Most Emailed Stories

Historic marble used to restore mansion balustrade

The continuing evolution of quartz surfacing

Care And Maintenance Of Slate Flooring

Breathing new life into American soapstone

TexaStone Quarries hosts “Stone Extravaganza”

- Stone: An Architect's Perspective: The New York Public Library

Product line Manager - A growing family of quarries

- Sustainability isn't just feel-good window dressing; it’s actually good for business

- Home renovation reflects family living style

- Spanish tile manufacturers win CID Awards at Coverings 2013

Stone Column
Subscribe

Where do Brazilian â€œExoticsâ€ come from?

August 31, 2010

By Michael Reis

No Comments

A decade ago, I traveled to the famed Giallo Veneziano quarry in Brazil -- via helicopter -- and immediately counted it among the most interesting places I visited while doing this job. To see an entire mountain of granite being worked by nearly 100 people was a sight I will not forget.

Increased shop efficiency = increased profits

August 1, 2010

By Michael Reis

No Comments

With fabrication shops working on tighter margins than ever before, many shop managers and owners are eliminating unnecessary cost by increasing efficiency. Recently, I conducted a roundtable on increasing shop efficiency with members of the Stone Fabricators Alliance (SFA), which can be found on page 62 of this issue.

Stone imports are up, so where is the recovery?

July 1, 2010

By Michael Reis

No Comments

As I walked around two of the major international trade fairs earlier this year - Coverings in the U.S. and the Vitória Stone Fair in Brazil - major exporters were telling me that sales to the American market had decidedly increased for the first quarter of 2010.

Brazil on the rebound

June 1, 2010

By Michael Reis

No Comments

Over the past few months, my travels to international trade shows have given me the opportunity to sit down with some of the world’s major stone producers to gauge the current market conditions. Not surprisingly, many of these suppliers are based in Brazil. And for the first time in awhile, their mood is upbeat.

Leaving 2009 in the rearview mirror

May 1, 2010

By Michael Reis

No Comments

Each May, Stone World publishes the year-end summary of all stone imports into the U.S., which are recorded by the U.S. Department of Commerce. For comparative purposes, we also publish the year-end statistics from a year before.

Learning slab handling safety - again

April 1, 2010

By Michael Reis

No Comments

Each and every year, the number of deaths and serious injuries caused by improper slab handling is at a point where I am compelled to dedicate an entire column to the subject. Frankly, one death per year is too many, but it has been far more than that, and it appears that this is a subject that continually requires revisiting.

Seeing great things happen

March 1, 2010

By Michael Reis

No Comments

In this job, I spend a lot of time talking to stone industry members. These days, of course, much of the discussion is about the economy, and how soon it will be until we really see a difference out there. It is a tedious, but necessary chore - sort of like brushing your teeth. You do it every day because you need to, but it’s not all that remarkable.

Back to the â€œcraftâ€ of stoneworking

February 1, 2010

By Michael Reis

No Comments

For as long as three years now (depending on where you’re located in the U.S.), most conversations among stone industry members have begun and ended with a discussion of the economy - specifically how bad it is and whether or not it is ever going to recover. And while we have a long road ahead of us until we’re all the way back, all indications are that the worst is behind us.

Legitimate signs of life in 2010

January 5, 2010

By Michael Reis

No Comments

In this issue of Stone World, we present our annual Fabricator Market Forecast (page 34), where hundreds of stone fabrication professionals from around the country offer their predictions for the coming year as well as their expectations for the long-term. Moreover, this study gauges how stone fabricators plan to spend their money in 2010 - in real dollar amounts.

Marking 25 years of Stone World

November 1, 2009

By Michael Reis

No Comments

With the issue that you currently hold in your hands, Stone World Magazine officially marks 25 years of covering the international stone industry. I’ve been with the magazine for 17 of those years, and if I could have written this column two and a half years ago, I’d be able to say that it has been an overwhelmingly positive experience.

Videos

Image Galleries

Surfaces 2013 preview

Surfaces 2013 -- to be held in conjunction with StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas -- is slated for January 29 to 31 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. The show, which also includes an extensive educational program that will be held from January 28 to 31, provides a place for thousands of floor covering retailers, distributors, installers, architects, designers and builders from around the world to gather and view the latest products, get vital education, network with other floor covering professionals and conduct business.

More than 600 of the largest manufacturers and suppliers representing products in every major category, including carpet, tile, hardwood, rugs, laminate, resilient and stone, are expected to exhibit at the trade show. Hanley Wood, owner and operator of the exhibition, reports that they have many new exhibiting companies and returning ones who have expanded their booth size. Additionally, Surfaces 2013 will host more than 40 workshops, seminars and mini sessions led by industry experts in the fields of business, sales, marketing, installation and design. Attendees can earn AIA, NKBA, AIBD, IICRC and AIA/CES industry designation. Here is just a small sampling of some of the displays that will be present at Surfaces 2013.

THE MAGAZINE

Stone World Magazine

May 2013

Stone World's new issue includes a feature on the restoration of St. Joseph Cathedral in Sioux Falls, SD as well as an inside look at the Artisan Group’s annual fabrication event in Austin, TX.

Table Of Contents Subscribe

Contemporary Stone & Tile Design Magazine

2013 Spring

CSTD's Spring issue features a special on Kitchen and Bath renovation. This edition also takes a look at the continuing popularity of quartz surfacing.

Table Of Contents Subscribe

Business Staff

View Results Poll Archive

The Stone World Store

How to Polish & Restore Marble Flooring

This video will show you step-by-step how to resurface and polish marble flooring from grinding and removing lippage and scratches to achieving a highly reflective polish.

More Products

Stone Guide

The directory for Stone, Equipment and Supplies - the single information resource readers turn to.

Visit Stone Guide today!

Stone Industry Education

Stone Industry Education is sponsored by Stone World Magazine and Marble Institute of America. The SIE events will help you: strengthen your skills, build your business, and increase profit in your shop. Check out stoneindustryeducation.com to register for upcoming fabricator and installer seminars.