Investing for the architectural market

Over the years, the Campolonghi Group of Massa, Italy, has processed stone for dozens of architectural landmarks in Italy, the U.S. and across the world. To maintain its status as a leading producer of architectural stonework, the company made a number of investments in recent years to enhance its collaboration with the architectural community.

Among the initiatives, Campolonghi recently added three new Barsanti Jumbo gangsaws, which allowed the company to renovate its former gangsaw plant into a staging area for cut-to-size projects. The plant was repaved and outfitted with several overhead cranes, along with ample lighting to allow company workers and design professionals to review large quantities of finished materials prior to shipment to the jobsite. “It is something that really gives a ‘Made in Italy’ touch,” said Marco Campagna of Campolonghi.

At the time of Stone World’s visit to the facility, it was dry-laying panels of a highly patterned marble for a financial center in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. “The veining of this particular stone will resemble the branches of a tree, spreading as they go up,” Campagna said, adding that all of the pieces are numbered as they are laid out. “It is an extra process that is a value-added service for clients. It is good for prestigious works or complex materials.”

In terms of machinery investments, Campolonghi purchased a custom Pellegrini diamond wire saw for stone shaping that is said to be the largest in the world. The saw features a motorized block trolley, and it was purchased two years ago. Among the projects processed on the saw, it was instrumental in processing blocks for Pino Castagna’s sculptural work at Piazza Bad Kissingen in Marina di Massa. Massive blocks of White Carrara marble were cut to exacting specifications for the project, which recently won a Marble Architectural Award at the CarraraMarmotec fair.

Another equipment investment was the addition of two new Breton Speedycut FK/NC 100 computerized bridge saws, which were purchased earlier this year for architectural stone production.

Campolonghi Group also opened the Center for Research and Innovation, where architects can learn more about the company’s stoneworking capabilities, create models and interact with professionals from the field.