Located in a 10,000-square-foot building, Coastal Stone specializes in the fabrication of granite and marble countertops, and the company also processes stone fireplaces as well a variety of custom work. “Recently we made podiums and altars for churches, and we have also created a lot of furniture,” said Farron Tilly. With the recent completion of a mansion in Lumberton, NC, it doesn't matter how big the project is, according to Tilly. Overall, in terms of production capacity, Coastal Stone produces about five kitchens per week and cuts about four to five slabs a day.

No company is complete without a well-trained staff. Coastal Stone employs 14 workers including Pete Tilly and his son. “We are a family organization, therefore we hire people that we either know or by recommendation by someone we know,” explained Farron Tilly. The staff consists of a mix of specialized employees that can execute every aspect of the fabrication process. “A few of the guys can only run the machines and a few can only polish, but there are five guys that can do everything,” said Tilly. The training program for the newly hired employees relies heavily upon hands-on experience, and employees continue to learn the craft as they go along.

Coastal Stone utilize a variety of machines and tools on the premises. They have a Simec bridge saw, an older Johnson Marble Machinery saw and a Wizard polisher from Park Industries. The company also has two of Park Industries' Pro Edge III units for shaping and edging. Its most recent purchase has been the Odyssey II CNC stoneworking center from Park. “We do all of our routing and edging on the Odyssey II. The new investment cuts out error. It doesn't make the mistakes that you would make when using a manually controlled machine. It also has increased speed and has proved to be more consistent,” said Tilly. Tooling at the facility includes CNC router bits, finger bits and vanity drum wheels.

Challenges always occur as a fabricator. In Coastal Stone's case, the biggest challenge that they are faced with is trying to maintain a quality product. “We also strive to help our clients understand the stone and why things have to be a certain way,” explained Tilly.

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