stone world 201001
TRANSCRIPT
Fabricator Market ForecastReport from Liguria, Italy
www.stoneworld.com
January 2010
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6 January 2010 | Stone World
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10 January 2010 | Stone World
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Stone World | January 2010 13
January 2010 • Vol. 27, No. 1www.stoneworld.com
DEPARTMENTS 16 Stone Column 19 Newsline 22 Statistics 26 News 87 Calendar 88 New Literature 90 New Products 91 New Equipment 92 Stone of the Month 93 Machine of the Month 94 Marketplace 97 Classified 98 Ad Index
FEATURES 34 Fabricators predict improvement for 2010
Fabricator Case Studies 46 Adapting for continued success 54 Nevada fabricator merges technology and craftsmanship
62 Defining a flagship building in stone
66 Exploring Liguria’s stone heritage 70 The palazzos and churches of Liguria 72 Processing slate since 1925 74 An innovator in slate production 76 Working slate with advanced technology 78 Operating an historic quarry site 80 Seeking pure Rosso Levanto 82 Making a science of stone production
84 Fabricating Technology
STONE WORLD Volume 27, Issue 1 (ISSN 1052-6994) is published 12 times annually, monthly, by BNP Media, 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084-4903. Telephone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualif ed individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualif ed individuals in the U.S.A.: $104.00 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualif ed individuals in Canada: $137.00 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $154.00 (int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2010, by BNP Media. Periodicals Postage Paid at Troy, MI and at additional mailing off ces. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: STONE WORLD, P.O. Box 2144, Skokie, IL 60076. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. GST account: 131263923. Send returns (Canada) to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 6B2. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to STONE WORLD, P.O. Box 2144, Skokie, IL 60076. For single copies or back issues: contact Ann Kalb at (248) 244-6499 or [email protected].
On the Cover: For this kitchen space, Perfection Connection of Carson City, NV, fabricated slabs of Delirium granite. The edge profile is a 2-cm Ogee with a 4-cm bullnose. A full-length feature on Perfection Connection starts on page 54, one of many fabricator-related features in this issue.
Coming Next Month: In February, Stone World will present its annual “Report from Latin America,” which will include a look at the stone producers from this region. The next edition will also include a series of Fabricator Case Studies as well as project articles focusing on the latest uses of stone in architecture.
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STONE COLUMNLEGITIMATE SIGNS OF LIFE IN 2010
In this issue of Stone World, we present our annual Fabricator Market Forecast (page 34), where hundreds
of stone fabrication professionals from around the country offer their predictions for the coming year as
well as their expectations for the long-term. Moreover, this study gauges how stone fabricators plan to
spend their money in 2010 — in real dollar amounts.
Perhaps surprising, the fabricators we polled are relatively optimistic about the coming year. While the full
report on page 34 is a must-read for anyone in the industry, the following is a brief summary of the results:
• 45% said the stone market will increase in 2010; 40% said it would stay the same; only 15%
said there would be further declines
• Looking fi ve to 10 years down the road: 83% said the stone market will increase; 11% said it
would stay the same; only 6% said it would decline
Fabricators gave a number of reasons for their guarded optimism, mostly citing an improving
economy and housing market — particularly with regard to models. “Customers will remodel
the homes they are living in and make them more comfortable, especially kitchens,” stated one
fabricator.
A number of fabricators also said that business simply “can’t get any worse” than it was in
2009. “I have a gut feeling that things have hit bottom and will begin to pick up in the second
quarter of 2010,” stated one respondent, while another commented, “I believe that people have
been sitting on their money because of the economy, and after three years of that, some customers will
need to update their home or just fi x it up to sell.”
Going beyond opinions, the Stone World Fabricator Market Survey asked industry professionals how
they planned to invest this year. About half of the fabricators polled said they are planning equipment
investments in 2010, and highlights include:
• One out of 10 fabricators will buy a CNC machine this coming year, expecting to spend close to $200,000.
• One out of 10 fabricators will buy a waterjet this coming year, expecting to spend close to $185,000.
• One out of fi ve fabricators will buy a bridge saw this coming year, expecting to spend close to $80,000.
• One out of fi ve fabricators will buy a polisher this coming year, expecting to spend close to $50,000.
• One out of six fabricators will invest in air/water treatment, expecting to spend more than $20,000.
• One out of three fabricators will invest in handling equipment, expecting to spend close to $35,000.
Based on these survey results, it is clear that although 2010 will not be a return to the glory days of
2006, there should be quite a bit more activity in the industry. Some folks out there are planning major
investments — many for the fi rst time in several years. The general consensus seems to be that consumers
are emerging from their “cocoon of fear” that has hampered our industry for several years, and fabricators
are preparing themselves for an upswing in business.There are plenty of other positive indicators in our survey that I don’t have room to mention in this
column — which is why you need to read the report on page 34 — and the majority of them point to a rebound (of some sort) in the coming year.
Michael Reis, Editor/Associate Publisher
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Stone World | January 2010 19
NEWSLINESTONEXPO/MARMOMACC AMERICAS AND SURFACES ANNOUNCE CO-LOCATION BEGINNING IN 2011 . . .
Hanley Wood Exhibitions announced that StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas and Surfaces will co-locate beginning in January of 2011. Both exhibitions will be held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV, from January 26 to 28, with conferences beginning on January 25.
Over the past several years, organizers report that StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas has experienced a steady increase in quality attendees, and an expansion of exhibit offerings to include more natural stone as well as alternative surfaces. They stated that the co-location of StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas and Surfaces is a natural fit for both events.
“The decision to co-locate StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas and Surfaces was made for several reasons,” stated Dana Teague, Surfaces and StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas Show Director. “Combining the two events will allow the stone industry and the flooring industry unparalleled education and networking opportunities as well as exposure to the largest product selection of any show of its kind. Also, moving StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas to late January gives those exhibitors who also take part in Marmomacc in Verona, Italy, the chance to catch their breath before heading to Las Vegas.”
“The Marble Institute is supportive of the decision to co-locate StonExpo with Surfaces beginning in 2011,” said Gary Distelhorst, CAE, Executive Vice President and CEO of the Marble Institute of America, also an Official Sponsor of StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas. “We feel this provides an incredible opportunity for StonExpo exhibitors to get exposure to the approximately 25,000 attendees at Surfaces, as well as a great opportunity for StonExpo registrants to visit the Surfaces trade show and meet new suppliers, see new products and obtain new knowledge. In today’s world of needing to be nimble and innovative, the co-location of StonExpo and Surfaces seems to me to be a home run.”
Other industry veterans have supported the decision, pointing to the additional contact with the design community as an advantage for both shows. “We are very excited about the impending co-location of the StonExpo and Surfaces shows,” states Mark Fernandes, President of Luck Stone Corp. “There is clearly an opportunity for the stone industry to benefit from the visibility we will gain as a result of the foot traffic and demographic of the Surfaces event.”
As the Official Sponsor of Surfaces, the World Floor Covering Association welcomes the move, stating that the products and services available at both shows are complementary, and the mix of attendees is very similar. “Year after year, Surfaces broadens its product scope to encompass everything the consumer is looking for when building or purchasing a new home. From the ‘Window and Wall Covering’ pavilion introduced in 2005 to the newly created ‘Above the Baseboard’ pavilion, Surfaces continually strives to meet the needs of our attendees and their customers,” said Chris Davis, President and CEO of the World Floor Covering Association. “This co-location is a natural progression for the show and will only enhance and strengthen the commitment Surfaces has for the entire industry. We’re glad to have StonExpo join us in 2011 and look forward to working together in making both shows a huge success.”StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas and Surfaces will continue to offer separate conference programs focusing on the unique needs of each trade. While the two events will have separate entrances into the exhibit hall, attendees will be free to visit exhibits for both shows.
StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas’ Official Sponsors are the Marble Institute of America (MIA) and Natural Stone Council. For more information on StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas, call 866-550-6808 or visit www.StonExpo.com.
ELBERTON GRANITE ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT THOMAS A. ROBINSON TO RETIRE . . .
After 37 years in the stone industry, and nearly 30 years with the Elberton Granite Association (EGA), Thomas A. Robinson announced his retirement as Executive Vice President of the organization, which is based in Elberton, GA.
“I have been working in the stone business since 1972,” Robinson said. “I joined the Elberton Granite Association in 1980, and in 1990, I was offered the position as Executive Vice President. During this time, the ‘diamond revolution’ was well on its way to changing the way we saw, grind and even polish. Diamonds began showing up in just about every step of production. This allowed natural stone to once again be competitive with other building materials.”
According to Robinson, it was this development that helped the stone industry advance to new heights. “In my opinion, the revolution of the man-made diamond and its application to various pieces of production equipment jump-started the stone industry into the 21st century,” he explained.
Speaking on the current state of the industry, Robinson said that international competition remains a constant challenge. “Today, more than ever, the industry is operating in a global market,” he said. “Foreign suppliers prefer to set up their own distributors rather than allowing just anyone to represent their stone. In my opinion, the marketplace has become more competitive. New automated machinery must be developed so that U.S. producers can create an advantage for their products and services.”
Looking back on his tenure with the EGA, Robinson pointed to the growth of products coming out of the Elberton region as particularly rewarding. “One of the most satisfying events for the Elberton producers has been their willingness to manufacture a variety of stones,” he said. “We want to establish Elberton as the ‘stone source.’ We are more than gray granite. The industry is moving in that direction, and that can only mean good things for the area.”
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20 January 2010 | Stone World
NEWSLINEVERMONT QUARRIES ANNOUNCES ACHIEVEMENT OF GREENGUARD CERTIFICATION FOR MARBLE SURFACING . . .
Vermont Quarries of Mendon, VT, has announced its achievement of Greenguard Indoor Air Quality and Greenguard Children & Schools Certification for marble surfacing. Greenguard-certified products must meet stringent emissions requirements set by the Greenguard Environmental Institute (GEI), such as being screened for more than 10,000 chemicals. Greenguard-certified products are recognized, referenced or preferred by many retailers, companies, institutions, government agencies, environmental programs, standards and specifications around the globe. All certified products can be found in a free online product guide at www.greenguard.org.
Vermont Quarries also reports being the first quarry to have its complete line of marble certified under this program. Vermont Danby marble has met the qualification standards for LEED certification credit 7.1: Heat Island Effect, non-roof: Using light-colored natural stone with a solar-reflective index of 20 or greater can reduce heat-island effects. Danby marble comes in at over 60, the company reports. All Danby slabs will be labeled with the Greenguard certification stickers. This will let clients know that not only is Danby marble highly suitable for kitchens due to its low absorption, but it is also a clean and safe marble to use in their home. In regards to commercial projects, it is possible that the Greenguard certification will qualify Danby marble for another LEED certification point under innovation and design. With LEED certifications so far, Danby marble will add to any project within 500 miles of the quarry two LEED points confirmed — with a possible third with Greenguard. If the project is outside of the 500 mile radius, a minimum of one to two points will still apply. Finally, Vermont Quarries is announcing its availability to give companies a CEU Learning AIA Credit with a presentation on “Marble Use in the Kitchen.” Everyone in attendance, including architects and designers, will receive one learning credit. This is for both interior designers as well as architects. Find out more at www.vermontquarries.com.
U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE COURT RULES FOR ANTI-DUMPING DUTY ORDERS AGAINST CERTAIN DIAMOND SAW BLADES FROM CHINA AND KOREA . . .
The U.S. Court of International Trade recently ordered the U.S. Department of Commerce to issue and publish anti-dumping duty orders and order the collection of cash deposits on subject diamond saw blades from China and Korea. The move is in response to a petition from the “Diamond Sawblades Manufacturers Coalition,” and as a result, the Department of Commerce will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to suspend liquidation and collect cash deposits on diamond saw blades from China and Korea at ad valorem rates.
Although the International Trade Commission (ITC) initially reported that the U.S. was not materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of saw blades from China and Korea, that finding was challenged by the Diamond Sawblades Manufacturers Coalition. Ultimately, the ITC changed its determination and found that a U.S. industry is threatened with material injury by reason of imports of saw blades from China and Korea.
While the U.S. companies in the Diamond Sawblade Manufacturers Coalition are based primarily in the concrete industry, the ruling is also said to affect the natural stone industry. The products covered by these orders are all finished circular saw blades, whether slotted or not, with a working part that is comprised of a diamond segment or segments and parts thereof, regardless of specification or size. Among the exceptions to this order are saw blades with diamonds directly attached to the core with a resin or electroplated bond, as well as diamond saw blades and/or saw blade cores with a thickness of less than 0.025 inches or greater than 1.1 inches.
In its final determination, the Department of Commerce ruled that concave and convex cores, and finished diamond saw blades produced from such cores, are within the scope of the investigations. It also ruled that metal-bonded diamond 1A1R grinding wheels and granite contour diamond saw blades are within the scope of the investigations.
ONE LINERS . . .The Stone Fabricators Alliance officially launched its new Web site during StonExpo. The Web site is dedicated
to helping fellow stone fabricators learn through the exchange of information in a forum-based blog. The Stone Fabricators Alliance (SFA) is a member-driven organization made up of stone fabricators, stone restoration professionals, vendors and equipment manufacturers that come together to discuss how to improve the natural stone industry. The new site can be found at www.stonefabricatorsalliance.com.
Groves, Inc. of Woodstock, IL, announced the promotion of Ryan Jentel to Sales Manager for all of its product lines in glass and stone storage/fabrication systems. Jentel previously held the position of Account Executive for the “Ready Rack” line of fire department storage systems at Groves. He will oversee all aspects of the sales cycle, from customer contact to order delivery. “Since I’ve been involved here, we’ve brought dozens of new and innovative products to market,” said Jentel. “2010 will definitely see that trend continue and even increase. It’s an exciting time for Groves, Inc. and for me personally.” For more information, call 800-991-2120 or visit www.Groves.com.
Any questions regarding Newsline, contact: Newsline Editor, Stone World, 210 Route 4 East, Suite 203, Paramus, NJ 07652; Fax: 201-291-9002; E-mail: [email protected].
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22 January 2010 | Stone World
ALBANIA 16,351 23
ARAB EMIRATES 42,162 122
ARGENTINA 43,551 40 166,056 83
BELGIUM 181,583 62 10,805 98
BRAZIL 32,025,718 39,118 196,728 145 464,558 285,285 342
BULGARIA 54,004 57
CANADA 1,348,586 3,836 720,800 3,139 261,886 2,276,764 2,645
CHILE 4,693 4
CHINA 16,616,193 23,221 7,731,720 8,456 2,148,864 931,712 1,017
COLOMBIA 47,624 110
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 57,600 111 125,364 327
EGYPT 11,474 20 437,342 643
FINLAND 2,138 1
FRANCE 992,214 545 2,966 22,220 17
GERMANY 6,919 3 250,207 161 2,719 9,570 9
GREECE 258,739 199
HONG KONG 64,898 64 59,960 38
INDIA 7,667,912 14,899 435,839 558 1,926,054 2,378,448 26,536
INDONESIA 91,177 568 393,991 478 15,997 31
IRELAND 3,168 1
ISRAEL 74,160 31 884,362 793
ITALY 7,225,629 6,927 7,420,458 4,000 81,589
JAPAN 2,881 1
JORDAN 70,855 130
KOREA 5,450 1
LEBANON 38,308 48
LIECHTENSTEIN 7,825 1
MALAYSIA 14,756 21
MEXICO 8,775 4 4,235,520 9,611 23,280 380,954 3,312
NORWAY 8,844 6
PAKISTAN 334,061 203
PERU 1,064,953 1,062
PHILIPPINES 19,709 70 159,469 195 3,450 18
POLAND 3,097 1
PORTUGAL 34,788 20 1,328,785 990
ROMANIA 4,851 2
SAUDI ARABIA 31,775 34
SINGAPORE 49,431 61
SPAIN 640,830 731 2,051,930 1,446 134,291 59,249 42
SWEDEN 19,414 41
SWITZERLAND 11,263 3
TAIWAN 2,021,367 1,884 90,584 83 3,238 1
THAILAND 5,720 19 103,985 12 5,646
TOKELAU 4,750 45
TUNISIA 59,945 12,906
TURKEY 3,321 3 21,077,421 39,361 3,677 5
UNITED KINGDOM 25,757 3 106,507 54,958 1,264
URUGUAY 36,549 27
ZIMBABWE 695,103 345 2,787 1
OTHER 387,914 275 206,419 327 16,654 37,481 190
TOTAL SEPTEMBER 2009 69,150,064 92,298 51,350,834 86,432 5,175,014 6,501,422 35,553
TOTAL SEPTEMBER 2009 95,376,063 193,066 76,611,672 134,330 8,344,599 7,676,152 46,890
STATISTICSSeptember 2009 | Imports to the U.S. Customers value in dollars does not include insurance or freight
*includes marble, travertine, alabaster and other calcareous stone, **tonnage figures not available, ***includes dolomite, sandstone, quartzite, basalt, porphyry and other non-specific monumental or building stone SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. $ TONS U.S. $ U.S. $ TONS U.S. $ TONS
COUNTRY GRANITE MARBLE* SLATE** OTHER***
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24 January 2010 | Stone World
ANTIGUA 22,900 10 ARGENTINA 3,820 20ARUBA 70,500 20AUSTRALIA 15,690 2 51,176 17AUSTRIA 141,552 41 BAHAMAS 84,460 45 92,460 83 4,627 41,711 28BARBADOS 5,866 1 24,909 19 BELGIUM 69,917 224 BELIZE 20,990 42 BERMUDA 82,302 4 3,395 1 15,485 1BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 6,798 1 9,743 3 44,720 89CANADA 1,835,894 2,260 860,833 10,161 180,235 3,157,375 11,671CAYMAN ISLANDS 46,150 20 14,425 23 2,925 1CHINA 1,271,875 3,646 22,421 40 144,658 718COSTA RICA 19,609 23 DENMARK 6,132 11 FRANCE 574,700 30 GERMANY 54,760 226GREECE 42,749 85 GUATEMALA 24,767 22 HONDURAS 35,584 20 23,233 15 ISRAEL 7,277 3 10,299 1ITALY 299,040 757 29,097 26 44,540 121JAMAICA 7,857 3 JAPAN 8,240 16 22,890 82KOREA 5,800 1 32,543 29MALAYSIA 2,900 8 MEXICO 163,367 274 86,657 603 3,655 13,027 16N. ANTILLES 5,778 8 5,510 1NETHERLANDS 2,629 1NEW ZEALAND 2,528 1 53,694 70NICARAGUA 3,300 PANAMA 2,700 1 PERU 3,465 2PHILIPPINES 18,140 4 PORTUGAL 24,299 417 2,592 SWITZERLAND 29,000 10TAIWAN 44,896 221 THAILAND 20,516 1 UNITED KINGDOM 186,558 58 11,008 21 28,595 VENEZUELA 36,937 19 3,240 5OTHER 6,106 1 35,732 140 41,251 10,940 13TOTAL SEPTEMBER 2009 4,429,379 7,762 1,935,408 11,653 264,255 3,818,907 13,142TOTAL SEPTEMBER 2008 6,331,343 9,754 1,800,804 10,637 216,884 3,428,751 19,479
STATISTICSSeptember 2009 | Exports from the U.S. Customers value in dollars does not include insurance or freight
*includes marble, travertine, alabaster and other calcareous stone, **tonnage figures not available, ***includes dolomite, sandstone, quartzite, basalt, porphyry and other non-specific monumental or building stone SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. $ TONS U.S. $ U.S. $ TONS U.S. $ TONS
COUNTRY GRANITE MARBLE* SLATE** OTHER***
PRODUCT SOURCINGPRODU
Check out the 2010 Online Version of Stone World’s Stone Guide at
www.stoneworld.com/stoneguide
MADE EASY.
SEARCHABLE • COMPREHENSIVE • INFORMATIVE
SW_stoneguidestats_housead1209.indd 1 12/21/09 3:33:01 PM
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26 January 2010 | Stone World
NEWSFREE STONE DESIGN “SIMULATION” PROGRAM IS OFFERED
VERONA, ITALY — Offering stone fabricators a chance to visualize stone designs in three-dimensional models, stone producer Marmi Bruno Zanet has teamed with Brazilian design firm Zidea to develop www.stonexperience.
com. These two entities have been cooperating since 2008 to offer a work-ing tool for users of natural stone.
Stonexperience.com simulates a broad spectrum of applications in natu-ral stone — showcasing a range of types and colors in many settings. The goal is to allow users to imagine and conceive how they will use stone in their projects.
This program is available free of charge at the www.stonexperience.com Web site. Three-dimensional models can be created from every angle of view, and everything can be custom-ized with a wide range of materials and in a multitude of colors. According to the company, the result is a realistic rendering of the interior composition with the chosen types and characteris-tics of materials.
The Stonexperience.com visual is able to simulate interiors with 30 types of natural stone in a total of 16 three-dimensional scenes, changing the layout of the floor and the colors of the walls and the furnishings.
Founded in 1958, Marmi Bruno Zanet is a leading producer of stone products from around the world — and it has large-scale processing plants in Italy as well as Brazil. Zidea is a com-pany of designers founded by Ludson Zampirolli, a designer and professor at the University of Vitoria in Brazil.
THE TUSCANY COLLECTION SUPPLIES SANDSTONE FOR UNLV PROJECT
LAS VEGAS, NV — In the article “Sandstone unifies campus design at UNLV,” which ran in the November 2009 issue of Stone World, the red and beige sandstone used for the exterior of
PH: 631-244-8277 Fax: 631-244-8329 1711 Church Street, Unit B Holbrook, NY 11741
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imcsw07094.indd 1 6/15/09 11:59:22 AM
Marmi Bruno Zanet has teamed with Brazilian design firm Zidea to develop www.stonexperience.com, which offers stone fabricators a chance to visualize stone designs in three-dimensional models.
The Stonexperience.com visual is able to simulate interiors with 30 types of natural stone in a total of 16 three-dimensional scenes, changing the layout of the floor and the colors of the walls and the furnishings.
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28 January 2010 | Stone World
NEWS
JMSSW05074.indd 1 4/19/07 10:34:34 AM
Greenspun Hall on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) was supplied by The Tuscany Collection of Las Vegas, NV.
The sandstone exterior was selected for the 120,000-square-foot building to maintain a cohesiveness with the uni-versity’s overall architecture. “There is a theme at UNLV where other buildings on campus also have sandstone clad-ding,” according to a statement from Frazier Masonry Corp. of Camarillo, CA, which performed the stone installation. “Greenspun Hall follows the ongoing sandstone theme and blends well with the existing architecture on campus.”
The Tuscany Collect ion del iv-ered approximately 40 truckloads of red and beige sandstone to Frazier Masonry for the construction of the new building. The majority of the pieces measure 18 x 36 inches, and most had a thickness of 2 inches.
A distinguishing architectural ele-ment of Greenspun Hall’s design is
the “UNLV tower,” which stretches 55 feet above the roof on the build-ing’s east side — 125 feet from the ground — and consists of a 57-foot-long, 11-foot-wide, steel-braced frame system. The university’s letters were carved with a laser jet into the sand-stone. In total, it took five months to complete the stone installation.
CARRARAMARMOTEC STRENGTHENS ITS TIES WITH NORTH AFRICA
CARRARA, ITALY — The promo-
tional campaign for CarraraMarmotec 2010, the 30th International Exhibition of Marble, Technology and Design, extended its program to involve a pro-motional tour in Morocco and Tunisia where from — November 15 to 19 —meetings, seminars and events were held to show authorities and operators the exhibition program and the oppor-tunities open to an area that has always had very lively trade relations with the Apuo-Versilian district.
In recent years, North Africa has recorded constant growth in terms of imports of Italian stone materials, with an increase in turnover that is almost totally accounted for by Tuscan exports. The figures for Morocco and Tunisia include an overall imports of Italian materials in 2008 to the tune of approximately 45 million Euros, yet the figures for Italian exports of machinery and technology to African countries, demonstrate how the production struc-ture has strengthened and how in some
The red and beige sandstone used for the exterior of Greenspun Hall on the campus of UNLV was supplied by The Tuscany Collection of Las Vegas.
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30 January 2010 | Stone World
NEWScountries this is also supported by con-sumption figures.
The most significant leg of the pro-motional tour was Casablanca where, with the collaboration of the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade, and in the presence of the General Consul Nicola Lener, Car ra raMarmotec was presented to 30 operators who, through their spokesperson Monsieur Zafad, Chairman of the Association of Moroccan Marble Workers, announced their intention to be at next year’s exhi-bition with an important delegation.
Another very important port of call on the trip was Tunisia where, together with the Ministry of Equipment, the Environment and Planning and in col-laboration with the National Building Federation and the National Trade Union of Marble Workers, an agree-ment was drawn up to carry out a rich program of promotional activities for marble as well as the organization of a delegation of high-profile operators at
CarraraMarmotec.“These days were very useful to
further strengthen cultural and trade relations,” stated the CarraraFiere Press Office. “Throughout the meetings we had — CarraraFiere’s General Manager, Paris Mazzanti, emphasized — there was a very clear interest from the authorities and operators in the role of the Apuan district and our exhibi-tion. These are countries that began to industrialize and promote their nation-al stone resources many years ago and
hence have a tradition and experience in the use of natural stone. This is where the interest that was shown on all official occasions by the authorities and representatives from the economy and trade associations to strengthen relations with Carrara, Italy, where our exhibition comes from.”
The most concrete demonstration of the intention to improve the com-petitiveness of the Tunisian stone industry through close relations with the Italian industry was the official invitation to the Italian delegation to take part in the opening of the 2nd International Show of Tunisian Stone at the Centre des Foires in Tunisia, opened by the Ministry of Equipment, the Environment and Planning, S. Malloush, in the presence of the direc-tor of the Ministry’s quarry sector, Madame Ben Soltane, the Chairman of the National Building Federation, Brahim Naeli and the Chairman of the Marble Workers Union, Ben Saad.
The promotional campaign for CarraraMarmotec 2010, the 30th International Exhibition of Marble, Technology and Design, recently extended its program to involve a promotional tour in Morocco and Tunisia.
026-032 News.indd 30026-032 News.indd 30 12/21/09 1:31:18 PM12/21/09 1:31:18 PM
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32 January 2010 | Stone World
NEWS
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MK Quality Just Got LongerMK Diamond Products introduces the new MK-212-6 with a 72" length of cut and a 12" blade capacity. The MK-212-6 Professional Tile and Stone Saw is built rugged and portable for use on any jobsite.
MK Diamond Products, Inc. Tel: 800.421.5830, Fax: 310.539.5158www.mkdiamond.com
BLANCO JOINS THE FORTÉ BUYING GROUP
LUMBERTON, NJ — Blanco, a German innovator of quality engi-
neered stainless steel since 1925, joined the Forté Buying Group as a Preferred Vendor, which was effective as o f Nove mb e r 2009. This new membership will enable i n f lu -ent ia l dea lers
to display a wider selection of Blanco products in their showrooms, such as the innovative new MicroEdge™ and Silgranit® II sinks.
Forté is a premier buying group in the decorative plumbing and hard-ware industry, and attracts market leaders from metropolitan areas through-out the U.S. and Canada. Under the
Forté umbrella are approximately 300 luxury showrooms in North America. According to Blanco, Forté Preferred Vendors are leading manufacturers of decorative plumbing and hardware prod-ucts sold in limited distribution venues.
“For the consumer and the design community, Blanco’s partnership with Forté marks another positive step for-ward in the growth of the brand here in the U.S.,” said Tim Maicher, Director of Marketing for Blanco.
Jeff Valles, Membership Director of the Forté Group stated, “When a cus-tomer visits a Forté showroom, they can find expert advice and help in selecting from the vast selection of Blanco prod-ucts that will match their style and functional needs.”
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY RESULTS IN AWARD-WINNING PROJECT
BRONX, NY — The Marble Institute of America (MIA) recently honored
Mario Sardo of Fordham Marble of the Bronx, NY, with a Pinnacle Award
of Merit for out-stand ing use of stone. The com-p a n y r e c e i v e d the award for the stonework inside a F i f t h Ave nue apartment build-ing in New York. Sardo expla ined that the greatest challenge he faced was t he prac t i -cal nature of the material, which is very fragile, along with the complex-
ity of the fabrication. Fordham Marble did all the work on a Brembana CNC machine, and the company is report-ed to be the first fabrication shop to install a CNC machine in the U.S. for stoneworking.
Blanco, a German innovator of quality engineered stainless steel since 1925, joined the Forté Buying Group as a Preferred Vendor, which became effective as of November 2009.
Saba Vasanthan, Product Manger of CMS/Brembana (left) congratulates Mario Sardo of Fordham Marble for receiving a Pinnacle Award of Merit for outstanding use of stone.
026-032 News.indd 32026-032 News.indd 32 12/21/09 1:31:31 PM12/21/09 1:31:31 PM
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©2009 Cosentino N.A. Silestone trademark and logo are the property of Cosentino N.A. under exclusive license from Cosentino, SA.www.cosentinonorthamerica.com
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cosentinosw10094.indd 1cosentinosw10094.indd 1 9/17/09 1:58:20 PM9/17/09 1:58:20 PM
34 January 2010 | Stone World
Fabricators predict improvement for 2010
After a very difficult 2009, U.S. stone fabricators are relatively upbeat in their forecast for this year, and they are even more optimistic when looking at
the long term — according to this exclusive Stone World fabricator survey
by Michael Reis
Fo r m a ny A m e r ic a n s t o n e fabricators, 2 009 w as t he m ost diff icult y ear ev er to r un a
business. Si nce m any fabr icat ion shops in the U.S. are relatively young in age (typically less than 20 years old), business owners have never felt a recession that came close to what we’ve
seen over the past few years. But for the most part, fabricators feel that the worst is behind u s, a nd t hey a re relatively optimistic for 2010 and beyond. These are the results of a su rvey conducted by the Market Research Department at B NP M edia ( Stone W orld’s parent company), a nd i t po lled a c ross-
section of fabr icators across t he U.S., including large and small firms as well as relatively new and well-established companies.
Predictions for 2010Looking a t t he com ing y ear, t he
vast m ajority of f abricators p olled
FIGURE 2:
What do stone producers expect for the stone market in the next five to 10 years?
Grow - 83%
Decline - 6%Stay the same - 11%
FIGURE 1: What do stone producers expect for the stone market in 2010?
Grow - 45%Decline - 15%
Stay the same - 40%
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PRIMESTONE INC.33 Pippin Road, Unit #2, Concord, Ont. L4K 5P4, Canada
Tel: 905/669 2999 • Fax: 905/669 2115 • e-mail: [email protected] • www.primestone.ca
Onyx Boutique of Nort h America
PrimestoneSW0809.indd 1PrimestoneSW0809.indd 1 7/8/09 9:47:06 AM7/8/09 9:47:06 AM
36 January 2010 | Stone World
truly felt that declines will not con-tinue. A tot al of 45% said t he stone market will increase in 2010, and 40% said it would stay the same. Only 15% said t here w ould b e a d ecrease i n business this year.
The fabricators ex pecting g rowth for the year varied in how much they believed b usiness w ould i ncrease, although most (69%) said th at busi-ness would grow by more than 6%, and nearly one i n eight fabr icators (12%) predicted growth of more than 20%.
A number of reasons were offered for t he opt imism i n 2010, a nd m any pointed to an improving economy. “An upsurge i n recent bu siness g ives me hope that the businesses that did sur-vive the recession will continue to see this upsurge — not t hat it’s over yet, but so far we have survived,” stated one fabricator. “The ones that didn’t make it will lead to more business for those of us who did.”
“People are starting to spend money again,” reported another respondent. “I believe as the economy continues to stabilize, we will continue to see this spending trend. Also, as the housing market begins to expand again, this will drive further consumer spending.”
Fabricators a lso said that remodel-ing work seems to be on the rise. As one respondent pointed out, “Homeowners have put off installing granite or doing renovations, but now with an upswing on incomes in the near future, we will see an increase in these projects.” But even while some fabricators were opti-mistic, ot hers fe ared t hat i ncreased traffic a nd activity may not r esult i n actual business for a few months. “We expect a v ery slow start to t he year,” stated one fabr icator. “There are some projects going to architects now, but they will be six months on the drawing board. Residential customers are st ill slow to commit to contracts.”
FIGURE 3: In which areas are companies planning to invest in 2010?
FIGURE 4: Which types of equipment will be purchased in 2010?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
marketing: 57%
equipment: 50%
personnel: 36%
stock: 28%
showroom: 26%
fabricating facilities: 13%
warehousing: 5%
Type of Equipment to be Purchased Mean Dollar Amount to be Spent
hand tools: 60% $6,720.20
material handling &transportation equipment: 30.0%
$34,122.22
polishing machines: 17% $46,678.26
bridge saws: 17% $78,828.13
management software: 12% $7,776.47
air and water treatment: 15% $20,795.45
CNC stoneworking centers: 11% $187,578.95
digital/electronic templating: 11% $16,055.56
waterjet technology: 9% $183,181.82
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Stone World | January 2010 37
Long-term optimismThe outlook of fabr icators over the next f ive
to 10 years was even more positive. According to the Stone World survey, more than four out of five fabricators (83%) feel that the market for stone in the U.S. will grow over the next five to 10 years. Another 11% felt the market would remain the same, and only 6% were predicting a decline.
Following the t rend expressed in last year’s survey, however, they were guarded in predicting a large increase in sales. Only 32% of fabricators overall felt t hat g rowth would be 11% or m ore over the next five to 10 years.
W h e n a s k e d a b o ut t h e i r l o n g- t e r m optimism, fabricators again pointed to the even-tual recovery of the market, along with increased popularity and awareness of stone among home-owners. “Eventually we will all decide that the
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
FIGURE 5: How much capital outlay is budgeted for 2010?
less than $250,000: 65%
$250,000 - $499,999: 21%
$500,000 - $1 million: 8%
more than $1 million: 6%
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38 January 2010 | Stone World
world w as not a ctually e nding, a nd business as usual will resume,” stated one survey respondent, while another commented, “It is going to take a cou-ple of years for t he market to cor rect itself, but when the industries realize it is up to them to help bring the economy back, it will begin to take hold.”
Some fabricators pointed to general improvements in the industry itself as r easons for l ong-term opt imism. “Technology is still increasing daily,” stated one survey participant. “Stone applications in the building sector are becoming more and more creative.”
Investments in 2010After a year of cutting costs — 88%
of fabricators polled said they decreased spending in 2009, primarily in the area of personnel — it appears that fabrica-tors a re planning to i nvest back i nto their operations this year. “Banks will return to allow some credit for machin-ery a nd ex pansion,” ex plained one fabricator.
According to t he Stone World sur-vey, 57% of fabr icators said they will be investing in marketing, and 50% reported that they will invest in equip-ment in the coming year.
In terms of equipment choices, hand tools were once again mentioned by the majority (60%) of fabricators, and they expect to sp end an average of nearly $7,000 in this area.
In terms of larger investments, the percentage of fabricators planning to purchase big t icket i tems i s predict-ably small, but st ill significant when considering the amount of money they expect to spend. More than one out of 10 fabricators (11%) said they will buy a CNC stoneworking center machine this coming year, expecting to spend close
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
FIGURE 6: In which areas did you cut spending in 2009?
personnel: 72%
equipment: 54%
stock: 52%
marketing: 42%
warehousing: 23%
fabricating facilities: 22%
showroom: 12%
did not cut spending: 12%
other: 6%
FIGURE 7: How was business in 2009 compared to 2008?
Stayed the same - 13% Increased - 19%
Decreased - 68%
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40 January 2010 | Stone World
to $190,000 in the process. A similar total (9%) said they would be investing in waterjet technology, and they expect to spend close to $185,000.
Nearly one o ut o f f ive fabr icators (17%) said they will buy a br idge saw this com ing year, a nd r eflecting t he
growing level of automation for t his equipment, they are expecting to spend an average of nearly $80,000. The same percentage o f fabr icators (17%) s aid they would be purchasing a po lisher this coming year, expecting to sp end close to $50,000.
Reflecting the continuing need for air a nd w ater t reatment i n fabr ica-tion shops, approximately one o ut of six shops s aid they will invest in this technology in 2010, expecting to spend more than $20,000. Also in the area of improving t he overall shop e nviron-
FIGURE 8: For those seeing an increase in business in 2009, what was the percentage?
FIGURE 9: For those seeing a decline in business in 2009, what was the percentage?
FIGURE 10: 2009 Gross annual sales of respondents:
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
1% to 5%: 35%
6% to 10%: 28%
11% to 20%: 10%
Over 20%: 28%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1% to 5%: 6%
6% to 10%: 16%
11% to 20%: 23%
Over 20%: 54%
Less than $500,000: 30%
$1 million to $2.9 million: 29%
$500,000 to $999,999: 23%
$3 million to $4.9 million: 9%
Over $5 million or more: 8%
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42 January 2010 | Stone World
ment, one out of three fabricators will invest in handling equipment, expect-ing to spend close to $35,000.
New technology is also being pur-chased for operations beyond the shop floor. A total of 11% of survey respon-dents s aid t hey would b e i nvesting
in d igital templating te chnology i n 2010, sp ending a n a verage o f m ore than $16,000 each; and 12% said they would b e p urchasing ma nagement software this year, spending an aver-age of nearly $8,000.
Although s till r elatively m oder-
ate — con sidering t he sm all si ze o f the average fabrication shop — capital outlay a mong fabr icators looks to b e improving i n 2009. A tot al of 34% of respondents said they are planning to outlay more than $250,000 in 2010. (Last year, that total was 27.9%).
FIGURE 11: Has increased competition from new fabricators had a direct, negative impact on your business in 2009?
FIGURE 12: For those who were impacted, how much do you think sales were affected?
FIGURE 13: What is the greatest challenge facing stone fabricators in today’s marketplace?
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Yes - 53%No - 47%
Decline in the housing market: 39%
Increased competition from low-end fabricators: 27%
Banking/credit industry failures: 25%
Devaluation of the U.S. dollar: 8%
The radon/granite scare: 1%
1% to 5%: 25%
11% to 20%: 24%
Over 20%: 16%
6% to 10%: 35%
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44 January 2010 | Stone World
A difficult 2009In addition to asking about the future,
the Stone World survey asked fabricators to compare the business levels for 2009 as compared to 2008. Responses to this question showed just how difficult the last 12 months have been, as 68% said their business declined in 2009, another 13% said that business stayed the same, and a surprising 19% actually said busi-ness grew in 2009 (although typically less than 10%).
For companies that saw a decrease in business, the losses were significant. A total of 23% of respondents reported declines of 11 to 20%, and an additional 54% of fabr icators said t hat business was down by over 20% in 2009.
Overall, fabricators were relatively split b etween com panies r eporting more than $1 million in annual sales (47%) a nd t hose reporting le ss t han $1 million (53%). Broken down fur-ther, 30 % s aid t hat s ales w ere le ss than $ 500,000; 23% reported sales of $500,000 to $1 million; 29% reported sales of $1 million to $2.9 million; 93% reported sales of $ 3 m illion to $ 4.9 million; and 8% reported sales of over $5 million.
Speaking on challenges facing fab-ricators in today’s marketplace, more than half of the fabricators polled (53%) said that increased competition f rom new stone fabr icators h ad a d irect, negative impact on their business dur-ing 2009. Moreover, those reporting an impact reported high losses that they felt were due to new competition: 35% said they lost between 6 a nd 10 % o f business; 24% said they lost 11 to 20% of bu siness; a nd 16% s aid t hey l ost more than 20% of their business.
Survey demographicsConsistent w ith Stone World fabri-
cator su rveys conducted i n t he past,
FIGURE 14: Size of companies responding:
FIGURE 15: Age of companies responding
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
1-5 employees: 38%
1-4 years: 20%
6-10 employees: 21%
5-9 years: 24%
11-25 employees: 24%
10-19 years: 27%
more than 25 employees: 17%
20 or more years: 29%
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Stone World | January 2010 45
participants in this most recent study were rela-tively small in size. A total of 38% of respondents had one to f ive e mployees; 21% h ad si x to 1 0 employees; 24% had 11 to 25 employees; and 17% had more than 25 employees.
Looking at the experience of the fabricators polled, the market survey drew responses from industry veterans as well as companies that are relatively new to t he t rade. A tot al of 29% said they were in business for more than 20 years; 27% have 10 to 19 years experience; 24% have five to nine years of experience; and 20% have been in business less than five years.
Also of note, most fabricators (73%) reported that they are fabricating both natural stone a nd quartz surfacing products. ❑
FIGURE 16: Does your shop fabricate both natural stone and quartz surfacing?
No - 27%Yes - 73%
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46 January 2010 | Stone World
Adapting for continued success
By investing in the right equipment and expanding its product lines, GMG Stone, Inc. of San Diego, CA, has found
ways to continue its advancement in the stone industry
by Alexis Fisher
With t he a id o f a dvanced technology, Francois Hope, the owner of GMG Stone, Inc.
in San Diego, CA, has flourished — even in a down economy. To better position itself in the current market, the company has in recent times been focusing on
custom work and has explored the expansion of its product line.
Already f amiliar w ith th e s tone industry, Hope followed in his parents’ footsteps by starting his own company in 1993, which included two employ-ees and himself. Evolving through the
years, gaining additional employees and m oving to bi gger fa cilities, t he company now has 30 e mployees and its facility contains a complete line of state-of-the-art machinery, which Hope has strategically invested in since start-ing the businesss.
By strategically investing in new machinery, Francois Hope, the owner of GMG Stone, Inc. in San Diego, CA, has remained successful, even in a down economy. The company is currently expanding its product line and focusing on custom work with the help of new technology, such as the Breton NC 350 CNC stoneworking center.
Fabricator Case Study
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48 January 2010 | Stone World
Shop equipmentFive years ago, Hope ran two shifts,
producing 30 to 40 k itchens a day in a facility that sits on 2.5 acres. As a mass producer, t he com pany st arted w ith machinery from Park Industries of St. Cloud, MN. “We were the first client they had in San Diego,” said Hope. “We went to [the Coverings trade show in] Miami and bought a saw.” Currently, GMG has three Cougar bridgesaws from Park.
From th ere, H ope e xplained th e company sought machinery that would improve the overall quality of its prod-ucts. “We went to I taly and met with Breton,” he s aid. “We ended up buy-ing a [Contourbreton NC 350 computer numerically controlled stoneworking center], and an Intermac Master Stone CNC [ stoneworking ce nter] to d o vanities.”
Hope most recently added a Breton NC 2 60 stonew orking ce nter to h is shop. “We already knew it would help with the bigger pieces in kitchens,” he explained. “Since we had the other Breton CNC, we were comfortable with the purchase of the 260 for larger prod-ucts and countertops.”
Additionally, G MG h as a Sp ider FR 700 PC br idge saw from Breton, a Marmo Meccanica polisher for edging and a Comandulli Synthesis for bull-nose work and large production jobs. Stone i s a lso processed on a w ater-jet f rom Flow International Corp. of Kent, WA, which Hope says gives the company an edge. “We’re able to do a lot of jobs other companies cannot do, such as intricate cuts, names, signs,
Hope explained that the company has in more recent times sought machinery that will improve the overall quality of its products. “We went to Italy and met with Breton,” he said. “We ended up buying a [Contourbreton NC 350 computer numerically controlled stoneworking center].”
While in Italy, Hope also purchased an Intermac Master Stone CNC stoneworking center.
Equipment in the shop also includes a waterjet from Flow International Corp. of Kent, WA, which Hope explained has been the heart of the company’s success. “We’re able to do a lot of jobs other companies cannot do, for instance, intricate cuts, names, signs, working with medals, slab signs in stone and other specializing techniques,” he said.
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Stone World | January 2010 49
working with medals, slab signs in stone and other specializing techniques,” he said.
Hope f urther ex plained t hat t he waterjet will hopefully advance t he company’s work with quartz, specifically CaesarStone quartz surfacing. “We’ve made a commitment to work with quartz,” he said. “You need to be a cer-tified f abricator w ith th e right e quipment, design and skill. A company like CaesarStone gives warranties.”
Additionally, a Spider FR 700 PC bridge saw from Breton for cutting
slabs is in place at the shop.
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50 January 2010 | Stone World
And for m ore i ntricate d etailed work, GMG’s main supplier for to ol-ing is Hard Rock Tool of Anaheim, CA. “We trust the quality they deliver. Tools are the complement to the work,
but a l ot has to d o with the worker,” said Hope, a dding t hat h is e mploy-ees specialize in custom work and are taught the “GMG way,” which means superior quality.
Combating the marketAt a time when the more attractive
solution for clients may be to go to the cheapest dealer, Hope explained that his biggest obstacle is educating cus-
The company has recently made a commitment to work with quartz, specifically CaesarStone quartz surfacing, which it proudly displays in the company’s showroom.
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52 January 2010 | Stone World
tomers that a computerized machine will p roduce a b etter qu ality p rod-uct. “A lot of people can produce for cheaper, but convincing that a cheaper product is not the best job they’re going to get is a challenge,” he said. “We have to condition people that a good job will always l ast longer. T he key to stone and quartz is being able to lay out the product. Once you lay out and install it, how’s the product going to come out — the finishes, etc? It’s about being able
to be innovative and creative, and at the same time explain to people that if you hire the least expensive, you’re not going to be delivered quality.”
Hope is also looking to bring stone into a g reen mindset. “We’re already using a l ot of t he products out t here that ar e alr eady cut,” h e e xplained. “Instead of having to buy new materi-als, we’re trying to reuse materials that already ex ist, l ike lef tover or t hrow-away materials.”
GMG is currently working on s ev-eral remodels and high-end tract work, along w ith venturing i nto f urniture lines. “We have been doing furniture for designers,” said Hope. “We h ave been looking at new l ines with quartz and CaesarStone where we are going to be designing laptop vanities, counters and more.” ❑
Additionally, various exhibits of natural stone products are showcased in the showroom.
In addition to high-end residential jobs, GMG Stone, Inc.’s work also includes commercial projects. Black galaxy granite with an 8-inch bullnose is featured for this bar top.
GMG Stone, Inc.San Diego, CA
Type of work: custom work with stone and quartz surfacing
Machinery: three Cougar bridge saws from Park Industries of St. Cloud, MN; a waterjet from Flow International Corp. of Kent, WA; an Intermac Master Stone CNC stoneworking center from Intermac of Italy; a Contourbreton NC 350 computer numerically controlled stoneworking center, a Contourbreton NC 260 stoneworking center and a Spider FR 700 PC bridge saw— all from Breton S.p.A of Italy; a Marmo Meccanica backsplash polisher from Marmo Meccanica of Italy; a Synthesis automated edger from Comandulli Construzioni Meccaniche Srl of Italy; and tools and accessories from Hard Rock Tool of Anaheim, CA
Employees: 30
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54 January 2010 | Stone World
Nevada fabricatormerges technology and
craftsmanshipBased in Carson City, NV, Perfection Connection
has steadily invested in new technology, while keeping its ultimate focus on providing outstanding quality
by Michael Reis
Like m ost fabr icators t hese days, Perfection Connection in Carson City, NV, is facing more
competition i n t he marketplace t han ever before. To combat the presence of “discount fabricators” in the region, the company m akes a n ef fort to e ducate customers while a lso promoting t he quality of its work.
“We’ve h ad ex cellent succe ss i n getting t he c lient i nto our shop a nd educating t hem f ully,” ex plained James Don aire, o wner o f Perfection
Connection. “We offer them 10 projects to look at, and really, my clients are my best salespeople. I want them to see why we cost more than a garage shop. I want them to see the equipment. That won’t work over the phone.”
The company has a v ast l ibrary of photos of its completed work — includ-ing detail shots of the seams, edges and other areas of interest — and it strives to show customers exactly what to look for when assessing the quality of f in-ished stonework.
“We pretty much do 90% middle to upper end fabrication for the residential market,” Donaire explained. “Maybe 10% of what we do is commercial work, but we mainly work on residential. We never got into the tract home busi-ness. We stuck with homeowners and builders.”
Developing a shopDonaire began in the business more
than 20 years ago, ultimately develop-ing and expanding his own shop. “After
Perfection Connection has been operating in Carson City, NV, since 2005, and it features a range of equipment, including a CNC stoneworking center from Northwood Machine Corp. of Louisville, KY.
Fabricator Case Study
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I got out of high school in 1987, I got into construction learning most of the phas-es, and tilework was part of my duties,” he s aid. “By 1995, I st arted working with the company full t ime as a t ile-setter. About a year later, I worked for another company in Oakland, CA, and I had the opportunity to t ake it over. That’s how Perfection Connection came alive. We officially opened our doors in
1997. We started with tilework and we were subbing installs for a fabricator. A year later, we decided to start fabricat-ing on our own. We ended up getting a facility and we bought a Track-Star 2000 saw from Leitch & Co. We worked with that for a little while, and we were doing a lot of hand fabrication.”
As t i m e w ent o n, P er fec t ion Connection added a ra nge of e quip-
According to Perfection Connection owner James Donaire, the transition to CNC technology has been the company’s biggest advance in fabrication over the past five years.
Straight edging is completed with a Pro-Edge III unit from Park Industries.
Slabs are cut to size using a Sierra bridge saw from Park Industries of St. Cloud, MN.
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58 January 2010 | Stone World
ment. “ In 2 000, w e a dded a P ark Industries Pro -Edge, a nd it was r un-ning so fast that our saw couldn’t keep up,” Donaire said. “So within six to nine months, we broke down and bought a Park Industries Sierra bridge saw.”
A few y ears l ater, P erfect ion Connection opened a second facility in Nevada, with the intention of run-ning multiple locations. “I grew up in South Lake Tahoe, NV, and we moved to Carson City in 2005,” he said. “The plan was to work two facilities. A year into it, I decided that it was too difficult to run two facilities and get the quality we wanted. So I sold the Oakland facil-ity, including the Pro-Edge, the Sierra and a E CS-Eich water t reatment unit from Pyramid Supply.”
The facility in Carson City is cur-rently equipped with a Park Pro-Edge III automated edging machine a nd a
chemcoresw06091.indd 1 5/14/09 10:42:58 AM
In all, Perfection Connection has five employees, and most of the shop workers have been on hand for several years.
Perfection Connection’s newest investment is a Proliner 6.0 digital templating system and ProCutter Plotter from Prodim USA of Vero Beach, FL. “We just purchased it,” Donaire said. “The graphics are a lot better and you can pretty much walk away from a job with the whole kitchen templated.”
The majority of the shop’s work is furnished with 4-cm laminated edges.
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Stone World | January 2010 59
Park Sierra bridge saw, both of which are f rom Park I ndustries. It a lso h as an ECS-Eich water t reatment system, which was purchased f rom Pyramid Supply, a nd a com pressor f rom Ingersoll-Rand.
I n l a t e 2 0 0 6 , t h e c o m p a -ny a dded a CN C stonew ork i ng center from Northwood Machine Corp. of Louisville, KY, which marked a new era o f a utomation for t he com pany. “I never thought we needed a CN C,” Donaire s aid. “We were doing 4 -cm edges, and we laminate pretty much everything, but we f inally decided to buy a Northwood CNC in 2006.”
Donaire ex plained t hat le arning the technology was a r elatively quick process. “We d id t he i n-house t rain-ing at Northwood, and we didn’t have computer experience at all,” he said. “The f irst few days of learning was a struggle, but t hen i t a ll c licked. T he screen really guides you through it. It was a tough learning curve in the very beginning, but part of it is that you’re really timid at first and maybe overly careful. It probably took us two or three months, and now we are running it day in and day out. The thing that I love is that we haven’t even explored every-thing we can do with it yet. Sooner or later we will, as we progress.”
According to Donaire, the transition to CNC technology has been the com-pany’s biggest advance in fabr ication over the past five years. “That invest-ment has been the biggest change hands down,” he s aid. “Anyone who thinks they c an o ut-operate [a CN C shop ] without CNC is fooling themselves.”
In ter ms o f to oling, t he company uses Terminator to ols for t he CN C,
Perfection Connection typically fabricates and installs three to
five kitchens per week.
The company processes a range of stone materials, and it fabricates for a variety of design styles.
Multi-level granite countertops are another company specialty.
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60 January 2010 | Stone World
along w ith T erminator s aw b lades and m ulti-purpose g rinder b lades from Continental Diamond Products, Inc. “We also use DeFusco Industrial Supply and Phoenix Diamond Tools,” Donaire said.
Perfection C onnection’s n ewest investment is a Proliner 6.0 digital tem-plating syste m f rom Pro dim USA of Vero Beach, FL. “We just purchased it,” Donaire said. “The graphics are a l ot better and you can pretty much walk away from a job with the whole kitchen templated. It has very powerful editing capabilities. Since utilizing that, our little quirks have lessened.”
The com pany a lso i nvested i n a Procutter Plotter, also from Prodim USA.
After digital templating is completed, the resulting DXF file is read by CAD and then transferred to the plotter, which produces a physical template of the job.
A changing marketplaceSpeaking o n o bstacles in t oday’s
industry, Donaire said that increased competition has made a difficult econ-omy even tougher. “I think the biggest challenge for u s is the same one t hat every fabricator is going through,” he said. “When I was in the Bay Area fab-ricating, we h ad t he Dot-Com c rash, which k illed the Silicon Valley’s net worth, a nd e veryone s urvived t hat. I think the reason for t hat is because we didn’t have so much competition.
We had a big market change, but there weren’t so many people in it back then. Now we’re seeing this huge slowdown with the economy, but there are double or triple the fabricators out there now. That’s the major challenge: How do we get past the mediocre shops?”
Although th e c ompany h as s een some positive signs lately, Donaire is cautious about his future outlook. “We do b etween t hree a nd f ive k itchens per week, a lthough it has been more at times,” he said. “I have seen some good signs, but I am not banking on it. It doesn’t mean the economy is turning around as much as that I signed some good contracts.”
Perfection Connection’s market area
In addition to kitchen countertops, Perfection Connection processes stone for applications such
as detailed vanities and slab showers.
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Stone World | January 2010 61
spans a broad area that goes well beyond the South Lake Tahoe region. “We do 60% of our work in the Bay Area and 40% in South Lake Tahoe. We are will-ing to travel, and we work in a 250-mile radius of our shop. That’s a product of the market. You cannot be complacent.”
In all, Perfection Connection has five employees, including one bookkeeper. “My m ain g uy h as b een her e for si x years, and he ba sically runs my shop,” Donaire said. “He knows every aspect of it, except for programming the CNC.”
The c ompany has b een f ortunate to retain employees since opening in Carson City. “I haven’t had to hire new employees much,” Donaire said. “The guys that I have here have been with me through thick and thin. We had two acquisitions f rom other shops. When you br ing s omeone i n f rom a nother shop, it can be tough to get them out of bad habits. If they can show us a co ol
trick, that’s one thing, but we have to get rid of the bad habits.”
Looking to the future, Donaire said he expects a slow rebound in the mar-ket, but c hallenges r emain. “We a re
hoping for t he best,” he s aid. “I think we will see some normality. The prob-lem is the economy, but the bigger issue is that there are three times more fabri-cators out there than the last crisis.” ❑
Outdoor barbecue settings are another market for the company.
Perfection ConnectionCarson City, NV
Type of work: Middle to upper-end fabrication for the residential marketMachinery: CNC stoneworking center from Northwood Machine Corp. of
Louisville, KY, Pro-Edge III automated edging machine and Sierra bridge saw, both of which are from Park Industries of St. Cloud, MN; water treatment system from ECS-Eich of Germany, purchased from Pyramid Supply of Barre, VT; air compressor from Ingersoll-Rand; Proliner digital templating system and ProCutter plotter from Prodim USA of Vero Beach, FL; Terminator CNC tooling and Terminator saw blades and multi-purpose grinder blades from Continental Diamond Products, Inc. of San Carlos, CA; tooling and accessories from DeFusco Industrial Supply of Tempe, AZ, and Phoenix Diamond Tools of Mesa, AZ
Number of Employees: 5Production Rate: three to five kitchens per week
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62 January 2010 | Stone World
Defining a flagshipbuilding in stone
The Bayside Tower, a residential waterside community in San Diego, CA, stands as a signature building in the area — with a sleek stone
exterior of limestone from India and black granite from Minnesota
by Jennifer Adams
A mix of l imestone and granite creates a si gnature look for a 36-story residential h igh-rise
in the heart of San Diego’s downtown district. T he B ayside Tower, as i t is called, w as d esigned b y A manat Arch itec t o f V a ncouver, B r it i sh Columbia, Canada — with the intention
of being a f lagship building among a series of revitalization projects led by Bosa Development.
According to H ossein A manat o f Amanat Architect, the area where the tower was built had stood vacant for many years. As a result, the Center City Development C orp. ( CCDC), w hich
is a branch of the Municipality of San Diego, CA, set a mandate to revitalize the area. Bosa Development, which has developed many buildings in the San Diego area, decided t hat t he Bayside Tower would symbolize luxury living, and a n exte nsive exter ior p alette o f stone would set it apart from the sur-
The Bayside Tower in downtown San Diego, CA, features an exterior facade of Sunflower limestone — quarried in India and supplied by Southland Stone USA, Inc. of North Hollywood, CA — and accented by Mesabi Black granite from Cold Spring Granite Co. of Cold Spring, MN.
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64 January 2010 | Stone World
rounding architecture.“The developer wanted this building
to be a flagship,” said Amanat. “They wanted the best amenities l ike swim-ming po ols, spas, f itness ro oms a nd media rooms. They wanted the exterior
to be quite significant. The CCDC [also] wanted it to be a very high-quality building.”
As a r esult, it was decided to u se a significant amount of stone for t he building’s exter ior fa cade. A tot al
of 15,000 square feet of Sunflower limestone — qu arried i n I ndia a nd supplied by Southland Stone USA, Inc. of North Hollywood, CA — and 5,110 square feet of Mesabi Black — quar-ried in Babbitt, MN, by Cold Spring Granite Co . of Cold S pring, M N — was employed for the design.
Contrasting colors and textures were a key component of the exterior design, explained A manat. “We d ecided to use two types of stone,” he said. “The Mesabi Black has a very rough texture that contrasts nicely with the light-col-ored limestone.”
Additionally, two types of finishes — bushhammered and honed — were applied to t he l imestone pieces. “The honed finish provided some highlight,” said the architect. “If you come close to the building, you notice further articu-lation and detail.”
T he e x ter ior s to nework w a s installed by American Marble of Vista, CA, which specializes i n si ngle-fam-ily a nd residential h igh-rises as well as commercial work. “We did a ll the installation, which to ok about si x to eight months to complete,” said Bill Kammerer, company president, adding that the install crew was comprised of approximately 20 workers.
According to K ammerer, no mock-ups of the stonework were necessary prior to i nstallation. “ It w as t ypical sample submittals,” he said. The stone pieces were mechanically secured to the b uilding w ith an chors m ade o f stainless steel.
All o f t he a nchoring c alculations were p erformed b y CD C i n Texas. “They were extremely instrumental in this project,” said Kammerer.
Overall, th ose involved w ith th e project deem it a success. As a residen-
Contrasting colors and textures were a large part of the exterior design, explained architect Hossein Amanat of Amanat Architect in Vancouver, British Columbia. “We decided to use two types of stone,” he said. “The Mesabi Black has a very rough texture that contrasts nicely with the light-colored limestone.”
A total of 15,000 square feet of limestone was employed for the project. All of the stone pieces were mechanically secured to the building with anchors that have stainless steel tips by an installation team from American Marble of Vista, CA.
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Stone World | January 2010 65
tial waterside community with a c hic stone exterior, the Bayside Tower accom-plished the goal of being a l andmark structure in downtown San Diego. ❑
anversw10094.indd 1 9/1/09 3:37:18 PM
Additionally, two types of finishes — bushhammered and honed — were applied to the limestone pieces. “The honed finish provided some highlight,” said the architect. “If you come close to the building, you notice further articulation and detail.”
Bayside TowerSan Diego, CA
Developer: Bosa DevelopmentArchitect: Amanat Architect,
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Stone Suppliers: Southland Stone USA, Inc., North Hollywood, CA (Sunflower limestone); Cold Spring Granite Co., Cold Spring, MN (Mesabi Black granite)
Stone Installer: American Marble, Vista, CA
Anchoring Calculations: CDC, Texas
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66 January 2010 | Stone World
Exploring Liguria’s stone heritage
In a unique promotional event, the Italian Trade Commission hosted an international delegation of architects on a tour of the Liguria region’s stone
industry, including a look at its architectural history and current stone production
by Michael Reis
Although t he Liguria region of Italy i s not a s stor ied a s t he historic stoneworking centers
of Verona and Carrara, the area is home to a w ide variety of stone a rchitecture as well as a number of innovative stone producers. T his p ast N ovember, t he
Italian Trade Commission showcased Liguria’s stone industry to a delegation of international architects, including professionals f rom t he U .S., t he Netherlands, France, Brazil and the U.K.
The p rogram i ncluded to urs o f the slate d istrict of Lavagna, where
material is quarried for architectural applications as well as billiard tables and blackboards. (I n fact, t he word “blackboard” i n Italian is Lavagna, while t he word for s late i s Ardesia.) Architects also had the opportunity to v isit t wo d ifferent qu arries for
A delegation of international architects recently toured Liguria’s stoneworking areas — including a number of quarry sites — as part of a trip arranged by the Italian Trade Commission.
066-083 Liguria.indd 66066-083 Liguria.indd 66 12/21/09 1:59:09 PM12/21/09 1:59:09 PM
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68 January 2010 | Stone World
Rosso L evanto a nd Verde L evanto marble, a long with an ultra-modern tile-processing plant. They also stud-ied the historic stone architecture of the Liguria region.
The program began in Genoa, where efforts are underway to upgrade many areas w ithin t he c ity. T he a rchitects began w ith a me eting a t t he G enoa Urban Lab, an initiative of the city that
involves design a nd u rban planning professionals from Italy and abroad.
The g oal o f t he U rban L ab i s to improve the c ity’s overall i nfrastruc-ture with improvements that respect Genoa’s d ifferent en vironments o f the neighboring s ea a nd mountains. This includes urban renewal of spaces that are inland from the port as well as i mproving G enoa’s con nection to
the rest of Italy a nd Europe t hrough improved railways.
It is expected that as Genoa’s revi-talization p rogresses, n atural stone will play a role in the areas of new con-struction, such as mixed-use high-rise projects. Stone restoration will also be critical as the city’s palazzos — many of which are in disrepair — are upgraded for modern-day functions.
The architects began with a meeting at the Genoa Urban Lab, an initiative of the city that involves design and urban planning professionals from Italy and abroad. The goal of the Urban Lab is to improve the city’s overall infrastructure.
Also in Genoa, an introduction to Liguria’s stone resources could be
found at the “BI” product exhibition — held in the
city’s famed Palazzo Ducale. This event, which was
organized by noted architect Francesco Lucchese, was a collaboration of stone suppliers and designers
to create new uses for the region’s slate and marble
products.
The focus was to design “everyday” products in stone, such as furnishings and other household items, such as these bookends that were made using Rosso Levanto marble and Plexiglas — designed by Donato D’Urbino and Paolo Lomazzi and processed by Levante Marmi srl.
Among the slate products on hand, designer Francesca Macchi conceived decorative saucers, which were processed by Cueno Angiolino & C.
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Stone World | January 2010 69
Also in Genoa, an introduction to Liguria’s stone r esources could be found at the “BI” product exhibition — held in the city’s famed Palazzo Ducale. This event, which was orga nized by noted a rchitect F rancesco L ucchese, was a co llaboration of stone suppliers and designers to create new uses for the region’s slate and marble products. The focus was to design “everyday” prod-ucts in stone, such as furnishings and other household items.
The r esulting ex hibition i ncluded
materials suc h a s Rosso Levanto a nd White Carrara marble — as well as slate — being utilized for objects such as mod-ern lamps, bookends, serving trays and other decorative items. One of the most intricate projects was a n or nate lamp designed by Des Setsu and Shinobu Ito and fabricated by Technotiles S.p.A., a large-scale stone producer in the Liguria region. The stone p ieces for t he lamp, which was made f rom White Carrara marble, was for med using a w aterjet. Moreover, a com bination of Plexiglas
and m arble p rovides l ight d iffusion, and Technotiles had to devise an adhe-sive formula that would work effectively with both materials.
Following the tour of the exhibition, stone industry leaders from the region gave a joint press conference with mem-bers of the Italian Trade Commission, and the architects also had a chance to meet with the various suppliers who were involved in the project.
The fo l lowing a rt icles o ffer a detailed look at the program.
Combining slate with White Carrara and Verde Levanto marble, this design by Federica Fasola was cut on a waterjet by Cueno Angiolino & C.
This bowl was designed with a floral motive by Luca Scacchetti and is made from Rosso Levanto marble from Ditta Esmar srl. Different surface finishes on the bowl’s
interior and exterior add to its distinctive look.
One of the most intricate projects was an ornate lamp designed by Des Setsu and Shinobu Ito and fabricated by Technotiles S.p.A., a large-scale stone producer in the Liguria region. The stone pieces for the lamp, which was made from White Carrara marble, was formed using a waterjet.
Following the tour of the exhibition, stone industry leaders from the region gave a joint press conference with members of the Italian Trade Commission, and the architects also had a chance to meet with the various suppliers who were involved in the project.
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70 January 2010 | Stone World
Palazzo DucaleThe tour opened up at the Palazzo Ducale (Palace of the Doges) in
Genoa, the first parts of which were built between 1251 and 1275.
The building is among the first examples of neoclassical work
in Italy, and it features a range of materials from the Liguria region,
including Rosso Levano and Rosso Verde marble. Stone materials
were also brought in from the Tuscany region as well as Siena. Mean-
while, the columns at the building’s main entrance and courtyard are
comprised of White Carrara marble. Much of the stone used for the
building was transported to Genoa via the sea.
The palace was ultimately completed in 1539, and it was most
recently restored over the course of an 11-year-long project that con-
cluded in 1992, which marked the 500-year anniversary of city native
Christopher Columbus’ voyage to America.
The building is now a government-owned facility and the site of
political conferences. It also hosts a range of cultural initiatives for
the people of Genoa.
San Lorenzo CathedralOriginally founded in the fifth or sixth century AD, the building that
now houses the San Lorenzo Cathedral in Genoa was started in 1307
and continued in various forms until the end of the 17th century. It was
designed in a French Gothic style, and it features alternating horizon-
tal bands of dark and light stonework — an element that is common
among many notable structures in the Liguria region.
Again, local stone was used for much of the design, and some of
the most intricate stonework can be found at the entryways. Ornate
elements such as carved columns and detailing are combined with
inlaid stone mosaics across much of the entrance, giving the cathe-
dral a majestic presence whether viewed close up or from a distance.
The palazzos and churches of LiguriaCentered in Genoa and radiating out to the countryside, the Liguria region features a notable range of classic architecture, and much of it includes natural stone as a signature element. As part of their education on Liguria’s stone materials, the architects were given a tour of many palazzos and churches within Genoa as well as outside the city.
Showcasing the history of Liguria’s stone materials, architects were given a tour of many palazzos and churches within Genoa as well as outside the city.
The tour opened up at the Palazzo Ducale (Palace of the Doges) in Genoa, which features a range of materials from the Liguria region,
including Rosso Levano and Rosso Verde marble. Stone materials were also brought in from the Tuscany region as well as Siena.
The columns at Palazzo Ducale’s main entrance are comprised of White Carrara marble.
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Stone World | January 2010 71
The cathedral is considered to be one of the top attractions in the
city of Genoa, and the adjacent piazza is a popular gathering space
for local residents.
Basilica dei FieschiAbout 40 minutes outside of the city of Genoa lies the Lavagna slate
district, and while much of the region is rural in nature, classic styles
of architecture can still be found — particularly among its churches.
One example of this is the Basilica di San Salvatore dei Fieschi —
more commonly known simply as the Basilica dei Fieschi — located in
the city of Cognorno.
The original basilica goes back to the “Fieschi” village’s founda-
tion in the middle of the 13th century, although reconstructions
continued for several centuries. The exterior architecture mirrors
that of many churches and cathedrals in Genoa, with alternating
light and dark horizontal bands as well as a prominent rose win-
dow frame above the entrance. Unlike its counterparts in Genoa,
however, the Basilica dei Fieschi features slate as a predominant
building element — inside and out. The stone was taken from near-
by Monte San Giacomo and the Fontanabuona Valley, which has
evidence of 200 ancient quarry sites.
The exterior also utilizes White Carrara marble, which was used for
cladding as well as some of the columns.
The Basilica dei Fieschi remains a centerpiece of the region’s
culture, and its courtyard is the site of an annual neo-medieval event
known as the “Torta dei Fieschi,” which takes place every August 14.
The celebration is a recreation of the festivities that surrounded the
wedding of Count Opizo Fieschi, older brother of Sinibaldo Fieschi,
who would become Pope Innocent IV and initiate the building of the
basilica in 1245.
Originally founded in the fifth or sixth
century AD, the building that now
houses the San Lorenzo Cathedral
in Genoa was started in 1307,
and it features alternating hori-zontal bands of
dark and light stonework — an element that is
common among many notable
structures in the Liguria region.
Local stone was used for much of the design of the San Lorenzo Cathedral, and some of the most intricate stonework can be found at the entryways. Ornate elements such as carved columns and detailing are combined with inlaid stone mosaics across much of the entrance.
Located in Cognoro — part of the Lavagna slate district about 40 minutes outside of Genoa — the
Basilica dei Fieschi dates to the middle of the 13th century.
While the exterior architecture is simi-
lar to that of many churches and cathe-
drals in Genoa, it features slate
as a predominant building element — inside and out. The
stone was taken from nearby Monte San Giacomo and the Fontanabuona
Valley.
Slate flooring was used throughout the interior of the Basilica dei Fieschi.
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72 January 2010 | Stone World
The Lavagna slate region features a range of producers —
including long-tenured craftsmen as well as plants equipped with
the most modern technology. Among the first exporters of Italian
slate on a broad scale, Ardesia Biggio srl has been in operation
since 1925.
The company has a long tradition of slate extraction and finish-
ing, and it remains a specialist in creating slate for a range of billiard
tables. It also has distinguished itself as a producer of slate slabs in a
range of surface finishes.
Like most slate producers in the Lavagna region, Ardesia Biggio’s
quarries are located underground, and one site is located adjacent to
its main processing plant. The coloration of the company’s slate tends
towards pure black, with a slight hint of gray, and the goal is to pro-
cess slate that is as consistent as possible.
Given the level of precision needed for producing billiard slate,
the slabs processed at Ardesia Biggio have an optimal level of qual-
ity. But in addition to having well-calibrated machinery, the company
relies on experienced workers to split the blocks into slabs along
the natural cleave of the material. It generally takes between five
and 15 minutes to split a slab from the block, and the first split is
always at the center.
After splitting the stone by hand, slabs have a natural-cleft fin-
ish. If desired, honing is generally done by hand using radial arm
polishers. The company also has automated calibrating machinery
from Bisso of Italy.
Before shipping, slabs are packaged in plastic and wooden frames
as needed. In addition to slab production, Ardesia operates a second
factory for slate roofing, paving and architectural elements.
The coloration of the company’s slate tends towards pure black, with a slight hint of gray, and the goal is to process slate that is as consistent as possible.
Processing slate since 1925
Ardesia Biggio srl has been processing slate since 1925, and its finished products include building materials as well as slate for billiard tables.
Ardesia Biggio’s quarries are located underground, typical of the Lavagna slate region, and one site is located adjacent to its main processing plant.
Experienced workers split the blocks into slabs along the natural cleave of the material.
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guaranteed:customer satisfaction
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redrockstone.com400 east pratt street, 8th floor, baltimore, md 21202
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red rock stoneimporter & wholesaler of natural stones
redrocksw10094.indd 1redrocksw10094.indd 1 9/1/09 3:39:42 PM9/1/09 3:39:42 PM
74 January 2010 | Stone World
Located in the Fontanabuona Valley, Ardesia Mangini Angela &
Donatella snc produces first-quality Italian slate, and it reports that it
has been exploiting its own quarries for generations. It processes a
broad range of products, including slabs, paving, cladding, counter-
tops, architectural pieces, roofing and other elements. Lately, it has
also been developing some new finishes and textures, such as “Black
Gold,” which includes gold leaf as part of the finished product; and
“Black Crocodile,” which has a uniquely detailed surface that resem-
bles the skin of a crocodile.
Slate is extracted from an underground mine, and during tile pro-
cessing, the blocks are first cut into cubes and small, squared blocks
on a Bisso bridge saw. From there, the squared blocks are split into
tiles by hand by experienced stoneworkers, who must find the natural
seam of the stone by eye before splitting.
The plant also has an automated processing line from Sasso Mec-
canica of Italy for slabs and other large pieces.
The company processes approximately 32,000 square feet of mate-
rial per month, about half of which is exported.
Ardesia Mangini has supplied finished slate products for a range
of notable architectural projects around the world, including the Bar-
vikha Hotel & Spa in Moscow, Russia; a new showroom for Mobles
Bellmunt S.L. in Barcelona, Spain; a new administrative complex for
Dexia Bank in Luxembourg, and a new showroom for the Yacht Fair in
Genoa, among others.
Lately, Ardesia Mangini has also been developing some new fin-ishes and textures, such as “Black Gold,” which includes gold leaf as part of the finished product; and “Black Crocodile,” which has a
uniquely detailed surface that resembles the skin of a crocodile.
An innovator in slate production
Ardesia Mangini Angela & Donatella snc pro-cesses slate into a range of finished products, including slabs, paving, cladding, countertops, architectural pieces, roofing and other elements.
During tile process-ing, the blocks are first cut into cubes and small, squared blocks on a Bisso
bridge saw.
The squared blocks are split into tiles by hand by experienced stoneworkers, who must find the natural seam of the stone by eye before splitting.
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76 January 2010 | Stone World
Ardesia Cueno Angiolino & C. made a name for itself in the slate
sector for being one of the first companies to use modern equipment
for slate extraction and processing. The strategy to be on the cutting
edge of technology has stayed with the company over the years, and it
utilizes a broad range of advanced machinery from Italy in its operation.
The company has been in the marketplace for more than 40 years,
and its current factory, which is situated inland from Lavagna is more
than 85,000 square feet in size.
When processing slabs, the company has automated honing lines
from Terzago and Breton, and it also has an automated sandblasting
machine to offer a variety of finishes.
Meanwhile, tiles are produced on an automated line from Socomac.
Some of Ardesia Cueno’s most impressive equipment is used
for custom architectural products in slate and other stone materi-
als. An Omag Mill 98 CNC stoneworking center offers automated
processing for elements such as kitchen countertops, inlaid
tables, vanity tops, fireplaces and architectural carving. Addi-
tionally, a waterjet is used for intricate cutting of slate and other
materials, and it has produced inlaid medallions combining a vari-
ety of stones. Automated edge processing is completed using an
Omega 60 edger from Comandulli, which can process materials
ranging from 20 to 60 mm thick.
Working slate with advanced technology
Ardesia Cueno Angiolino & C. was one of the first compa-nies in the slate sector to use modern equipment for slate extraction and processing. The company has been in the marketplace for more than 40 years, and its current factory is more than 85,000 square feet in size.
Among the modern machinery in place, an Omag Mill 98 CNC
stoneworking center offers auto-mated processing for elements
such as kitchen countertops, inlaid tables, vanity tops, fireplac-
es and architectural carving.
Ardesia Cuenoa invested in a waterjet for intricate cutting of slate and other materials, and it has produced inlaid medallions combining a variety of stones.
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Stone World | January 2010 77
The company’s slate can be used for both interior and exterior applications.
Automated edge processing is completed using an Omega 60 edger from Comandulli, which can pro-cess materials ranging from 20 to 60 mm thick.
Slate from Ardesia Cuenoa has been used for a variety of residential and commercial applications.
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78 January 2010 | Stone World
A derrick crane is used to lift blocks from deep within the quarry.
Approaching Ditta Esmar srl’s current site for Rosso Levano marble
in Bonassola (La Spezia Province), there is evidence of several
quarries that were established during the Roman Period. And the
company’s owners proudly point out these areas as evidence of the
material’s importance over the years.
“It is one of the traditional stones of Italy, and it was a material
for kings,” explained Catarina Rezzano of Ditta Esmar, who oper-
ates the company along with her husband. Vitorio. “It is now a
family passion for us.”
The quarry site is located high atop the hills overlooking the Ligu-
rian Sea, and while it also contains Rosso Verde marble, this material
is only quarried on request. “Rosso Levanto is the prized material,”
explained Catarina Rezzano. “It is considered to be a decorative
stone, used for columns, statues, door frames and other details. It was
used this way for the Tate Gallery in the U.K. [for example], and it is
also exported to places like the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.”
A diamond wire saw from Pellegrini is a key piece of equipment
during stone extraction, and blocks are completely squared. Heavy
equipment such as a Caterpillar 215 backhoe is also used to clear
waste and maneuver materials. Meanwhile, blocks are lifted from the
quarry using a derrick crane.
“This is not a high-production quarry,” Rezzano said. “It is a craft to
find the right material. You cannot really test, because even when you
do core drilling and find some nice material, it may just be a ‘bubble’ and
not a large section. You need experience and luck to find a good area of
quarrying. Fortunately, we are in a nice section of the quarry right now.”
As quarrying operations progress, the land that was exploited is
refilled, and the company has filled in up to 45 feet of bed material at
a time. Additionally, waste stone is transported from the quarry to help
fortify seawalls in the area.
Operating an historic quarry site
Ditta Esmar srl’s quarry for Rosso Levanto marble lies high atop the hills of Bonassola, near the Ligurian Sea, and there are a number of ancient quarry sites in the area.
A diamond wire saw from Pellegrini is a key piece of equipment during stone extraction, and blocks are completely squared.
The quarry utilizes a Caterpillar 215 backhoe to clear waste and maneuver
materials.
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80 January 2010 | Stone World
Seeking pure Rosso Levanto At Levante Marmi srl’s site for Rosso Levanto marble in Deiva
Marina (La Spezia Province), the company is committed to find-
ing the purest material possible. Its current location in the quarry
is yielding blocks with a consistent red color, and it can continue
quarrying 130 feet deeper from its present position — giving
Levante Marmi confidence that it will be extracting high-quality
material well into the future.
The company extracts blocks that can produce large slabs, and
it is able to quarry large quantities of marble. The stone is primarily
used for interior work, and Levante Marmi’s products have also been
used for decorative items such as columns. Its material is also being
used in a 1-cm format for the interiors of luxury yachts.
In extracting the material, the chainsaw is first used to make a
horizontal cut at the bottom of the quarry face, and then larger cuts
are made using a diamond wire saw. After the quality of the block is
confirmed, all sides are squared with the diamond wire saw. Pneumatic
drills are also part of the process, as they are used for splitting and for
creating pilot holes for the diamond wire.
Several large-scale pieces of machinery are also at work in the
quarry, including a backhoe for clearing waste material and a front
loader for removing blocks from the quarry.
Waste stone is used for a variety of applications, including “river-
washed” stones for landscape designs. It also maintains a retail
operation with small stone handicrafts.
Levante Marmi srl’s site for Rosso Levanto marble is yield-ing blocks with a consistent red color, and it can continue quarrying 130 feet deeper from its present position.
In extracting the material, the chainsaw is first used to make a horizontal cut at the bottom of the quarry face, and then larger
cuts are made using a diamond wire saw.
Large-scale pieces of machinery in the quarry include a backhoe for clearing waste material.
After the quality of the block is confirmed, all sides are squared with the diamond wire saw.
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Learn more online at: www.stoneworld.com/miaeducation
Sponsorship Opportunities Available! Please call:Steve Smith • 781-595-0692 • [email protected] | Janelle Minghine • 734-340-5211 • [email protected]
Save the Date! Education Seminars Coming to a City Near You!March 3 : Houston, TX
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82 January 2010 | Stone World
The tile production plant at Technotiles S.p.A. of Vezzano Ligure
(La Spezia Province) is immediately striking for its level of automa-
tion and efficiency. But upon closer inspection, the facility houses a
range of equipment not typically found in a stone production plant,
such as an automatic unit to electronically classify finished tiles
based on algorithms.
A division of Technostone, the company was originally estab-
lished as a traditional stone supplier, providing material for
architectural projects around the world, such as the Italian Embas-
sy in Washington, DC. “For the past three or four years, I really
wanted to be different and be at the forefront, pushing design
itself,” explained company founder Dante Venturini. The marble tile
production is marketed under the “Luce di Carrara” brand, and it
is entirely comprised of White Carrara marble varieties, which are
quarried near the factory.
Venturini explained that the factory — and the brand — were built
on the principles of standardization, logistics and consistency.
“Stone tiles take longer to realize their true color than ceramic
tiles, due to the fact that there is so much water used in the pro-
duction,” he explained, adding that this was the motivation to
invest in a large-scale drying line that completely dries each tile so
its color can be properly classified directly on the production line.
“We work with eight varieties of White Carrara marble, each with
its own pattern and tone, and we ensure each is perfectly consis-
tent within that range.”
The factory for classifying and packaging tiles is equipped with the
latest generation of technology from Barbieri & Tarozzi, and human
intervention is practically unnecessary during the process. After the
tiles within various categories are dried, they move along the line to
a Flawmaster system from Surface Inspection of Bristol, England.
Making a science of stone productionThe tile production plant at Technotiles S.p.A. of Vezzano Ligure (La Spezia Province) features an optimal level of automation, and it is equipped with technology that allows an unprecedented level of quality control.
The marble tile production is marketed under the “Luce di Carrara” brand, and it is entirely comprised of White Carrara marble varieties,
which are quarried near the factory.
“Stone tiles take longer to realize their true color than ceramic tiles, due to the fact that there is so much water used in the production,” explained company founder Dante Venturini, adding that this was the motivation to invest in a large-scale drying line that completely dries each tile so its color can be properly classified directly on the production line.
After the tiles within various categories are dried, they move along the line to the
“Flawmaster,” an automatic inspection system that classifies tiles according to their quality,
tonality and shade. The Flawmaster works with a wide set of algorithms to identify all
types of mechanical and decoration defects.
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Stone World | January 2010 83
This automatic inspection system was developed for the ceramic tile
industry to classify tiles according to their quality, tonality and shade.
The Flawmaster works with a wide set of algorithms to identify all
types of mechanical and decoration defects. Giving an added level of
quality control, designated specialists also review each tile before it
moves on to the packing unit.
Tile are stacked and packaged automatically, and robotic forklifts
are used to transport pallets of material around the plant. The tiles are
packaged in distinctive “Luce di Carrara” boxes, and each is marked
with all the relevant information for the material.
In addition to striving for perfect tile production, Technotiles has
also partnered with prominent architects on a variety of initiatives.
The latest of these is a collaboration with Foster + Partners where
certain stone materials are grouped with complementary elements
of glass, mirrors and other design elements in sample kits to offer
inspiration to designers and homeowners. “We aren’t endorsing
a particular stone, but rather we want to inspire the end user with
different systems and concepts,” Venturini explained. “You start
with stone and other materials, and the added value is the design.
We seek to do this every year, and our last collaboration was with
Francesco Lucchese for backlit onyx.”
Another initiative by the company is “Luce Diffusa,” which com-
bines translucent onyx or marble panels with Plexiglas. The product
is then hung on an innovative rail system that allows the material to be
backlit without showing any support behind the stone.
“It was not easy to develop,” Venturini said. “We had to formulate
the proper glue that would work with the stone and with the Plexiglas,
and maintain a holding capacity of 5 kilograms per square centimeter.
We also determined that we needed the stone to be at least 1 cm
thick, or you would lose the depth of the stone.”
The factory for classifying and packaging tiles is equipped with the latest generation of technology from Barbieri & Tarozzi, and human intervention is practically unneces-sary during the process.
Tile are stacked and packaged automatically, and robotic forklifts are used to transport pallets of material around the plant.
The tiles are packaged in distinctive “Luce di Carrara” boxes, and each is marked with all the relevant informa-tion for the material.
The finished products are
on display in a modern show-room adjacent to the factory.White Carrara
marble can be found in a broad range
of modern applications.
Technotiles has also partnered with prominent architects on a variety of initiatives. The latest of these is a collaboration with Foster + Partners where certain stone materials are grouped with complementary elements of glass, mirrors and other design elements in sample kits to offer inspiration to designers and homeowners.
Another initiative by the company is “Luce Diffusa,” which combines translucent onyx or marble panels with
Plexiglas. The product is then hung on an innovative rail system that allows the material to be backlit without
showing any support behind the stone.
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84 January 2010 | Stone World
FABRICATING TECHNOLOGY
Anver Corp. — Vacuum LiftersProduct Description: A line of standard, modular lifter-tilters that are offered with either electric or compressed-air power for handling heavy sheet weighing u p t o 2 ,000 p ounds i s a vailable f rom A nver C orp. o f Hudson, MA.
Anver ET-AT Series vacuum lifter-tilters let one person manipulate heavy sheet from the horizontal to the vertical and back while using a r emote control. Offered in electric and compressed-air powered versions, they are equipped with four large rectangular suction pads with bonded seals, non-skid surfaces, and shallow lips to evenly distribute holding forces.
Featuring a c heck valve and built-in vacuum loss sensor with audio-visual a larms for optimum operator safety, Anver ET-AT Series vacuum lifter-tilters are offered in 500-, 1,000- and 2,000-pound capacities. They are modular with two-, three- and four-pad designs and adjustable cross arms for handling sheet up to 8 x 10 feet in size. Applications include stone, steel, composite, and glass panels.
www.anver.com
Braxton-Bragg — Automated Slab SawProduct D escription: The I mer C ombi 3 000 10-foot a utomated slab saw, o ffered by B raxton-Bragg, was conceived a s a n a ffordable alternative to large stationary bridge saws which can require a lengthy set-up procedure at a h igher cost. The machine was engineered to be easy to install and simple to operate, yet perform with optimal accuracy and smoothness of cut. The Combi 3000 arrives in a crate, is 99% assembled and can be up and running in two hours, the company reports.
This 220-volt, s ingle-phase, 20-amp saw is equipped with two s ide extension t ables and a 25 -gallon water tub. There a re a lso t wo h igh-quality full-size slab clamps that can be positioned at each end of the saw to ensure that the is locked down tight. A laser-cutting guide now comes standard with every Combi 3000.
An onboard computer senses if the stone being cut becomes denser in certain spots and will automatically ensure that additional amperage is sent to the motor, preventing stalling or pinching. The travel bar on the saw is built like a suspension bridge — with pre-tensioned bars anchored within. This ensures reliability and accuracy of cut within 1/32 inch over 10 feet.
www.braxton-bragg.com
GMM — Bullnose PolishersProduct Description: The Toro Series of bullnose polishers from GMM features a body with an electro-welded structure that was machined using CNC technology. The body also receives thermal treatment to unstress materials due to welding.
Calibrators, drip cut and multi-functional units can be placed at the entry and exit of the machine. With various configurations, they allow the user to work with the axis in vertical, inclined and horizontal positions. These units can accommodate levigating heads, profiling tools, bushhammering units and discs for cutting. In order for the machine to work at correct speeds, there is a double speed.
By choosing the thickness and the type of profile to be executed, the lever positions i tself automatically above the working a rea on special guides. The spindles, which are governed by separate hydraulic motors, have various speeds from 2,200 rev/min to 1,000 rev/min starting with the universal diamond tool up to the last polishing grain. A computerized oscillating system allows users to work both on straight edges and different round profiles.
Additionally, the Costa Series automatic straight edge polisher from GMM features many of the same benefits as the Toro Series, such as the b ody a nd s pindle a dvantages a s w ell a s t he s ame u ser-friendly configuration and multiple working modes.
www.gmm.it
GranQuartz — Stone ChiselProduct Description: The new BigDog stone chisel from GranQuartz comes with scallop, reverse scallop, soft stone and standard bite carbide chisel teeth — a llowing the operator to produce natural and decorative edge designs on most stone materials, including laminates, from 2 to 8 cm. The BigDog’s ergonomic design was designed to be easier to operate than other chiselers, and it gives the operator a clear view of the work area for precise placement of the chisel teeth and a cleaner edge on the finished product. The BigDog’s powerful hydraulic ram delivers 5 tons of directly applied force to the stone, and the modular jaw system allows the operator to switch the chisel teeth in seconds.
www.granquartz.com
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IS YOUR BUSINESS POSITIONED TO SURVIVE?
No matter the size of your business, by investing in the Natural Stone Council, you unify and strengthen our industry by bolstering
preference for Genuine Stone® over synthetic materials. To learn more about how you can do your part, visit naturalstonecouncil.org.
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86 January 2010 | Stone World
FABRICATING TECHNOLOGY
Granite City Tool - Single-Head Polishing MachineProduct Description: The Denver Solution, available from Granite City Tool, is a single-head, mono-bloc polishing machine capable of producing many different types of surface finishes. The market for textured stones has increased dramatically over the last five years, the company reports, requiring slab dealers to stock several different types of the same stone with different finishes to meet market demands. This machine was designed to save the fabricator or stone dealer from having to stock several different finishes of the same stone. Additionally, many slab dealers receive material in containers that have scratches or swirl marks in the polish, and the Denver Solution can repair these imperfections. This machine allows a slab dealer to recover the cost of the stone and repair the stone rather than having to discount the stone and sell it for no profit, the company reports.
The m achine i s c apable o f t aking p olished s labs o f m aterial a nd producing a h oned s urface. T he m achine w as a lso d esigned t o d o texturing, m eeting t he m arket d emand f or t extured s labs — s uch a s “leather,” “sandblasted,” “bush-hammered” and others. All of these finishes are gaining in popularity with architects and designers. The Solution offers the fabricator or stone dealer the option to do any of these popular finishes in their facility without having to wait for containers to be shipped from overseas. Granite City Tool adds that the machine is economically priced in relation to others in the market.
www.granitecitytool.com
Laser Products Industries - Laser Templating SystemProject Description: Since 1995, Laser Products Industries — which developed the LT-55XL P recision L aser Templator — h as focused on supplying lasers that provide accurate measurements of jobsites and assist in fabricating products to match.
The LT-55XL Precision Laser Templator allows users to walk off any jobsite with a CAD-ready DXF file, and users can produce estimates on the jobsite for their customers to sign. Moreover, Laser Products reports that the system will improve overall quality, accuracy and speed —- leading to quicker installations, less errors and v irtually no scrap. Over 90% of the features for the LT-55XL are in place because customers specifically asked for them. Some recent updates include “Slab Layout,” “Alternate Cut Sheets” and “Encryption.”
With Slab Layout, users can arrange individual pieces to determine how many slabs will be needed to sell the customer. The Alternate Cut Sheets update allows the fabricator/estimator to have a couple different printouts — depending on what information they need to show the customer as well as the sawyers who are fabricating the job. Encryption allows the owners of fabrication shops to ensure that their templators do not moonlight on the side. All jobs produced with the LT-55 XLs can be encrypted so that no other outsourced company can open and fabricate from them.
www.LaserProductsUS.com
International Machine Corp. (IMC) - Water Filtration SystemProduct Description: The 150 Lt C ompact Water F iltration System, available from International Machine Corp. (IMC) is a completely automated water f iltration s ystem that removes s ludge f rom a f abrication shop’s water. The 150 Lt company plant is constructed of hot galvanized steel. This closed-loop system comes with a submersible pump to remove and transfer mud from the pits into the silo.
Other features include flocculent station for preparing and automatic dosing as well as a pneumatic pump to pump the mud from the silo to the filter press. The automatic filter press offers simultaneous opening of four 300- x 3 00-mm plates. The system is available in all sizes to provide a custom solution based on any shop’s needs.
www.internationalmachinecorp.com
Marmo Meccancia — Bridge Saw with Rotating HeadProduct Description: Marmo Meccanica S.p.A. has increased its range of br idge sawing machines with a new model called HTO-XALOC-R, a bridge saw with a 360-degree rotating head, stationary bench and four controlled axles (X, Y, Z, and R/head rotation) with unrelated controls and precision tracks protected by sliding belts.
On request, the inclination of the HTO-XALOC-R disc can be motorized and controlled, creating a fifth axis. (This motion is manual in the standard model.) It can also incline from 0 to 45 degrees.
Also on request, the machine can be fitted with a second electromandrel (vertical axis and pneumatic engagement for the use of small holes, vertical milling tools and shaped wheels).
In automatic mode, the machine can perform parallel cutting, executing cuts for complex kitchen tops and fan-shaped stairs as well as curvilinear cutting programs by disc (and/or by vertical milling tool, if there is a second mandrel). On request, programs can be completed for non-rectilinear frames — with roughing out and finishing by “spatular” movement of the disc.
The control board is supported by an articulated arm, and it features all necessary controls, including a large touch-screen. Programming can control four a xes (f ive on request), w ith interpolation of three a xes. A second electromandrel for milling tools is available on request, with boring and milling programs.
www.marmomeccanica.com
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Stone World | January 2010 87
CALENDARFor all seminars and a more complete calendar of stone industry events, visit www.stoneworld.com.
February 2 to 4, 2010Surfaces 2010, Sands Expo & Convention Center, Las Ve-gas, NV. Education program begins on Monday, February 1. Owned and operated by Hanley-Wood Exhibitions. Spon-sored by the World Floor Covering Association. Contact: 1-800-547-3477; International calls contact: 1-972-536-6400; Fax: 1-972-536-6401; Web site: www.SurfacesExpo.com.
February 4 to 7, 2010Stona 2010, the 9th International Granites & Stone Fair, Ban-galore, India. Contact: Mr. Kempanna Chetty, Chairman Stona Fair Committee, All India Granites & Stone Association (AIG-SA), Phone: +91-802361 2541; Fax: +91-80-2361 0993; E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]; Web site: www.stonaaigsa.com.
February 9 to 12, 2010Marmol 2010, International Show for Natural Stones, Ma-chinery and Related Equipment (part of Cevisama ceramics exhibition), Valencia, Spain. Contact: Feria Valencia, 34-96 386-11 00; E-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.feriavalencia.com.
February 23 to 26, 2010The Vitória Stone Fair 2010, Carapina Expo Center, Serra, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Contact: Milanez & Milaneze, +55 27 3337-6855; Fax: +55 27 3337-4011; Web site: www.feiradomarmore.com.br.
March 6 to 9, 2010The 10th China Xiamen International Stone Fair, Xia-men International Conference and Exhibition Center; Phone: 86-592-5959616 / 5959618; Fax: 86-592-5959611; Web site: www.stonefair.org.cn; E-mail: [email protected], [email protected].
April 6 to 9, 2010StoneTech Shanghai, Shanghai New International Exhibition Center, China. Organizer: CIEC Exhibition Co. Ltd., Shang-hai, 1/F, No.6, E. Beisanhuan Rd., Beijing, China; Phone: 8610 84600802; 84600319; Fax: 8610 84600346; E-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.stonetech.org.cn.
April 16 to 18, 20102009 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (K/BIS) & Confer-ence (conference begins on April 15), McCormick Place, Chicago, IL. Contact: VNU Expositions; Phone: (800) 933-8735 or (770) 291-5409; Fax: (770) 777-8700; E-mail: [email protected].
April 27 to 30, 2010Coverings 2010, Orange County Convention Center, Orlan-do, FL. Contact: Coverings/National Trade Productions, 313 S. Patrick St., Alexandria, VA 22314; Phone in the U.S.: (866) 285-3691 or International: +1-703-706-8257; Fax: (703) 836-4486; Web site: www.coverings.com.
May 19 to 22 , 2010CarraraMarmotec, Carrara, Italy. Organized by CarraraFi-ere Srl, Viale Galileo Galilei 133, 54033 Marina di Carrara (MS), Italy; Phone: +39-0585 787963; Fax: +39-0585 787602; E-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.carraramarmotec.com.
June 10 to 12, 2010American Institute of Architects National Convention and Design Expo, including the Stone and Tile Pavilion, Miami, FL. Contact: M/C Communications LLC, 380 Stuart Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02116; (888) 242-1824; E-mail: [email protected] or visit: www.aia.org.
September 29 to October 2, 2010Marmomacc 2010, the International Exhibition of Marble, Stone and Technology and Building Materials Show, Verona, It-aly. Contact: Veronafi ere at 39-045-829-8111 (phone); 39-045-829-8288 (fax) or visit www.marmomacc.it/home_en.asp.
September 28 to October 2, 2010Cersaie 2010, Bologna Exhibition Centre, Bologna, Italy. Contact: P.O. Box 103-40050 Centergross, Bologna, Ita-ly. Phone: 39 051 6646000; Fax: 39 051 862514; Web site: www.cersaie.com.
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88 January 2010 | Stone World
FABRICATING TECHNOLOGY
MK Diamond - Diamond Core BitsProduct D escription: MK D iamond o ffers a c omplete s ystem o f diamond core bits for hard t iles and stone. The MK-190 core bits were engineered to offer excellent wear rates, speed of cut and cut finish. These high-performance diamond core bits are designed for optimal performance by utilizing Vacuum Braze Technology that provides the strongest bond between diamond particles and the drilling surface of the core bit.
The MK-190 core bits are designed to operate on any corded or cordless drill. MK Diamond reports that the core bits drill clean holes quickly and easily because there is no bond to wear away, and diamond particles work at peak performance at all times. With the self-sharpening diamond cutting edge, professionals can utilize these bits on wall and hard surface flooring. A self-tracking cutting edge is created when the bore is drilled in the tile, thus reducing the possibility of a wandering core bit.
These core bits were designed to offer: increased productivity from the core ejection slot that clears slot debris and plugs without stopping during repeated drilling operations; and a reverse spiral thread that delivers continuous water feed to the cutting surface areas, extending bit life and improving drill speed.
Available in 11 different sizes — f rom 3/16 to 1 3/8 inch, they can drill holes for everyday i tems such a s towel r acks, p ipe b rackets, l ighting, mirrors and blinds.
www.mkdiamond.com
Tenax - New Resin TechnologyProduct Description: Glaxs is a z ero-yellowing resin p roduct f rom Tenax. The tile sample pictured above was tested under special UV light that aged all the adhesives by 15 years. The epoxy resins yellowed, and Tenax Glaxs — t he new generation b i-component system — s tayed the same as it was when initially applied.
Tenax G laxs i s not a p olyester o r an epoxy, but a n ew-generation, bi-component system. It is for indoor and outdoor applications and can be exposed to direct sunlight. The product offers strong bond strength, and is ideal for applications that require an adhesive that cannot yellow.
www.tenaxusa.com
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Stone World | January 2010 89
NEW LITERATUREKurt /NEMI has announced the
publication of an all new catalog containing 36 pages of the latest vacuum work-holding and automated systems, dig it izers, sof tware and tool setters. Providing a full range of options, the new catalog contains one of the broadest offerings in the work-holding industry, according to the company.
I nc lude d i n t he Ku r t / N E M I vacuum line of work-holding are grid system tables ranging up to 60 x 120 inches as standard sizes and table sizes made to customer specifications. These grid tables form the mounting platform for a flexible work-holding system. They are ideal for use on CNC routers and other machine tools. When integrated with a Kurt robot, these workholding systems provide 3-axis capability in a moving gantry CNC system. They are designed to work well with a variety of single- to multi-spindle setups for high-volume
p a r t p r o d u c t i o n , assuring precision and repeatable accuracy, t h e m a n u f a c t u r e r reports.
The new cata log contains hundreds of modular components i n ma ny s i z e s fo r designing any type of vacuum work-holding system to handle a full range of applications on machine tools of most sizes.
Kurt/NEMI modular vacuum work-holding setups can be easi ly conf igured to handle stone, wood and metal designs on the grid system table setup. Utilizing a variety of positioning pods, chucks, locating pins and accessories, these setups have the advantages of a dedicated fixture with flexibility for reconfiguring the components to
handle var ious size parts and for use on other jobs. These Kurt/NEMI work-holding s y s te m s p rov ide a rapid cost-payback by r e duc i ng l ab or content and increasing productivity, according to Kurt/NEMI.
Application photos a nd sp e c i f i c at ion s t h r o u g h o u t t h e catalog show typical work-holding setups, making it easy to select an assembly to do the
job. Specific technical information for each product is also available online. To supplement this information, a Kurt/NEMI technical service expert is available by phone to assist in the work-hold ing conf igurat ion and ordering process.
www.kurtworkholding.com
A new catalog by Kurt/NEMI showcases the latest vacuum work-holding and automated systems, digitizers, software and tool setters
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90 January 2010 | Stone World
NEW PRODUCTSVIC International Corp., a leading
natural stone and concrete industry leader, recently announced its new Optima™ restoration and maintenance product line of chemicals, diamond tooling and equipment for natural stone, ceramic tile, terrazzo and concrete.
Since 1990, VIC has been at the foref ront of innovative products
and training for the restoration and maintenance of numerous hard surfaces. After selling the StoneMedic® product l ine to Ecolab in 2004, VIC International has been focused on countertop fabrication, surface preparation and concrete polishing. Now, after a five-year absence from the industry, VIC has combined its
extensive knowledge of restoration and maintenance with indust ry veterans to create an economical and ecologically responsible line of products ranging from impregnators to floor machines.
“The marr iage of VIC’s Green Spec cer t i f ied concrete program with the re-launch back into natural stone restoration and maintenance couldn’t come at a better time for our industry,” said VIC President and CEO, Kelly Milligan. “Through a 30-year pursuit of solutions through innovation by now Chairman of the Board, Vic Green, such industry breakthroughs as a paste marble pol ishing compound and l iquid granite polish were realized.”
www.vicintl.com
Braxton-Bragg, a distributor of a full range of fabrication machinery, tooling a nd i n s t a l l a t ion accessories, is now offering Glaze ‘N Seal products. Glaze ‘N Seal is a leading supplier since 1962 of quality sealers and maintenance care products for the natural stone, tile, concrete and masonry markets. Glaze ‘N Seal offers a complete line of sealers, including
film forming sealers (coating type) and penetrating sealers (non-coating type).
The manufacturer reports that these proprietary, premium sealers have earned a strong acceptance in many markets due to their:• Superior performance, even under
difficult conditions• Ease of use both indoors and outdoors• Exceptional oil and grease resistance
www.braxtonbragg.com
1-800-350-1901www.miraclesealants.com
new!
sealerapplicatorand tray
■ Sealer Tray Included■ Interior or Exterior Use■ Special Foam Acts as a
Reservoir to Provide a Thin, Non-streaking, Lint Free Application of Sealers
For Granite, Marble, Natural Stone,Ceramic/Porcelain& Grout
■ One Step Process■ Contains 511 H2O Plus
to Reseal as it Cleans■ For Regular Use
new!
511kleen&reseal
miraclesealsw06094.indd 1 5/15/09 9:44:01 AM
Glaze ‘N Seal products are now available from Braxton-Bragg
The new OptimaTM
restoration and maintenance product line from VIC International Corp.
088-091 NP, NE, NL.indd 90088-091 NP, NE, NL.indd 90 12/22/09 1:18:04 PM12/22/09 1:18:04 PM
Stone World | January 2010 91
NEW EQUIPMENTPedrini has recently introduced the Multiwire Jupiter
GS200, a machine equipped with innovative and advance technology. Available in the 8, 16, 32 and 40 wire models, it is a f lexible solution that is ideal for the diamond wire cutting of granite — specifically designed for the simultaneous cutting of slabs with different thicknesses, ranging from 2 to 10 cm.
T he Mu lt iw i r e Jup ite r G S2 0 0 combines high technology with simple handling and allows for an optimal yield of diamond wire which limits the
idle times for their replacement and thickness changing and reduces cutting costs, reports Pedrini.
Additionally, the machine utilizes simple, economic and functional patents to keep each diamond wire at the correct tension, thus allowing a rectilinear trajectory and an easy replacement of the wire.
www.pedrini.it
KMT Waterjet Systems Inc., a leading global manufacturer of Ultra High Pressure pumps and components for waterjet systems, introduces the “fastest cutting, next generation” of waterjet cutting pumps, an ultra high pressure (UHP)
90,000-psi/6.200-bar Maximum Power KMT Streamline PRO® 125-hp Pump.
According to the manufacturer, the KMT Streamline PRO® 125-hp pump — with the largest 90,000-psi cutting orifice in the waterjet cutting industry, the .016 orifice — delivers the waterjet cutter a reduction in operating time by cutting parts in approximately half the time of conventional 60,000-psi/50-hp water jet systems, repor ts the
manufacturer, adding that the KMT Streamline PRO® 60 is also available in 90,000 psi.
The KMT Streamline PRO® 125 produces 1.43 gpm, with cutting capabilities up to 90,000 psi with dual cutting heads using two .011 orifices.
The KMT Streamline PRO® Series 125 hp and Streamline PRO® 60 hp accommodates a wide range of applications with 5-axis, three-dimensional cutting capabilities using a swivel mechanism — the new KMT Swivel PRO attachment.
www.kmtwaterjet.com
The P1 Channel Lifter, one of Wood’s Powr-Grip’s top selling below-the-hook vacuum lifters, is now offered with a new option: a power system to accommodate a compressed air power source. Built to excel in a manufacturing or fabrication shop environment, the P11104AIRS vacuum lifter employs a venturi-type vacuum pump that allows the lifter to attach three times faster than the company’s standard AC or DC versions of the P1. This translates to quicker cycle times and greater
productivity on the shop floor, reports the manufacturer.The P11104AIRS provides the versatility of manual
180-degree rotation and manual 90- degree tilt movements. Due to its venturi-based power system, the P11104AIRS is less susceptible to contamination from sources commonly found in
manufacturing environments than other standard P1 vacuum lifters, according to Wood’s Powr-Grip. It is also capable of operating at temperatures from 0 to 120 degrees F (-18 to 49 degrees C) and at elevations up to 10,000 feet (3048 meters), allowing for use in a broader range of workplace environments. In addition to its versatility, the venturi of the P11104AIRS has no moving parts to wear or require lubrication, thus offering an enhanced service life, reports Wood’s Powr-Grip.
Designed for use with a crane or overhead hoisting system, the new air-powered P1 is slightly lighter than the DC-powered units, weighing 57 pounds (26 kilograms), as compared to the 70 pounds (32 kilograms) of the DC version. According to the manufacturer, this lighter weight makes the P11104AIRS easier for the operator to manipulate and effectively extends the load capacity of the hoisting equipment.
www.powrgrip.com
KMT Waterjet Systems Inc.’s ultra high pressure (UHP) 90,000-psi/6.200-bar Maximum Power KMT Streamline PRO® 125-hp Pump
The Pedrini Multiwire Jupiter GS200
Wood’s Powr-Grip’s P1 Channel Lifter now offered with a new option: a power system to accommodate a compressed air power source
088-091 NP, NE, NL.indd 91088-091 NP, NE, NL.indd 91 12/22/09 1:23:10 PM12/22/09 1:23:10 PM
Stone
This Stone of the Month supplied by Levantina, Novelda, Spain. Technical details provide a frame of reference only. Because stone is a product of nature, testing to determine specifi c physical qualities should be repeated for each project. To submit your own Stone of the Month, send a high-resolution digital image, along with the rel-evant technical data, to [email protected].
www.levantina.com
Blanco AlteaFlexural strength ................................................................................... 11.2 MPa
Slip resistance...............................................................................RD > 45 Class 3
Breaking load at dowel hole ................................................................ 1,850 MPa
of the monthof the month
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Stone World | January 2010 93
Machineof the month
Sandvik Mining and Con-struction i s of fer ing a new 60-mm tool system for drilling
quarry holes up to 152 mm in diam-eter with hydraulic tophammers. The company reports that quarry man-agers in France and Germany are already using them as an alternative to DTH hammers. Sandvik reports that the new system is capable of drilling straight, clean blastholes up to 25 meters deep nearly twice as fast as DTH hammers and using half the fuel. It also offers greater flexibility in hole size in the 90 to 152 mm range.
Since it also uses lighter, more agile and more easily transportable drill rigs, it is highly suitable for drill-and-blast contractors.
On the DTH side, there are also new tool-led solutions that promise to bring down costs. For example, an advanced new grade of cemented-carbide has just been introduced for DTH bits. Tackling the widest range of rocks ever in an optimal manner, this new “silver bullet” only requires that the user chooses the best button-shape and bit-face design for the rock formation in question.
In terms of dimensional stone min-ing, where precision is critical, the rock tools are even stronger deter-miners. Sandvik reports that in slate quarries in Spain, a new guide-bit f itted with cemented-carbide but-tons instead of chisel-type inserts is meeting very high demands. Most crucially, it is maintaining straight holes in horizontal applications up to 25 meters long. Elsewhere, in much harder and more valuable stones, such as granite, the new button bit offers straight drilling with fewer re-grind-ings and optimal service life.
www.sandvik.com
093 MOTM.indd 93093 MOTM.indd 93 12/22/09 1:24:40 PM12/22/09 1:24:40 PM
BESTSELLERS LISTREMOVING SCRATCHES AND POLISHING ENGINEERED STONE DVDby Fred Hueston - $79.95This new 30-minute video shows how to polish and match the factory f nish of most engineered and quartz surface stone. This can be tricky. The techniques and polishing procedure is very diff cult as compared to granite. This video will show you the technique as well as the type of abrasives to use. It also shows several tips including how to remove surface scratches without ref nishing and f lling small holes and pits.
FACE POLISHING GRANITE COUNTERTOPS DVDby Fred Hueston - $79.95This DVD shows how to remove a scratch from a black absolute countertop and blend the f nish into the remaining surface. Also shows several tips including how to remove metal marks and repair small scratches and chips. These techniques have taken years to develop and every fabricator and restoration contractor should be aware of these tricks. Specify VHS, DVD, or DVD PAL format.
ARCHITECTURAL STONE: FABRICATION, INSTALLATION AND SELECTION $140.40Provides building professionals with everything needed to select, design with, and install the full range of natural stone on any project. From his-tory of stone use, to explanations of quarrying process and fabrication techniques, this book is a one-stop resource for building professionals. Contains over 100 photographs and illustrations.
HOW TO POLISH & RESTORE MARBLE FLOORING DVDby Fred Hueston - $79.95This DVD will show you step-by-step how to resurface and polish marble f ooring from grinding and removing lippage and scratches to achiev-ing a highly ref ective polish. Reference manual, resource directory, equipment overview and troubleshooting guide included.
STONE REFINISHING & MAINTENANCE BIBLEby Fred Hueston - $160.00The most complete work of its kind. Filled with nearly 500 pages of information for the ref nishing, polishing, sealing and mainte-nance of stone f ooring. Contents include: 1-Geology and Stone Identif cation; 2-Quar-rying & Fabrication; 3-Stone Floor Ref nishing & Polishing; 4-Procedures and Techniques; 5-Stone Maintenance; 9-Equipment; 10-Bids & Estimates; 11-Marketing; 12-Safety; 13-FAQ-Frequently Asked Questions; 14-Special Reports/Contract Forms/Appendix; 15-Resource Direc-tory; 16-Glossary-Common Industry Stone Terms & Def nitions. 500 pages.
HOW MUCH ARE YOU SAVING ON YOUR STONE MAINTENANCE? By Tom McNall - $285.00Images of the destruction caused by re-crystallization of marble and stone f oors by inexperienced technicians. Each page comes with a description of the damage and direct questions for the property owner/manager to ref ect on. Great for hotels, casinos and malls to see what can happen by taking the lowest bid. This is the same book that Tom uses to educate his commercial maintenance specif ers on the dangers of crystallization and low budget stone care. Direct questions and vivid full color pictures help them to realize where they are sacrif cing their investment for band-aid f xes. Leave the album with executives and managers for one week to compare case studies with their own f oor and they will immediately see the damage in their own buildings before their very eyes. A picture speaks a thousand words. This pictorial journey will speak tens of thousands of dollars to your bottom line. Anyone who knows what is best for stone, the customer and how to polish properly will easily see the value in this money making sales tool.
Go online to www.AECStore.com topurchase or return this
coupon with payment to:
Stone WorldStephanie Weingartz
2401 West Big Beaver, Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084
Phone: 248/244-1275Fax: 248/786-1404
Please indicate how many copies of each book you would like. Please add additional $8.25 shipping & handling charge for the 1st item and $4.25 for each additional item there after. Canadian and International orders will incur higher s&h charges — email [email protected] for exact s&h charges.
___ Removing Scratches and Polishing Engineered St one DVD
___ S tone Ref nishing & M aintenance Bible
___ How Much Are You Saving on YOUR Stone M aintenance?
___ How to Polish & Restore Marble Flooring DVD
___ Face Polishing Granite Co untertops DVD
___ A rchitectural Stone: F abrication, Installation and Selection
Please send payment of total books ordered. Checks should be payable in US dollars on a US bank.
VISA MASTERCARD AMERICAN EXPRESS CHECK ENCLOSED
CREDIT CARD NUMBER: _______________________________________________
NAME: _________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS: _____________________________________________________________
CITY: _____________________________ STATE: _____________ ZIP: ___________
COUNTRY: _____________________________________________________________
PHONE: _______________________________________________________________
E-MAIL: ________________________________________________________________
SIGNATURE: ___________________________________________________________
This form MUST be signed in order to be processed.AEC STORE
SW_ToolsOfTrade_Promo.indd 1SW_ToolsOfTrade_Promo.indd 1 3/16/09 1:00:09 PM3/16/09 1:00:09 PM
c o r p o r a t i o nSince 19 79
WH
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*MOST MEXICAN STONE PRODUCTS*Tiles, cut-to-size, custom-cut Architectural Designs, Columns, Fireplaces,
Fountains, etc. in Mexican Coquina, Crema Maya and Ticul.
Visit our web site: www.mextone.comCall Ricardo: toll free nationwide 1-888-919-9433
or email samples requests to: [email protected]
Custom Display and Sample Boards
"Take your product to the customer."uct to the customer."
d
330-262-0712www.danroc.com
Your top source for high quality tool-holders for Marble and Stone manufacturing. We carry all major
brands including: Breton, Northwood, Brembana, Bavelloni, CMS, Intermac, Marmo, and Park. All our tool-holders are corrosion resistant, hardened, and
precision ground. Ask for a quote today!
T-Tool USA, LLCwww.t-toolusa.com
2850 Glades Circle, Suite 11 — Weston, FL 33327Phone: 954-358-6071 — Fax: 954-358-6073
TTool_SWMarketplace1009.indd 1 9/21/09 1:24:23 PM
Always providing a quality product,
made from the best materials from
around the world, at an affordable price.
150 Industrial Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27406Phone: 336.273.0223 • Fax: 336.273.0699
STONE TOOLS
www.qualitystonetool.com | 908.627.3688
Polishing pads, milling bits, cutting blades, stone edge processing machines and much more. Good quality stone tools at whole sale prices
4” wet polish pad...$3.50/pc • 5” turbo blade...$9.50/pcand much more, please visit our website
QualityStoneTool_SWMarketplace1009.indd 1 9/21/09 9:27:44 AM
Stone World | January 2010 95
RATES: $1175 per six month insertion, $1950 per twelve month insertion. Call 734/340-5211, fax 734/340-5212 or e-mail: [email protected] for more information.MARKETPLACE
095-097 Marketplace.indd 95095-097 Marketplace.indd 95 12/22/09 1:26:27 PM12/22/09 1:26:27 PM
w w w . a n t o l i n i . i t
1335 Lakeside Dr.Romeoville, IL 60446
www.LaserProductsUS.comToll Free 866-539-0052
PRODUCTSLASERindustries
The LT-55 Precision Laser Templator - Visit our website to watch our full training video so you can actually see it working. We believe in allowing our coustomers to know what they are buying.
226 Gerry DriveWood Dale, IL 60191Tel: (630) 594-1816Fax: (630) 594-1866
Email: [email protected]
Bestview is what you want for Natural Stone
Call toll free 1-888-234-3899 for our New CatalogVisit us at www.bestviewintl.com
Over 60 different colors ofGranite Marble Slate in Tiles Slabs CountertopsHand-Carved Marble Mantels and Sculptures
Over many years we have learned what our customers need and we provide it. They demand consistent product quality which is our main goal. They want personalized person to person service so we provide Regional Sales Manager dedicated to your account. Finally we invest in a large and well stocked inventory so we have the product when you need it. Please call for our monthly Special.
AmeriSink Inc, San Leandro, CA 94577 Tel: 877-500-SINK(7465) Fax: 510-667-3775 www.amerisink.com
Value for Life is our goal!
TENAX: For more than 50 years the World Wide Leader in Stone Consumables Products: Adhesives, Sealers, Epoxy, Waxes, Sealers, Diamond Abrasives, Calibrators, Polishing Bricks, Cutting Tools.Tenax USAwww.tenaxusa.com
1408 Center Park [email protected]
Charlotte, NC 28217Ph. 704-583-1173
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS2038 83rd Street North Bergen, NJ 07047
Phone: 201.869.5200 • 212.697.7230 • 800.446.2677
Atlanta800-628-4634
Houston800-388-4802
Chicago800-446-7253Jacksonville
866-898-7778Miami
800-852-2718
Columbus800-971-1333
Alexandria800-552-5558Connecticut
888-446-3226Dallas
800-846-4429Eastern PA
800-446-0282CHINA • BRAZIL • PORTUGAL
SPAIN • GREECE • ISRAEL • INDIA
Proliner®, world’s leading digitizer in 2D & 3D measurement:
Measure stairs, bathrooms, swimming pool edges, formed profi les, renovation, sinks, countertops, backsplashes and all your other 2D and 3D objects.
PRODIM USA - Sales offi ce USA - Mr. John RichertsM. +1 678 699 0732 | E. [email protected] | I. www.prodimusa.com
PRODIM INTERNATIONAL - Sales offi ce Europe - Lage Dijk 26, 5705 BZ Helmond – NLT. +31 (0)492 579050 | F. +31 (0)492 579059 | E. [email protected] | I. www.prodim.eu
Prodim1209SW.indd 1 11/25/09 10:27:25 AM
Made in USA
800-654-3500 • Fax 978-568-1570
VACUUM LIFTERS f STONEAllows one person to lift, tilt or r otatesmooth or rough stone. Electric, air or batter y powered for use Indoors or out. 1 to 60,000 lbs. capacity.
The Leading Full-Service Vacuum Handling Equipment Manufacturer Since 1968
Dealers Nationwide
36 Parmenter RoadHudson, MA 01749
for
ONLY THE BEST
Tel. +39/045887 51 11 • Fax +39/045887 51 55www.granitex.it
Call for a Free Catalog | T. 800.575.4401 | F. 800.915.5501
Braxton-Bragg will offer the lowest prices and thebest service, delivered by the friendliest peoplefor the tools and materials that you want.
1-800-350-1901 • 1-626-443-6433www.miraclesealants.com
96 January 2010 | Stone World
MARKETPLACE
095-097 Marketplace.indd 96095-097 Marketplace.indd 96 12/22/09 1:26:44 PM12/22/09 1:26:44 PM
The Reliable Source For the Highest Quality Turkish Marble“All Over The World”
Factory: Istiklal Mahallesi, Alacayir Mevkii, 11000, Bilecik
Tel: +90 228 2158500 Fax: +90 228 2158504
Head Office: Haberler Sokak No 11, Esentepe, 80300, Istanbul, Turkey Tel: +90 212 3372800 Fax: +90 212 3372820
website: www.tekmarble.com.tre-mail: [email protected]
®
1-866-656-7188www.legacysink.com
LEGACY SINK INC.BEST QUALITY. LOWEST PRICES.
18 Gauge • 304 Stainless steelO
$67AS LOW AS
LegacySink1209SW.indd 1 11/24/09 11:47:36 AM
Providing Better Solutions to the Professional
800-648-7229 ♦ www.alpha-tools.com
THE FABRICATOR’S CHOICE
Visit www.CaesarStoneUS.com or call 877-9QUARTZ (877-978-2789)
A v a i l a b l e E v e r y w h e r e
MADE IN GERMANYOwn quarries! Own production!Special for: Slabs, Floor tiles, Cut to size www.vm-kaldorf.de California Agent TriStone & Tile Inc., Van Nuys [email protected]
VMKaldorf.indd 1 7/8/09 10:13:24 AM
G L A S S O S®
CRYSTAL WHITESLABS TILES CUT-TO-SIZE
Available from stock or full containers direct
CCS Stone, INC9-11 Caesar PlaceMoonachie, NJ 07074 www.ccsstone.com
Looks like Thassos, harder t han granite Tel 201-933-1515800-227-7785
Fax 201-933-5744
CCSStone_marketplace0909.indd 1 7/28/09 3:56:44 PM
Stone World | January 2010 97
MARKETPLACE
Reserve your space in next month's
MARKETPLACE SECTIONcontact Janelle Minghine
[email protected]: 734.340.5211
fax 734.340.5212
095-097 Marketplace.indd 97095-097 Marketplace.indd 97 12/22/09 1:27:00 PM12/22/09 1:27:00 PM
98 January 2010 | Stone World
ABC Stone Trading 30 www.abcworldwidestone.com 516-997-9412All Wood Cabinetry, LLC 91 www.braxton-bragg.com 800-575-4401AmeriSink 47 www.amerisink.com 877-500-7465Antolini Luigi 99 www.antolini.it +39 045 6836611Anver 65 www.anver.com 978-568-0221Artisan 4 www.ArtisanSinks.com 973-286-0080 Bestview International 6 www.bestviewintl.com 630-594-1816Blick Industries 41 www.blickindustries.com 949-499-5026Braxton-Bragg 11 www.braxton-bragg.com 800-575-4401Cactus Stone 23 www.cactusstone.com 602-914-2202CaesarStone 21 www.CaesarStoneUS.com 818-779-0999 Carrara Show 53 www.carraramarmotec.com +39 0585 787963Ceeta 56 www.ceeta.com +91 33 22832925/26Chemcore 58 www.chemcore.com Austin 866-243-6267Continental Diamond Products 50d,79 www.continentaldia.com 800-595-1237Cosentino 32 www.cosentinonorthamerica.com 800-291-1311Coverings 51 www.coverings.com 866-285-3691Domain Industries 50 www.FreeDomainCatalog.com 866-385-7775Dry Treat 43 www.drytreat.com 866-667-5119GMM S.p.A. 63 www.gmm.it +39 0323 849711Granite City Tool 37 www.granitecitytool.com 800-328-7094Granite Depot 7 www.granitedepot.us 904-306-0036Granitex S.p.A. 2 www.granitex.it +39 045 8875111Granito Zucchi 29 www.granitozucchi.com.br 55 27 3243-9666GranQuartz 17,39,50a www.granquartz.com 800-458-6222IGM-International Granite & Marble 100 www.igmcorp.com 800-446-2677International Machine Corp. 26 www.internationalmachinecorp. 631-244-8277 Jerong 18,67 www.jerongmarble.com 510-782-2888 JMS 28 www.juramarble.com +49 8421 3061Laser Products 25 www.LaserProductsUS.com 866-539-0052Marble Institute of America 81 www.marble-institute.com 440-250-9222Marmo Meccanica S.p.A. 45 www.marmomeccanica.com +39 0731 60999Master Wholesale 88 www.masterwholsale.com 800-938-7925Milaneze y Milaneze 75 www.vitoriastonefair.com.br +55 27 3434.0600Miracle Sealants 90 www.miraclesealants.com 800-350-1901MK Diamond 32 www.mkdiamond.com 800-421-5830 MS International 50b,50c www.msistone.com 714-685-7500Natural Stone Council 85 www.naturalstonecouncil.org 800-210-3916Ogyu Manufacturing 55 www.ogyu.co.jp 81-48-222-4226Pearl Abrasive 57 www.pearlabrasive.com 800-969-5561Pokarna Limited 8,9 www.pokarna.com 91 40 2789 7722/6361Primestone 35 www.primestone.ca 905-669-2999Red Rock 73 http://redrockstone.com 800-258-2060Regent Stone Products 77 www.regentistore.com 800-624-8210Santamargherita 34a www.santamargherita.net +39 045 6835888Soci 31 www.sociinc.com 800-910-1446Southland 89 www.southlandstone.com 800-778-2730Tab India 14,15 www.tabindia.com 763-571-8400Tekmar 3 www.tekmarble.com +90 212 3372800Tenax U.S.A. 49 www.tenaxusa.com 800-341-0432TexaStone Quarries 27 www.TexaStone.com 432-354-2569U.S. Granite Robotics 12 www.usgrobotics.com 800-999-3025VM Kaldorf 10 www.vm-kaldorf.de +49 8423/9911-0Windy Ridge Corp. 87 www.jetstik.com 800-639-2021World Wide Stone Corp. 5 www.durangostone.com 602-438-1001
ADVERTISER INDEX ADVERTISER PAGE NO INTERNET ADDRESS PROMO PHONE
FOR SALEPOSITIONS
CLASSIFIEDS
The leading nationwide distributor of natural stone
slabs and tiles is seeking a branch manager and
outside salespeople for the South Florida region.
Experience servicing the natural stone industry in
the region is required. MSI offers an environment for
growth, a team atmosphere, competitive compensation
and a full benefi ts package. All candidates must be
hardworking, determined, enthusiastic, a team player
and very comfortable with computers.
Please email resumes to: [email protected]
M S International, Inc.
MSInternational_SW0609.indd 1 5/20/09 3:38:43 PM
Brand/Model: Breton “Speedy Cut FK/NC 800”Machine Type: Bride SawYear/Condition 2004: Very Good ConditionElect./Voltage: 208-230 V, 60 Cy, 3 Ph.Description: Numerically controlled bridge saw cutting line for
countertop production or architectural work
• Infeed and outfeed conveyor tables, usable cut size of 138” x 138”, 29 hp direct drive motor can handle between 20” and 32” blades, Manually tilting head from 0-90 degrees, Siemens control unit with touch screen, Programmable for step cutting, multiple cuts, and repetitive pattern cuts, slab scanning capable, ability to optimize cuts
• 208V, 6800 hours total, currently under power
Appr. Repl. Cost: $250,000Sales Prive: $125,00FOB/Region: NORTHEASTCurr. Status Make Offer: 914.997.7968Email: [email protected]
Amendo la Marble_SWClassified0110.indd 1 12/18/09 9:01:39 AM
Velocity Decorative Edge Shaper & Polisher, Model Velo-STD, from
Park Industries. Currently in operation, good condition, 3400 hrs. Purchased in 2006 for $250,000, asking $120,000
OBO. Location Calgary, Alberta
E-mail: [email protected]
FOR SALE
GraniteWorx_SWClassified0110.indd 1 12/3/09 9:27:59 AM
098 Advertiser Index.indd 98098 Advertiser Index.indd 98 12/22/09 1:28:59 PM12/22/09 1:28:59 PM
ELEGANT DUNE I GRANITO
www.antolini.it
antolinisw01104.indd 1antolinisw01104.indd 1 12/22/09 9:35:14 AM12/22/09 9:35:14 AM
igmswSW0409.indd 1igmswSW0409.indd 1 3/18/09 11:40:22 AM3/18/09 11:40:22 AM