As members of the stone industry, I think we can all agree there is nothing more appealing than the aesthetics and inherent qualities of natural stone. And while many stones come from abroad, we also have numerous quarries here in the U.S. that have supplied material for landmark projects.
For those who have been reading Stone World for a while now, you are aware that each January we publish the results of a fabricator purchasing plan survey, which is compiled by the research department at BNP Media, Stone World’s parent company.
As you will see, this issue of Stone World is a bit of a departure from our typical content. While we still include updates on various aspects of the natural stone industry, we have also devoted a portion of the magazine to quartz surfacing, which was a focus for this month.
I received an email from a long-time industry member last week. He and his family had to be rescued by boat during Hurricane Harvey, and are now beginning the rebuilding process. Like so many in the Houston area, he didn’t have flood insurance.
This month marks my 21st anniversary with Stone World- how fast the time goes by! And while many aspects of the industry, and even systems for publishing a magazine have changed, it is comforting that many things have also stayed the same.
In 1988, Stone World presented its first Fabricator of the Year Award to Jim Stengel of Dakota Granite Co. Since then, there's been one worthy fabricator after another honored each year with the award. Most recently, Scott Hanes of Majestic Marble & Granite in Orlando, FL was the recipient.
Whether in sports, marriage, at work or other areas of life, teamwork is often crucial to achieving an end result. More often than not, it is rewarding when hard work between two individuals or a group accomplishes a set goal.
As I sit down to write this Stone Column, I feel like I can finally take a breath. It’s been a busy first half of the year for myself and the Stone World staff- filled with a great deal of traveling, both domestically and abroad, to trade shows, workshops and other stone industry events.
In this issue of Stone World, we cover safety in the shop — a topic I believe can never be talked about too much. As you all know, the stone industry can be a hazardous business if the proper procedures and policies aren’t put in place to ensure everyone’s safety.
Last month, I made the long journey to China to attend the Xiamen Stone Fair. While I had been to Shanghai many years ago, this was my first time in Xiamen. I have heard more and more about the stone show, and was interested to experience it first-hand.
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