted each year for commercial purposes. Marble is mostly used for decorative purposes and can be shaped into blocks, slabs, tiles, for such purposes since antiquity and various people have used the dimension stone in many of the old buildings and landmarks that have survived to the present day. There are major deposits of the high quality and great worth Dimension Stone which was obtainable in an extensive variety of shades, colours and textures. This has dealt a big blow to the development of the marble sectors. Carrara marble is mined at the city of Carrara in Massa province, Italy. It has been used since from the 17th century where the Cybo and Malaspina families who ruled over the place them managed all affairs regarding the mineral. By the end of the 19th century, the Carrara became the main point of battles in Italy especially among the quarry workers due to poor management. Over the time, the mineral has impacted positively in terms of economic and social perspectives having had many Italians employed in the quarries and the management of the mining. The trade transactions of the people have been so essential in building the wealth of the country especially in the town of Carrara where it is mined. There have been many environmental challenges that have come up as a result of the mining processes in the region. The environmentalists have been interested in the degradation of the biodiversity of the place and the ruined geographical beauty of the place. The air pollution has also caught their attention. But despite all those challenges, the mining of that special mineral has continued with many investors being interested in the trade each time. Key findings The Carrara marble is considered as a top quality marble and as a result it is used in the construction and finishing of high end kitchens. It is considered of high quality and durability it is also celebrated for its shine and the ability of adding a luxurious touch to the kitchens and wall finishes where it is used. The professional pastry chefs who have worked in kitchens of such finishing have praised it because it stays cool while rolling out dough. Carrara marble is easy to clean. Carrara marble is usually the first selection for those who want to give their office or home a creative look when used in tiles for interior areas. Carrara marble is probably the first choice of those who want to give their home or office an artistic look. Furthermore, it can be easily polished to incorporate a shining, smooth surface. The durability of the marble is something that comes with price. For instance, the marble costs almost $8 per square foot (as of 2011) and this varies contingently on the quality. This fetches a lot of foreign exchange from the international market. Although Carrara marble is considered strong and durable, it ironically involves the need for constant and special care when utilized for counter tops. As it is a carbonate in chemical composition, it can be corroded when exposed to acids. Carrara marble stains easily because it has a high rate of water absorption. However sealers on the market have been used to reduce the extent of damage cause by reaction with acids. Marble, in the initial stages of extraction was done by human force by with the advancement of technology; the railway came in and solved so much of the transportation problem. This increased even the exploitation levels several times. The private railway of Carrara, which was built between the years of 1876 and 1890, linked the main blocks storage areas for the three Carrara marble production sites, the port and the national railway network. In the advent of the 20th century, road transport came and mechanical tractors and trucks are now being used. This is after road transport became so popular with the introduction of large trucks. The marble mining industry has had a long lasting trade effect on the people of Carrara regions and the whole country, Italy, at large. There are so many business opportunities that have come up. For instance, there has been an increased demand in the consumption rates of the marble since the end of the Second World War. This is because of the increased rates of construction activities in the country. The same applies to other countries in Europe, America and Africa that have had an exponential growth of infrastructural facilities that have called for the need of the marble tiles and blocks. In exchange for this, a lot of money has been earned in the process. This has contributed greatly to the development of the country and the strengthening of its economic conditions. Presently, the wealthiest Chinese, Russians and Indians are obtaining the world’s most costly marbles to build their own kitchen worktops and gem-encrusted fireplaces. The demand for the resource has triplicated in a period five years, showing increased pricing preferably set for specific pieces of marble rock contingent on the rock texture and colour Since marble prices have outgrown the prices of other commodities, the face of business has been changed. This had led to more interest in the mining and exploitation of these mineral. Marble related business has also come up at a very high rate. The machine industry, especially those associated with the mining of marble, fuel industries, construction industry, interior designing, and insurance business has been on an upward spiral. This has enabled many Italian to take up such jobs and reap many benefits as a result. There have also been enormous exhibitions of the carvings and the products of the Carrara marble that have been organized to capture more investment, trading and customers even from the international arena. Entrepreneurs and artists have shown deep enthusiasm in the exhibitions as well as the many visitors from elsewhere who travel to admire installations and sculptures. Socially, the influx of investors has created extensive collaborations, business transaction and interaction between the people who meet at those events. The constant flow of people has created a love for the town and has changed its social composition to comprise aliens and other citizenry. It has also become a basis to build upon and to stage the cultural activities around Carrara. It the near future, more interactions are expected with the heightened international marketing of their exhibitions. Conventionally, the marble stone has been utilized in lavatories for tiles, showers and vanities, but now with the ever increasing market demand, especially from the designers and construction companies to utilize the marble rock for kitchen countertops and walls. The cases have been on an increase especially in the international arena where luxurious finishing is needed. Pollution and the destruction caused by the marble quarries have raised serious issues that plague the fabled marble industry. Marble mining has caused massive erosion which has taken away the beauty of the place. The displacement of the huge soil deposits has forced animals out of the area and rarely do mines support life. The toxicity leaks into the water and kills any organisms that may be in the water. The toxic components also seep into underground water and make it unsafe for consumption. The open quarries are also susceptible to flooding. Air and noise pollution has also been a big problem. The workers are greatly affected by this and may develop many health complications apart from the devastating environmental effects. About 40% of marble waste is dumped either in nearby pits, roads, riverbeds or agricultural fields thus escalating pollution. The depletion of the mines has of late been a major point of debate. The Carrara mines have reduced in terms of the marble deposits having been extracted for more than 500 years. The major decline came into the open when massive exploitation kicked off in the post World War II times. The increase of its demand in the ever growing construction industry further drew the exploitation interests higher. The general effect is that the mines are dwindling and there is a downturn in the earnings as a result. However, the effect is not as grave as that of other minerals in the country. Despite the various issues that affect the mining of Carrara marble, there are a lot of employment opportunities that have come up as a result of the many businesses that have come up. Many graduates have been employed as mining engineers, in the processing sites, operation of the machines, financial services as well as health related services. This had indeed raised the standards of living of the people of the area, the investors in tourism as well as managers of exhibitions. Reflective analysis The project has had a great impact on my insight into the intrigues as well as benefits of the mining business. It has enable me understand the deep amount of knowledge that one must gather before delving into such a venture. There are also many regulation in the industry, given its major effects on the environment, that aim at ensuring that the whole process is undertaken with much care and regard for a good environment. These regulations also differ across countries. In the course of my research as well, I was able to understand how such business manage their finances and market the final product. Managing such ventures is also an uphill task. If any business wanted to get into marble mining, it will be important for them to conduct a market potential survey and propose organizing international fairs to market their goods because there is still a big unexploited market. The firm should also employ modern technology and use more efficient extraction methods to benefit from their efficiency. Implementing modern expertise like information technology during excavating also has progressive effect on the value of their products. Leading companies, or whichever that want to join the trade should know that they should help the community where they operate in. this paints a good picture of their business. The business should also adhere to the environmental aspects of their mining to avoid collisions with the authorities. Since companies need to make life better for the people from their places of operation, they should give more opportunities to them for their growth in social and economic aspects. Supporting human interests will also heighten their likeability. References HENRY L., DIANNE K. (2009) Geomicrobiology (5 Ed.). p. 180. AKBULUT H, GÜRER C. (2003) The environmental effects of waste marble and possibilities ofutilization and waste minimization by using in the road layers. Proceeding of the fourth national marble symposium, Afyonkarahisar, December 2003. p. 371–8 [in Turkish] STEPHEN G. 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