A group of nearly 30 North American stone fabricators are currently in the midst of a week-long tour of Italy that includes visits with many of the nation's stone producers and technology providers.

The group, comprised of members of the Stone Fabricators Alliance, is consulting with suppliers of tooling, machinery and other technology, examining options for stone fabrication and offering advice to develop innovations specifically for the needs of the North American market. In addition to technologies suppliers, the tour includes visits to Italian stone quarries, slab plants and architectural stone producers. Look for a full report in future print and online editions of Stone World.