Now headed by Mario Sardo, Salvatore's grandson and the third generation of the family to operate the company, Fordham Marble has been one of the leading users of CNC technology for the last 16 years. It was the first company in America to import a CNC milling machine from CMS/Brembana of Italy, and it recently added a second machine. Both of the CNC machines operate simultaneously at Fordham Marble's 16,000-square-foot plant in the Bronx, which also features 15,000 square feet of outdoor storage area.
Sardo chose to buy his first CNC machine in 1986 after a visit to CMS/Brembana's factory in Bergamo, Italy. "At the time, it was like a rocket ship," he said, adding that he was impressed by the level of sophistication at CMS/Brembana, which was also manufacturing equipment for the woodworking industry. "I saw the capabilities of what could be done with the [woodworking] equipment, and even though my machine was rudimentary by those standards, it catapulted our company from run of the mill to an entirely different level."