From October 19th to 24th, 2025, the global sand and gravel industry will focus on Cordoba, Spain - the 8th GAIN Conference and the 7th Spain National Sand and Gravel Conference, jointly hosted by FDA and Aggregates Europe, will be held grandly.

SBM Group, as the president unit of China Sand and Gravel Association, was invited to attend the conference. Fang Libo, the president of China Sand and Gravel Association and the general manager of SBM Group, led a delegation of China Sand and Gravel Association to Europe to participate in the grand event with industry colleagues from more than 30 countries, actively integrating into the exploration and exchange of sustainable development paths in the global sand and gravel industry.

This is the third time in recent years that Fang Libo has been invited to attend the GAIN conference, and it is also his first time standing on the international stage as the dual identity of "industry association president+enterprise general manager" after being elected as the president of the China Sand and Gravel Association. It marks that the Chinese sand and gravel industry is taking a more open attitude, deeply participating in global industry cooperation and exchanges, and actively sharing Chinese experience and wisdom.

GAIN's statement: China's experience attracts global attention

As one of the international conferences with the highest standards and widest coverage in the global sand and gravel field, this GAIN conference is jointly held with the Spanish National Sand and Gravel Conference for the first time, attracting industry delegations from more than 30 countries in Europe, America, Asia, Oceania, and Africa, covering about 75% of the world's sand and gravel production.

Alberto Novaya Rodriguez, President of the Spanish Sand and Gravel Federation, Jim O'Brien, President of GAIN, and Antonis Antonio Laturos, President of the European Sand and Gravel Aggregate Association, co chaired the meeting. The collision of industry leaders and experts pushed Cordoba to the "historic coordinates" of the global sand and gravel industry.

Representatives from the China Sand and Gravel Association shared their practical experience in the rapid development of China's sand and gravel industry over the past decade, including the construction of green sand and gravel mines, intelligent and energy-efficient production, and comprehensive utilization of solid waste. Fang Libo, President of the China Sand and Gravel Association and General Manager of SBM Group, delivered a report on advanced technologies in China's sand and gravel aggregate industry, which was widely praised and recognized by international representatives attending the conference.

During the conference, GAIN Chairman Jim O'Brien stated, "Ten years ago, China actively learned from Europe's experience in the sand and gravel industry. Ten years later, Europe and countries around the world need to learn from China's technology and experience. As the world's largest sand and gravel market, your practice has important reference significance for the transformation of the global industry." He praised the development speed of China's sand and gravel industry in the past decade and looked forward to China's experience injecting new momentum into the sustainable development of the global sand and gravel industry.

New Quality Productivity: Driving Industry Change

Currently, the global sand and gravel industry is at a critical juncture of "green transformation" and "technological innovation". Global sandstone professionals are conducting in-depth discussions on the "survival and development" of the industry.

Fang Libo pointed out that the issues of concern to international peers essentially point to the integration and application of "new quality productivity" in traditional industries. In recent years, China's sand and gravel industry has undergone profound industrial transformation, and its development path has important reference significance for the world.

Fang Libo emphasized that the application of new technologies will help equipment manufacturing enterprises effectively reduce initial investment and operating costs, and will strongly drive innovation and transformation in the entire equipment field.

Win Win Future: Breaking Waves with Global Customers

As a high-end equipment manufacturing enterprise serving the world, SBM Group has aroused strong interest from international peers.

Guy Woodford, editor in chief of Aggregates Business and a well-known media figure in the global aggregates industry, said, "SBM Group - a major global quartz and mining equipment and turnkey solutions provider with self operated quartz and clients across 180 countries - will share its provision of expertise in equipment, processing, quartz and mine management, and international operations.

The sand and gravel aggregate industry is heading towards the deep blue sea of transformation and upgrading, and energy-efficient intelligent equipment is its core engine for breaking through the waves. As an industry leader, SBM Group takes technological innovation as the rudder and market demand as the sail. It not only cultivates high-quality and intelligent crushing and screening equipment, but also optimizes its operational layout globally. It is committed to forging the "ballast stone" for high-quality development of the forging industry and working with global partners to achieve a better future!

Conclusion

From the initial exploration in Dublin to the resonance in Cordoba, representatives of China's sand and gravel industry are steadily moving towards the world... Fang Libo's delegation to Europe this time is not only a learning and exchange experience, but also a vivid interpretation of China's sand and gravel enterprises' "going global".

The future has arrived, and the voice of China's sand and gravel industry is causing ripples worldwide.Editor/Gong Ziwei