Now in its third generation, The Colucci Group of Companies in Pittsburgh, PA, has grown and diversified since its initial start in the 1940s. The company was originally founded by Ralph and Rocco Colucci as a retail business selling imported and domestic tile and natural stone. Today, the operation is run by Carl J. Hilbert, nephew and grandson to the founders, and it has expanded to include two more divisions, Colucci Marble & Granite Restoration and Colucci Marble & Granite Fabrication.

“I took over the business from my uncle, Ralph Colucci, in 1993,” said Hilbert. “I started installation of tile in both residential and commercial applications. I then added Colucci Marble & Granite Restoration in 1996, which refinishes tile, natural stone and terrazzo. In 1997, I opened Colucci Marble & Granite Fabrication, Inc., which custom produces a wide range of products using natural stone.”

The company’s fabrication facility, which was recently renovated to increase in size, encompasses 5,500 square feet of space, and it is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery from Park Industries of St. Cloud, MN. Equipment includes a Pro-Edge II automated edge shaping and polishing machine, a Jaguar gantry saw, a Prodigy bridge saw and an Odyssey CNC stoneworking center.

According to Hilbert, the Odyssey made a significant difference in production. “The CNC machine reduced the number of man hours that it would normally take, and it increased our production by 75%,” he said.

Colucci Marble & Granite Fabrication, Inc. caters to both the residential and commercial markets. “We produce natural stone countertops, thresholds, tabletops, windowsills, shelves, building facades and numerous other applications that require durable natural material,” said Hilbert, adding that the company’s annual production capacity is $3 to $5 million worth of work.

In addition to the shop workers, the company also employs two installation crews and one template team.  “The most accurate method of templating for us is using strips of Luan plywood,” said Hilbert.

The company serves a broad market base, which includes the entire state of Pennsylvania as well as parts of Ohio, New York, West Virginia and Virginia. “We do anything from residential countertops to casinos,” said Hilbert. “Our long-term goal is to have The Colucci Group of Companies a household name in the Eastern U.S.”

Among the recent projects that the company has worked on are the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, PA; the Mount Airy Casino in Pennsylvania’s Poconos area; Tamarack Country Club in Greenwich, CT; and Saratoga Gaming & Raceway in Saratoga, NY.      

Sidebar: The Colucci Group of Companies

Pittsburgh, PA

Type of work: residential and commercial projects

Machinery: a Pro-Edge II automated edge shaping and polishing machine, a Jaguar gantry saw, a Prodigy bridge saw and an Odyssey CNC stoneworking center -- all from Park Industries of St. Cloud, MN

Number of Employees: more than 70; including 15 workers in the fabrication shop, two installation crews and one template team