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Seeing great things happen
In this job, I spend a lot of time talking to stone industry members. These days, of course, much of the discussion is about the economy, and how soon it will be until we really see a difference out there. It is a tedious, but necessary chore — sort of like brushing your teeth. You do it every day because you need to, but it’s not all that remarkable.
by Michael Reis
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Back to the “craft” of stoneworking
For as long as three years now (depending on where you’re located in the U.S.), most conversations among stone industry members have begun and ended with a discussion of the economy — specifically how bad it is and whether or not it is ever going to recover. And while we have a long road ahead of us until we’re all the way back, all indications are that the worst is behind us.
by Michael Reis
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Legitimate 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.
by Michael Reis
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Marking 25 years of Stone World
With the issue that you currently hold in your hands, Stone World Magazine officially marks 25 years of covering the international stone industry. I’ve been with the magazine for 17 of those years, and if I could have written this column two and a half years ago, I’d be able to say that it has been an overwhelmingly positive experience.
by Michael Reis
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The quest for knowledge continues
Although I am in contact with individual stone fabricators on an almost-daily basis, I don’t often get to sit in a room full of fabricators outside of the trade show circuit. And since the last major U.S. trade show was Coverings back in April, I was eager to gauge the collective viewpoint of the stone fabricators who gathered in my home state of New Jersey last month for a segment of the Marble Institute of America/Stone World Industry Education series.
by Michael Reis
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Positive indicators versus a lack of confidence
Like pretty much everyone else out there, I am at a loss as to when we will truly be out of this recession. Two years ago, when it became clear that there was trouble on the horizon, the general consensus was that we would see some sort of downward financial “adjustment,” but it likely wouldn’t be long term — and certainly not this severe.
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A Passage to India
In my travels as editor of Stone World, I have toured large-scale stoneworking plants in locales around the world. These trips have taken me to classic stoneworking villages in Italy, Spain and Germany as well as relative “newcomers” in Brazil and China. However, in 16-plus years at Stone World, I never had the chance to check out the stone industry in India.
by Michael Reis
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Don’t count U.S. out!
As is often the case during my travels, some inspiration for a column finds its way into my head, and I have to get it out before the normalcy of returning home wipes it away. That is why I am typing this column from my hotel room in Nuremberg, Germany, only a few hours after the international Stone+tec trade fair closed its doors.
by Michael Reis
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When will positive signs = positive results?
In speaking with people at the recent Coverings exhibition in Chicago, IL, the universal sentiment I heard was “We are seeing some good signs. Things are starting to pick up.” This was true of both fabricators and stone suppliers at the event, and even some of the machinery suppliers said that they were pleasantly surprised by the amount of interest they were seeing on the show floor.
by Michael Reis
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Stone Column: 2008 U.S. stone imports = $2.262 billion
Over the past few weeks, a hard-working editor on the Stone World staff took quite a bit of time to compile the year-end stone import and export statistics that are recorded by the U.S. Department of Commerce. To my mild surprise — and contrary to what I’ve been hearing from many stone suppliers — the total was not “zero.”
by Michael Reis
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Optimism in Brazil
This past February, I made my annual trip to Vitória, Brazil, for the Vitória Stone Fair, which takes place in the stone-rich state of Espírito Santo, where much of Brazil’s stone is quarried, processed and ultimately shipped to the U.S. And in the days leading up to the event, I took the opportunity to schedule visits with major stoneworking factories in the Vitória area, near the city and its shipping port, as well as the Cachoeiro region, which is closer to the quarries.
by Michael Reis
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Absolute zero?
OK, so “absolute zero” is actually a scientific term unrelated to the business world. These past few months, I often feel like it is the level of business in today’s stone industry — or perhaps the latest closing figure for the stock market (as in “The Dow closed today at absolute zero.”)
by Michael Reis
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Emphasizing the Positives
In the “Forum” section of this issue (page 106),
I had the unfortunate task of recapping the distressing events surrounding the
closure of Rock Tops, a Michigan
firm with multiple operations in several states. Although it is bad news to
hear of any event that leaves stoneworking professionals out of a job, the
closure of Rock Tops is at once a “worst case scenario” and a cautionary
tale.
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Fabricators Assess the Future
Every year, Stone World’s parent company, BNP Media, conducts an in-depth survey among U.S. stone fabricators. This survey gauges their short-term and long-term market predictions and their capital outlay and purchasing plans for the future.
by Michael Reis
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Notes from StonExpo
Last month, I made my annual trip to the
StonExpo trade show in Las Vegas,
NV. And while I don’t think that
trade shows provide a tell-all barometer on the state of a particular industry,
I was curious to gauge the feelings and concerns of those in attendance.
by Michael Reis
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A Field Trip Worth Taking
Like
many stone industry professionals today, I find myself facing difficult
financial times for the first time in my career. Over the past 15-plus years,
my professional day-to-day life has grown in unison with the growth of the
stone industry, and this has been particularly evident in my robust travel
schedule.
by Michael Reis
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 | What’s lurking in our Industry?
When I opened up my paper of choice, The New York Times, two weeks ago, I saw a headline in the Home Section entitled, “What’s Lurking in Your Countertop?” By now, we all probably know much of what happened as a result of this article. Subsequently, other major news outlets — including radio and network television — have picked up the story. On YouTube, videos appeared showing people holding a Geiger counter against a granite slab — dramatic scenes with jumping needles and lots of noise indicating that something is seriously awry. Stone distributors and fabricators started receiving way too many calls from concerned homeowners — some hysterical; some reasonable but worried.
by Alex Bachrach
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Walking the line
With American stone industry companies fighting harder than ever before to turn a profit, we are seeing a number of approaches to offsetting the decline in sales these days. Some firms are lowering prices in an attempt to draw more business — although this seems rare among established stone fabricators. Other have changed their target client base, and they are aggressively going after new markets in an attempt to regain some lost business (i.e. remodeling work rather than new construction). Unfortunately, though, no matter what sales and marketing strategy is in place, the majority of U.S. stone fabrication shops will not do the same volume of business that they did a year ago (or even two years ago).
by Michael Reis
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Supporting the truth about granite
For those of you who don’t already know, the “scare tactics” regarding granite and radon are out there once again. Basically, it’s the same old re-run from years ago: “Are granite countertops killing innocent families? We don’t know, but we’re looking into it. In the meantime, why don’t you try this alternative material?”
by Michael Reis
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Brazil digs in
Ever since the Vitória Stone Fair began taking place in the stoneworking region of Vitória, Brazil, in 2002, the show’s growth and energy has mirrored the explosive growth of Brazil’s stone industry. This past edition, however, took place at a time when the nation’s industry is facing its first real challenges since becoming a major player in the international stone industry. Because Brazil relies heavily on the U.S. as an importer of its finished stone products — particularly granite slabs — the downturn in the U.S. housing market has had a noticeable impact on the Brazilian stone industry.
by Michael Reis
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A new era in Carrara
For many stone industry purists, the stoneworking region of Carrara, Italy, is the heart of our industry. As the home of Carrara White marble — Michelangelo’s material of choice — it has a built-in history in stone. More importantly, it has been home to generations of stoneworking professionals who are passionate about stone and its place in architecture, art and culture. I’ve been traveling to this region for over 10 years, and every time I visit, I am reminded that this dedication to the artistry of stone remains alive and well today.
by Michael Reis
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A slice of Americana
In this issue of Stone World Magazine, our “Re-Emerging U.S. Stone Industry” subject is the Cold Spring Granite Co.’s Carnelian granite quarry, which is located in Milbank, SD (page 38). This quarry has made a name for itself by supplying material for prestigious projects across the country, perhaps most notably the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, DC, which utilized 6,000 tons of Carnelian granite. This fact alone entrenches Carnelian granite’s place among the historic materials of our nation.
by Michael Reis
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Stemming the tide
OK, I finally admit it, the stone fabrication market is down. It is not “perceived to be down,” as I have repeatedly argued with my publisher; it is not “up and down.” It is simply “down.” Now, with that being said, the question I have is how far down, and how is this downward trend truly affecting fabricators in the marketplace? Are many shops in dire straits? How many layoffs are taking place? Is anyone buying machinery these days?
by Michael Reis
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Addressing silicosis head-on
In May of 2006, I wrote a column for Stone World entitled, “Silicosis: Dangerous from many angles” that stressed the need for stone fabrication shops to understand the issues of silicosis in our industry, to develop proper procedures in their shop and to educate their employees on the disease. At that time, the Marble Institute of America (MIA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had recently entered into an alliance to develop information to help MIA member employers and workers recognize and prevent hazards such as exposure to silica. The results of this alliance have been extremely positive, and they are continuing to develop.
by Michael Reis
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Luxury stone retailing
Last month, I drove to Richmond, VA, to check out the new Charles Luck Stone Center. And while I anticipated seeing a new, top-of-the-line stone showroom, I ended up seeing a lot more than that. Taking their cue from high-end retailers such as Gucci, Prada and Armani as well as hospitality experts such as Ritz-Carlton, the people at Charles Luck Stone Center have truly created a stone sourcing “experience.”
by Michael Reis
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CONTINUING EDUCATION- — CRITICAL AT ALL LEVELS
No matter how long you’ve been in the stone industry, or what areas of expertise you have developed, you can always benefit from continuing and advancing your education. Fortunately, there is no shortage of high-quality educational opportunities within the stone industry. One prime example of this can be found at StonExpo, which takes place from October 18 to 20 this month in Las Vegas, NV. In fact, an extra day of seminars — with longer, more in-depth sessions — is set for October 17, the day before the exposition opens.
by Michael Reis
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 | Sizing up the world stone market
As usual, the CarraraMarmotec trade fair included some interesting stone industry analyses when it took place in Carrara, Italy, a couple of months ago. Among them, the show’s organizer, Internazionale Marmi e Macchine, presented the “Stone Sector,” an annual statistical handbook on world production, consumption and trade of natural stone.
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 | Oh, what a feeling!
Not too long ago, I received an e-mail from a public relations firm representing Toyota, saying that they wanted to lend Stone World one of their Toyota Tundra trucks for review. As a quasi-construction magazine, Stone World has been placed on many periodical lists used by public relations firms, and as such, we get a lot of misdirected e-mail from “mainstream” construction-related companies. Since I couldn’t discern a relationship between Toyota trucks and the stone industry, I chalked this e-mail up to Stone World’s presence on some sort of list, hit the “delete” button, and went on with my day.
by Michael Reis
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Increased competition in Brazil
Earlier this year, I made my annual trip to Brazil for the Vitória Stone Fair, which has very quickly developed into one of the most important international stone fairs in the world. As I walked the show floor and met with the exhibitors on hand, the overall feeling was a bit different than the past few years. Although the pace in the exhibit hall was brisk, and containers of slabs were certainly being purchased at a solid rate, many owners of Brazilian stoneworking plants cautioned me that the rapid growth they enjoyed over the past few years has slowed down a bit in recent months. It hasn’t exactly plateaued, but the 20 to 30% growth rates seem to be less common than before.
by Michael Reis
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How many times does this have to happen?
I was thumbing through an issue of The New York Daily News the other day, and my heart sank when I saw a headline that read “KILLED BY MARBLE SLABS.” I went on to read that Xavier Minchala-Cardenas, a 19-year-old immigrant from Ecuador, was stacking slabs in a Queens, NY, stone shop when several of the slabs toppled over, pinning him underneath. Although six New York firefighters and several shop workers were able to pull him from the rubble, he died from his injuries a few days afterward.
by Michael Reis
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Stick to baseball, Matt
Every spring, Major League Baseball heads to Arizona and Florida for Spring Training. And while much of the talk there is obviously about baseball, the ritual also gives rise to “human interest” stories about the ballplayers — particularly the non-superstars, who get enough press during the regular season.
by Michael Reis
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Remembering limestone
Back in January, I traveled to Austin, TX, to visit a friend of mine (and to get a little work done). When I got off the plane, the business portion of my trip started pretty much as usual. I visited a granite countertop fabricator in the area and talked about the CNC machinery, bridge saws, edging machines, etc. they use in their day-to-day operations. I took some photos of their equipment in action, looked at some finished countertops and called it a day. It was the continuation of our magazine’s goal and mission to provide our readers with “real life” examples of the stone fabrication sector, providing practical information on countertop production in the field.
by Michael Reis
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 | Machine of the Month
Park Industries introduces the Destiny® XE CNC Stonecenter, which has been engineered to increase production capabilities with automatic changing of 50 tools. Users can route and edge straight or decorative radius shapes on 1- to 6-cm stone with just one easy set-up, the company reports.
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 | Stone of the Month
Coral Beige
Unit volume weight: 2.69 g/cu.m
Water absorption (by weight): 0.18%
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 | Stone Column: Natural Stone Council maps out its three-year plan
I have been on many boards and committees during my years at Stone World, and while they have all been important, and I feel like we achieved some worthwhile goals, no group has the potential to do as much good for the stone industry as the Natural Stone Council (NSC).
by Alex Bachrach
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 | Stone of the Month
Calypso quartzite
Country of origin: Brazil
Specific mass (dry): 2,736 kg/cu.m
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 | Machine of the Month
A year and a half ago, VIC International, with its engineering and manufacturing joint venture associate, Schubert Environmental Equipment, sought to address the problem of adequate water treatment for stone fabricators without “over costing the problem” with ultra high efficiency water cleaners.
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Stone Column: Fabricator outlook: “Cautious optimism”
Each year, the parent company of Stone World Magazine polls stone fabricators around the U.S. to get their outlook for the coming year and beyond. And over the past few years, the results have been overwhelmingly positive — for the short term as well as the long term. However, in this year’s report (beginning on page 58), the overall feeling was optimistic — but a bit more tempered than in the recent past.
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 | Stone of the Month
Green Iron
Country of origin: Brazil
Bulk density: 2.83 g/cu.cm
Absorption: maximum 0.1% per hour
Compressive strength: 32.7 Mpa
Flexural strength: 7.2 Mpa
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 | Machine of the Month
Designed specifically for the stone countertop fabricator, the Express 3200 from Regent Stone Products
comes standard with many features that are generally sold as extras,
the company reports. These features include: a heavy-duty cast iron
bridge; a cast iron, fully synchronized and oil-filled rack-and-pinion
gantry system that is sealed from the elements; and a direct-drive
20-hp motor with hand-held remote control.
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 | Stone of the Month
Nordic Black granite
Absorption 0.04%
Density 168 lbs./cubic foot (2,691 kg/cu.m)
Compressive strength 25,567 psi (176 Mpa)
Modulus of rupture 1,649 psi (11.4 Mpa)
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Learning from your peers
Earlier this year, Stone World began conducting and publishing Online Forums with veteran stone fabricators at www.StoneAdvice.com. Our topics have ranged from templating to countertop and sink installation, and our latest forum on sawing techniques can be found on page 100 of this issue. We have been getting responses from stone experts around the country — from smaller shops with basic equipment to larger facilities with the latest stoneworking technology, and it seems that every response we get has a different, useful perspective on the matter.
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 | Machine of the Month
The AIM MasterJetSaw, available from AGM, is a combination 20-hp saw and 50-hp waterjet. Engineered to be compact and efficient — open from the front and both sides — the MasterJetSaw systems offer easy loading with work areas that are free of obstructions. The MasterJetSaw is ruggedly designed for full-time production operation, with oversized bearings, full bellows way protection and optimized low-stress electronic servo drives.
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Stone Column: Getting off to a good start
In order to separate themselves from the competition — which seems to be increasing on a daily basis — many stone fabricators in North America are researching and investing in new stoneworking technology. They are bringing in new equipment and tooling that allows them to increase their efficiency and quality in the shop, and we are seeing these advances in every market we visit. Examples of these developments can be seen in virtually every single issue of Stone World, including the five fabricators we profile in this issue.
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 | Machine of the Month
with the T108 Automatic, followed by the T818 B, the T818 Access, the T58 and the CNC sawing machines, Thibaut of France has made great strides to become a key provider of computerized machinery. The company’s goal is to develop machinery that combines solid performance and modern technology — allowing users of the equipment to work with optimum speed and automation.
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 | Stone of the Month: Ouro Brasil granite
Country of origin: Brazil
Compression breaking: 1,514 kg/sq.cm
Compression breaking load after freezing: 1.450 kg/sq.cm
Ultimate tensile strength: 93 kg/sq.cm
Water absorption: 0.18%
Bulk density: 2,566 kg/cu.m
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Stone Column: The world beyond granite slabs
Without question, the growth of the American stone industry today has been fueled by the explosive popularity of granite kitchen countertops. Homeowners around the country are buying granite for their residences, and it has given new life to the stone industry, which had become stagnant during the early 1990s after the commercial building boom fizzled out. And because of this trend, it is sometimes easy to forget that while granite slabs are certainly a staple of the industry, there are some exciting things happening with other stone materials as well.
by Michael Reis
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 | Machine of the Month
The Omag Mill 4X is a numerically controlled machining center with 3 or 4 axes, available in North America from Salem Stone/Bergman-Blair. The machine, which was engineered based on Omag’s 25 years of manufacturing experience, combines a high level of technology with easy set-up, and it is capable of forming, routing, engraving, milling, sculpting, sawing, polishing and lathe work on marble, granite and other types of stone.
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Stone Column: What’s the next step?
A little over nine years ago, I received a call from a fabricator in North Carolina who said he had not only one, but TWO computer numerically controlled (CNC) stoneworking centers for residential countertop production.
by Michael Reis
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 | Machine of the Month
Flow International Corp., a leading developer and manufacturer of ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) waterjet technology, announced the launch of its new StoneCrafter waterjet system, with a variety of powerful pump options, larger envelope size for greater productivity and other features specific to the stone and tile market.
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 | Stone of the Month
Kasota Valley limestone
Country of origin: U.S.
Bulk density: 155 pounds/square foot
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 | Technology Update
Fraccaroli e Balzan S.p.A., a world leader in the design and construction of waste water treatment plants and filter presses, has engineered a cost-effective, simple-to-use water treatment plant (solids separator) for the stone industry.
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 | Stone Column: An Appreciation of Stone Architecture
WITH THE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH OF GRANITE KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS IN THE U.S., IT IS NATURAL THAT MUCH OF OUR ATTENTION — AND STONE WORLD’S EDITORIAL COVERAGE — IS DEDICATED TO THIS SEGMENT OF THE INDUSTRY. IN THIS ISSUE ALONE, WE LOOK AT THE OPERATIONS OF SEVERAL FABRICATION SHOPS AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND WE ALSO CONDUCTED AN ONLINE FORUM TO GAIN SOME INSIGHT ON THE STONE FABRICATORS ALLIANCE.
by Michael Reis
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 | Machine of the Month
The Contour from Matrix Stone Products is a powerful CNC workcenter designed to automate the process of cutting and polishing sink holes.
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 | Stone of the Month: African Beige
African Beige
Country of origin: Namibia
Water absorption: 0.12%
Compression breaking load: 1,928 kg/sq.cm
Volumetric weight: 2,678 kg/cu.m
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 | STONE COLUMN: It’s not you; it’s the granite
Over the past decade, I have visited many fabrication shops around the country, and I would like to share my thoughts on an interesting trend I have noticed recently.
by Michael Reis
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 | Technology Update
Pearl Abrasive’s new VX10.2XLPRO Tile Saw is made for the professional. It is designed to cut tile, porcelain, granite tiles, marble tiles and more. The machine is engineered to rip cut a 24-inch tile and diagonal cut an 18-inch tile.
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 | Machine of the Month
For years, Ghines has been offering a range of Manual Multifunctional Centers, which are stationary machines engineered to combine the precision work and productivity of a CNC with the flexibility and handwork of portable shape milling machines.
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 | Stone of the Month
Gold Fields
Country of origin: Brazil
Absorption: 0.06%
Density: 124.85 pounds/cubic foot
Porosity: 0.17%
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 | STONE COLUMN: Silicosis: Dangerous from Many Angles
Last year, Judge Janis Graham Jack of the Federal District Court in Corpus Christi, TX, questioned the validity of several thousand silica claims that were before her. And in the wake of this questioning, it was found that about 65% of the plaintiffs had also filed claims for asbestos in the past. In a harshly worded decision, Judge Jack, a former nurse, declared that many of the medical findings in the silicosis lawsuit before her were worthless and that they had been “manufactured for money.” She remanded the lawsuit to state courts, and since then, more than half of those 10,000 silica claims have been dismissed — most of them voluntarily by the law firms that filed them.
by Michael Reis
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 | Machine of the Month
This is the newest and most up-to-date machine in the Master series from Marmoelettromeccanica, the company reports.
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 | STONE COLUMN: Impressing safety upon your workers
We all know that the increase in natural stone consumption in the U.S. has been remarkable over the past few years. The use of stone products — particularly in a slab format — has been exploding, as homeowners are considering granite kitchen countertops to be a staple of their residential projects. However, rise in slab consumption — coupled with the increase in new companies dealing with slabs — has led to a major issue that our industry needs to face: SAFETY.
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 | Machine of the Month
Park Industries’ high-production Prestige CNC stoneworking center produces curved edgework and complete sink cut-outs with touch-screen simplicity, the company reports. The machine was engineered to be a fast, easy-to-use work center, utilizing Park’s proven, easy-to-operate CNC controls.
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 | Stone of the Month
Riverstone phyllite
Country of origin: Argentina
Real density: 2,775 kg/cu.m
Total porosity: 0.04%
Open porosity: 1.4%
Flexural strength: 89 Mpa
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 | Technology Update
Specially created for the medium-small marble-shop, the Comandulli Penta edge polisher, available in North America from AGM, is a small-sized conveyor belt machine for straight edges, which assures high production with low energy consumption, the company reports.
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 | Stone of the Month
Victorian Rose Bluestone
Absorption 1.57%
Compressive strength (across strata) 17,400 psi
Compressive strength (with strata) 10,200 psi
Flexural strength (across strata) 2,120 psi
Flexural strength (with strata) 1,600 psi
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 | Machine of the Month
The Alpha® VSP 110 variable-speed wet polisher was designed to be the standard for wet polishing applications. As an option, the company’s newest wet polisher comes with a step-down gear set to reduce spindle RPMs.
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STONE COLUMN: The “Typical” Stone Fabricator
When I was growing up, I remember reading a survey that definitively stated: “The typical American family has two-and-a-half children.” Despite never having met a half-child, that number stuck in my mind. Recently, the market research department at BNP Media (Stone World’s parent company) conducted a groundbreaking survey of stone fabricators to determine the most prevalent industry trends.
by Michael Reis
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Stone Column: Brazil’s Exploding Granite Industry
It is no secret that the Brazilian granite industry has grown tremendously over the course of the last decade. In the early 1990s, Brazilian granite suppliers began seriously marketing material to the American market, and exports of granite from Brazil to the U.S. reached a total of $19.5 million in 1994. Five years later, that total reached $42.9 million, and by 2004, a total of $267.9 million worth of Brazilian granite was exported to the U.S., placing Brazil a close second behind Italy in terms of granite exports to America.
by Michael Reis
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 | Putting their money where their mouth is
For several years now, the American stone industry has been on an incredible upswing -- particularly stone fabricators. In general, business has increased, and most shops seem to be busier than ever.
by Michael Reis
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Italy's expanding horizons
No matter how many times I travel to Italy, it never gets old -- and not just because of the excellent food and wine I enjoy while I am there. As editor of Stone World Magazine, I am fortunate enough to travel to Italy at least two or three times each year, and every time I go, something new seems to be taking place in the stone industry.
by Michael Reis
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 | My Kingdom for a Tarp
The American Red Cross estimates that 275,000 homes have been destroyed by Katrina and the flooding that followed in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. More than 1 million people have been displaced, their homes unlivable and likely to be demolished. Rebuilding these homes and helping these families represents a staggering challenge, especially when you attach names and faces to the evacuees.
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Another prime example
As soon as I approached the entrance to this month’s “Re-Emerging U.S. Stone Industry” subject — Vangura Surfacing Products of North Huntingdon, PA — I knew this was not going to be a typical fabrication shop article. To begin with, the facilities of the company were quite imposing, with multiple large-scale buildings and its own private roadway leading from the highway. Driving past several loading bays and warehouse/manufacturing facilities, I ultimately reached the main lobby — an inviting, two-story space that showcases a broad range of finished stonework.
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Stone Column: Embracing Technology
Over the years, companies in the stone industry have developed a reputation as a bunch of “good old boys.” This has been particularly true of stone fabricators. Given this assessment, one might get the impression that the typical stone fabricator in North America sets about his daily business with a hammer and chisel — and perhaps a hat made of folded newspaper.
by Michael Reis
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Stone Column: Architects and education
Over the past decade, suppliers of stone, installation materials and maintenance products have placed a great deal of emphasis on educating architects on the technical aspects of natural stone.
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Stone Column: Learning from others
For the first time ever, the subject of our “Re-Emerging U.S. Stone Industry” feature is not technically a member of the stone industry.
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Re-Emerging: Equipped to satisfy customer demand
Within several years, Counter Intelligence has dramatically increased the size of its business to capitalize on the growing market for Silestone Quartz Surfacing in the Washington, DC, area
by Jennifer Adams
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Stone Column:
Educating the industry
Last month, in addition to my regular travel schedule, I made a special trip to Dallas, TX, to participate in the StonExpo Education Committee Advisory Meeting.
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Re-emerging: Serving the production home market
Based in Phoenix, AZ, Abbott Granite Inc. fabricates stone for some of the largest developers and home-building companies in Arizona, and it has a meticulous system for staying organized
by Michael Reis
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Restoration of Historic Stone Flooring
The restoration, repair and/or maintenance of historic stone flooring is not that much different than the treatment of new stone and tile surfaces.
by Frederick M. Hueston, Stone World Technical Editor
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Stone Column: Trade Show Mania
After arriving home late one night last October -- after yet another trip back from Newark International Airport in New Jersey -- I looked down at the set of keys in my hand and was not sure which one would open the front door to my house.
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Stone Column:
Stone World turns 20
About 12 years ago, fresh out of college, I answered an advertisement in a local newspaper seeking an assistant editor for an “architectural trade magazine.”
by Michael Reis
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 | Re-emerging: CNC investment increases production
When Custom Stone Creations first started in Orlando, FL, owners processed an average of one to two jobs a week, and now, with a well-equipped modern facility and CNC machinery, the company averages seven jobs a day
by Michelle Stinnard
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Setting industry standards
Pretty much everyone who has worked in the stone industry for any length of time knows that this business can be characterized as somewhat, um, fragmented.
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Re-Emerging
Working as an extended family
Counter Revolution of Passaic, NJ, has steadily grown as a countertop manufacturer, bolstered by a dedicated team of employees -- many of whom have been with the company over the long haul
by Jennifer Adams
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Stone Column:
Getting in touch with homeowners
Now that the Internet is firmly in place as a primary source of finding information on stone, the Stone World staff is receiving more calls than ever from natural stone consumers.
by Michael Reis
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Hitting the mainstream
In late February, I was interviewed by The New York Times for an article that they were preparing on the labor market in the U.S.
by Michael Reis
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Stone Column: Greetings from Brazil
This month, I am writing my column from a hotel room in Vitoria, Brazil, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in 90-degree heat in mid-February.
by Michael Reis
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Stone Column: Fueling the fire
Late last year, I attended two industry trade shows within a span of three weeks — the International Tile & Stone Show (ITSS) in Las Vegas, NV, and StonExpo in Atlanta, GA.
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Stone Column:
Thank you, DuPont
In 1993, when I first began working for Stone World, one of the first trade shows I attended was the Marble Institute of America Convention in Washington, DC.
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Anticipating market deman
Understanding the market and meeting its needs has proven to be an essential business strategy for Stone Interiors of Loxley, AL
by Jennifer Adams
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 | Steady growth in countertop processing
Established in 1990, Stone Surfaces, Inc. of East Rutherford, NJ, has demonstrated steady growth as a fabricator and installer of stone countertops
by Michael Reis
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Stone Column:
Worth the trip
In June of this year, CarraraMarmotec took place in the historic stoneworking center of Carrara, Italy, marking the 24th year that the show has taken place in that locale.
by Michael Reis
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 | Machine Of The Month:
T108
Launched in 1996, Thibaut reports that the T108 is the most widely distributed multifunction stoneworking center in the world, with 530 units sold to date.
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 | Re-Emerging:
Utah supplier continues to expand
Backed by its own quarry, fabrication shops and stonemasonry business, Delta Stone Products of Heber City, UT, is the result of a steady growth over the past 15 years.
by Michael Reis
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Stone Column:
Dealing with the Euro
As editor of an international trade magazine, I travel extensively around the world -- particularly to Europe, where I make several trips per year.
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The show goes on
Coverings 2003, the stone and tile industry's annual trade show in Orlando, FL, was recently held from March 24 to 27, less than a week after the first allied military strikes on Iraq.
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 | Machine of the Month: The Technostone 1500 x 3000
The Technostone 1500 x 3000, the Technostone 2300 x 4000 and the Multiwork STP from Bimatech are the base models of the CNC stoneworking centers offered by International Machine Corp. of Holbrook, NY.
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Stone Column: Back to basics
In this day of advanced Computer Numerically Controlled machines, endless Internet communication and high-tech installation products, it is interesting to note that raw stoneworking ability still plays an integral role in the natural stone industry.
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Stone Column: The continued growth of stone fabrication
In this issue of Stone World, we are presenting a broad range of "Fabrication Case Studies." And given the growth in stoneworking operations -- in the U.S. and abroad -- this is sure to be a recurring theme in future issues as well.
by Michael Reis
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 | Machine of the Month
The Sprinter 99 edging machine is manufactured by SB Construzioni Macchine and distributed in the U.S. by Inter Stone Supplies, LLC, of North Hollywood, CA.
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 | Stone of the Month
This Stone of the Month was supplied by the Argentine Secretary of Industry, Commerce and Mining, Chubut, Argentina.
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A showcase of innovation
In this issue of Stone World, we present our annual "Showcase," a collection of information on companies from all sectors of the stone industry -- including stone suppliers as well as providers of machinery, fabricating accessories, installation and maintenance products and more.
by Michael Reis
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A renaissance of slate roofing
With all of the inroads that natural stone is making in design - for applications such as kitchen countertops, flooring, walls and exteriors - it is interesting to note that one of the most traditional applications of natural stone in North America, roofing slate, is also enjoying success in the 21st century.
by Michael Reis
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 | Stone of the Month
This Stone of the Month supplied by International Italmarmi, Massa, Italy.
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Stone Column: Craftsmanship versus technology
Even as the world becomes more and more immersed in technology and computerization, the natural stone industry remains a sector that relies on personal skill and craftsmanship.
by Michael Reis
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Reinvigorating the past
In this issue of Stone World, we are presenting a focus on the renovation and restoration sector, which has been a strong segment of the industry for some time now.
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India by the numbers
Statistics from the U.S. Department of Commerce show that imports of Indian stone by consumers have grown significantly over the past five years.
by Michael Reis
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So many shows, so little time
Even though the organizers of different shows are on different continents,Michael Reis believes they can better communicate with one another and try to come up with a schedule that benefits everyone.
by Michael Reis
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