Centrorochas launches exclusive leadership program for business executives at Cachoeiro Stone Fair 2025

An initiative in partnership with FIA Business School will train leaders from Brazil’s natural stone sector in strategic topics such as innovation, people management, corporate strategy, and organizational transformation.

The Brazilian Natural Stone Association (Centrorochas), a nationwide organization, will use the 36th edition of the Cachoeiro Stone Fair, taking place from August 26 to 29 at the Carlos Caiado Barbosa Exhibition Park in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim (ES), to officially launch its Executive Leadership Training Program.

Developed in partnership with FIA Business School, a management foundation linked to the University of São Paulo (USP), the program is designed exclusively for sector leaders and will address strategic themes such as innovation, people management, corporate strategy, and organizational transformation. It will consist of six hybrid modules, combining online classes and in-person sessions, always held on Saturdays, with content tailored to leaders involved in decision-making and business management. Interested parties can now pre-register through the form available at the link: https://forms.gle/2EqVTNSvXQsfTzs57 .

Another highlight will be the first official visit of João Paulo Paixão, Chief Representative of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce in Brazil, to Espírito Santo. Taking place during the fair, this visit represents a strategic opportunity to showcase firsthand the sector’s productive strength and relevance to a high-growth market such as the United Arab Emirates.

According to Centrorochas president Tales Machado, these initiatives reinforce the association’s role as a facilitator and promoter of sector development. “We want to support our leaders in addressing current and future industry challenges, expanding management and innovation capacity. At the same time, we aim to foster significant business connections, such as strengthening ties with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce. Holding all these initiatives during the Cachoeiro Stone Fair underscores our commitment to training and to the strategic connections the event provides,” he said.

Data Business Stone

Centrorochas’ institutional agenda during the fair will also include the participation of Vice President Fábio Cruz in the panel “The tariff hike and the strategic repositioning of the natural stone sector”, part of the Data Business Stone program, a strategic forum presenting economic data, sector analyses, and market insights. Scheduled for August 28, the event will be based on unprecedented studies by Futura Inteligência and will bring together industry leaders to discuss the impact of the tariff hike on exports and to propose strategies such as market diversification, strengthening the domestic market, and logistical and production reorganization.

In addition to these initiatives, the association will maintain an institutional booth at the fair, serving as a meeting point for members, partners, and visitors, fostering networking, business exchanges, and the promotion of initiatives aimed at strengthening the sector in Brazil and abroad.

The Fair

Organized for 36 years by Milanez & Milaneze, a Veronafiere group company, and promoted by Sindirochas, Cetemag, and Centrorochas, the Cachoeiro Stone Fair 2025 has grown 15% compared to the previous year and is fully booked. More than 200 exhibiting brands will occupy 30,000 square meters, showcasing trends in natural stone, machinery, supplies, and equipment, and attracting around 16,000 visitors from across Brazil and abroad.

This year’s edition will also feature the largest display of natural stone blocks ever held at the event: 65 blocks, each weighing approximately 32 tons, totaling over two thousand tons. The organizers expect the 2025 fair to further strengthen Cachoeiro de Itapemirim’s position as a strategic hub for the sector and a showcase for innovation and the competitive potential of Brazil’s natural stone industry.

Cachoeiro Stone Fair 2025 Program

*Tuesday, 08/26

5:00 PM – Opening Ceremony

*Wednesday, 08/27 (Special Program for Marble Workers)

4:00 PM – Talk | Synergy in Project Stages

A conversation sharing practical and creative experiences with natural stone projects, connecting architecture, execution, and results.

Host: Lucas Pianes (Architect)

Guests: Eduardo de Lima & Rafael Matos (Estúdio Ubuntu); João Liparizi (Marmorativa)

5:00 PM – Talk | Marble Workers’ Plaza – Architecture, Stone Workshop, and Client Connection

Architect Rômulo Pegoretti and guests reveal the behind-the-scenes story of the plaza honoring the key role of stone workshops in the sector, a project combining aesthetics, functionality, and emotion.

Host: Rômulo Pegoretti (Architect)

Guests: Marcia Moraes Teixeira (MS Granitos do Brasil), Daniel Silotti (Pedra Limpa)

6:00 PM – Talk | When the Project Goes Viral: What Social Media Didn’t Show About Brazil’s Most Talked-About Construction

In this technical session, professionals directly involved in part of the project reveal behind-the-scenes details, challenges faced, and lessons learned. A real case study based on widely publicized facts, raising important questions about specification, responsibility, and the complex relationship between aesthetics, technical execution, and client expectations.

Hosts: Juliana Piovesana & Felipe De Borba (Marmorizar)

Guests: Thiago Coiro (Bella Marmi), Alexandre Garcia (Akemi Brasil)

*Thursday, 08/28

3:00 PM to 6:00 PM – Data Business Stone

An event organized by Apex and Rede Vitória, designed to be not just a debate space but a technical and strategic forum where economic data, sector analyses, and market experience are discussed objectively to support decision-making in a sector that must respond quickly to changing scenarios. Topics include:

– Sector Data

– The tariff hike and strategic repositioning of the natural stone sector (with centrorochas vice president Fabio Cruz)

– Futura Report: Tariff Hike

– Trump’s Tariff: how will the sector respond to the decade’s biggest trade threat?

– Beyond the US: new markets and horizons for the stone sector

Service – Cachoeiro Stone Fair 2025

Date: August 26 to 29

Location: Carlos Caiado Barbosa Exhibition Park, Av. Francisco Mardegan, 203, Aeroporto, Cachoeiro de Itapemirim (ES)

Organizer: Milanez & Milaneze, a Veronafiere group company

Promotion: Sindirochas, Cetemag, and Centrorochas

Participation is exclusive to professionals in the natural stone sector value chain. Registration is mandatory for visiting: https://www.cachoeirostonefair.com.br/