by Alexis Fisher, Associate Editor

For a company that was formed to take on the commercial sector in greater Louisville, KY, the owners of TruRock LLC, Cory Lay and Jamie Watts, have had to shift gears to better position themselves in the marketplace. "Basically, our original business plan was to specialize in commercial and multi-family projects," said Watts. "With the current state of the economy, we have used the same high-production and efficiency techniques we use for commercial work and translated them into our residential offerings." Full article

by Michael Reis, Editor

As global competition in the granite sector continues to increase, many of the long-established slab producers have increased their product selections to include exotic materials such as onyx and even semi-precious stones. This has been particularly prevalent among slab producers in Italy, as many firms have increased their product lineups to include exotic materials in addition to granite. They have also "returned to their roots" as producers of marble slabs, following the current design trends. The following is a look at the slab-processing operations and products at Cereser Marmi S.p.A., which is based near Verona, Italy. Full article

by Jennifer Adams, Managing Editor

Perched on a plateau five miles west of Wimberley, TX, a private residence offers its owners sweeping views of the Texas Hill Country. And to create the rural feel that fits with the surrounding landscape, an extensive amount of native Texas limestone was combined with distressed wood for the design.
"Our design process is very much driven by site conditions," said architect Rick Burleson, AIA, of Burleson Design Group, Inc. in Wimberley, TX. "Most of our work is done on high-acreage property. The design goal for this residence was to really capture the northern views of the house, and also design so we were taking advantage of the southern breezes and sun orientation. With our climate here in Texas, you can enjoy summertime outdoors if you are capturing the breezes, so it is intrinsic to our design approach." Full article

by Alexis Fisher, Associate Editor

Many stoneworking professionals today are expanding their material selections in order to maximize the scope of work they can offer homeowners. An solid example of mixing slab work with mosaics can be found in a recently completed project in Washington, DC. This home used slabwork and mosaics in the kitchen as well as the bathroom spaces, and it required some innovation by the installers to complete. Full article

from John Mattke, Co-Chair, Natural Stone Council

In recent weeks, the Natural Stone Council (NSC) has sent a number of communications out to members of the stone industry to explain its activities and initiatives. The NSC board has also sought input to evaluate whether or not industry members support the NSC to the degree necessary for these initiatives to continue. We would like to thank those of you who have invested the time to express your thoughts and concerns in a constructive manner. It has been very helpful and has led us to conclude that an industry unified around common goals is worthwhile, that building a brand preference for stone versus other materials is desirable, and that a focus on positioning stone within the green building arena is an imperative. There may be differences of opinion on how to accomplish these things, but the primary initiatives undertaken by the NSC are valued by most industry members. Click here to read more.

Dry-Treat launches Meta Crème sealing technology

Dry-Treat has just launched a new generation impregnating sealer, called Meta Crème, to protect natural stone, tile, paving, brick, concrete and grout. It's in the form of a cream, as the name implies with many unique properties and benefits. Click here to read more.