As one of the first suppliers of Indian granite to the U.S., MS International (MSI) has been a contributor to the growth of the industry. Although MSI began as an importer and distributor of Indian granite, today it is one of the largest distributors of natural stone in the country. MSI currently has one of the largest stocks of natural stone with over 20 million square feet of granite, marble, slate, travertine and limestone from over 25 countries. The inventory of tiles, slabs, landscaping products and monuments is stocked in five distribution centers located strategically across the country.
Founded by the husband-and-wife team of Manu and Rika Shah in the small town of Ft. Wayne, IN, MSI will be celebrating its 30th anniversary next year. “When we brought the first lot of material from India, it was monuments and surface plates, and then some rough blocks,� Shah said. “The stone was Premium Black granite or what was known at that time as Absolute Black. South Africa was having problems [supplying black granite] at the time, so there was success from India. Also, the composition and formation of Indian black granite made it superior to many others.�