The Department of Civil Aviation Dubai has begun a multi-phase Dubai International Airport expansion program in the United Arab Emirates, which includes construction of new terminals and concourse. And as part of this expansion, they have specified a staggering total of nearly 2.6 million square feet of Brazilian granite for the project. And to fabricate the stone, Campolonghi Group of Massa, Italy, is utilizing specialized stoneworking machinery, including a unique multi-head saw.

The designers for the project, which is ongoing, specified Pannafragola granite for its warm color. (The name of the stone literally translates as “strawberries and cream.”) This material was quarried in Brazil by Mineracao Corcovado.

Virtually all of the granite for the Dubai International Airport expansion is being processed into 60- x 60-cm tiles at Campolonghi's facilities in Italy. The Pannafragola granite is shipped to Campolonghi in block form, and the material is first processed into raw slabs on the company's Barsanti Macchine gangsaws. After being processed on the gangsaws, the stone then moves onto standard slab polishers, also from Barsanti Macchine.

Once the slabs have received their polish, the stone is then taken to a unique multi-head saw from F. Meccanica of Italy. This machine, which has 10 cutting heads, is able to produce tiles at an extremely high rate of speed. It is also equipped with a drier so that tiles leaving the line can be reviewed by quality control-specialists with optimum efficiency. Tiles that do not fit the established range are removed from the line, although some can still be used on the project for areas where additional field cutting is required.

The airport expansion is being completed in phases, with some sections being completed this year and others over the next few years.