I know it is a strange headline for an editor's column, but I am looking to draw attention to Stone World's new Web site -- www.StoneWorld.com -- because I think it is the most comprehensive source for stone industry information that you can find. In fact, many of the articles in this ENewsletter will direct you back to our site. While I do not think that print magazines are going away (a recent report states that printed magazine readership has actually grown over the past five years), there is no denying the advantages that a Web site offers as a source of industry information. First and foremost is the immediacy factor.

When something happens that affects our industry members, Stone World wants to let you know as soon as possible, and the "Latest News" section of our site allows us to do exactly that. Another advantage at www.StoneWorld.com is the ability for readers to sort through our latest issues as well as our archives to find exactly what they are looking for. With our new Web site, readers will be able to search stories by topics such as: "Fabricator Case Studies," "Fabricator How-To," "Large-Scale Production" (Processing Plants and Quarrying Sites), "Technology" (Equipment and Tooling), "Stone in Architecture" (Residential, Commercial and Renovation/Restoration), "Trade Show Coverage," "Products," and "International Coverage." 

In essence, this categorization gives readers a chance to "browse" through current and past issues of Stone World in a much more convenient way. Of course, there are other benefits you will find at www.StoneWorld.com, and we feel they are unique in terms of stone industry resources. Among them, our new Web site will have enhanced video offerings that offer insight into the processes for quarrying, cutting and even repairing stone.

Whether it is a massive quarry face being freed, a robotic bridge saw/waterjet cutting a slab, or a how-to on scratch removal, the Video Channel at www.StoneWorld.com provides a one-of-a-kind resource for stone industry members -- and their customers. When a customer is asking about how stone is quarried, how it is cut or how it is repaired, we want you to be able to point them to our Web site to show them how it is done. Our enhanced Web site will also include extensive photo galleries, with an emphasis on the latest stone products to hit the marketplace. Our team of editors travels the globe to research what international stone producers are processing in their factories, and www.StoneWorld.com will showcase galleries of these images in greater quantities than ever before.

In an effort to make www.StoneWorld.com a more interactive experience for its viewers, we are also going to include a regular poll question, where industry members can offer their views on current topics, and they can see the results in real time. All of these enhancements are being made with one goal in mind -- to ensure that Stone World's readers have access to the greatest compilation of stone industry information possible. We want to help your business succeed, and toward that end, I welcome your personal feedback and suggestions, so feel free to e-mail me at michael@stoneworld.com