The facility can process slabs as well as architectural work, and 100% of its production is exported. To equip the new facility, MAP selected a combination of machinery from Italy, Argentina and Brazil. Equipment includes five gauging machines as well as various cutting and polishing machinery and a broad range of handling equipment. A total of 40 workers are employed at the new factory.

Slabs are processed into typical thicknesses of 3⁄4 and 1 inch, with a typical slab size of 7 x 4 feet. Architectural pieces include fireplaces, tabletops, sills, cladding and cut-to-size projects. The machinery at the new plant can furnish the surface of the slate with a variety of finishes, including natural (cleft), honed, brushed and bush-hammered. Overall, the facility has a total capacity of 215,000 square feet of slate per month.

With the advanced machinery in place, MAP is able to offer slab products with very tight tolerances. Stone with a cleft finish has a tolerance of +/- 1 mm, while stone with a honed finish can be finished even tighter, according to the company.