“The challenge is to remain updated with new materials without forgetting the traditional materials. Our niche materials are very successful, and we also want to address the requests of our customers,” explained Carolina Colvara Frugoli, who added that the company is continually in touch with its clients to see what the markets want in terms of color, patterning and texture. Additionally, suppliers often provide Frugoli a tip on a new stone, such as materials being explored in Brazil or India.

Of course, the company also conducts its own research in the field, as Alberto Colvara, Carolina's husband, has been working in Zimbabwe for years. Frugoli is also investigating opportunities in Zamibia and Mozambique for completely different materials in these emerging countries.

“Our main goal is to maintain what has been established over the years,” explained Carolina Colvara Frugoli. “We want to keep updating ourselves and stay with technology standards. We always work not just to keep up with technology, but to develop and pioneer new machinery.” Toward that end, the company's sister company, Effe Meccanica (T&F), is a manufacturer of stoneworking machinery, particularly large-scale equipment such as gangsaws.

The company's facilities in Avenza have a huge inventory of blocks, and the factory is equipped with four new gangsaws from Effe Meccanica, all of which were installed within the past year. The saws are 3.2 meters wide, which allow for optimum efficency during the process. After being processed into raw slabs, the stone is then processed on a polishing line with 20 working heads.

Production for the U.S. market includes both 3-cm slabs (sold mostly in the East and Midwest) and 2-cm material (primarily for the West Coast). There are a total of 15 people working in the stone division, which is small enough to give the company's leaders the ability to control production. In addition to polished, honed and textured finishes, the company also offers resin-treated slabs, fulfilling a popular trend in the industry.

Being an export-minded company, Frugoli participates in trade shows around the world, including events such as Coverings in the U.S. According to Alberto Fanchiotti of Frugoli, 75% of the company's exports are shipped to the American market. Other export targets include Northern and Eastern Europe as well as Australia, Israel and South Africa. Frugoli has a sister fabricating plant in Zimbabwe to fabricator stone for the local market there, including surrounding nations.

The company processes one to two containers per day, which represents 2,500 square feet of 3-cm material or 3,500 square feet of 2-cm material. In addition to overseas exports, several truckloads of material are shipped to the European market on a weekly basis.

Looking back on over 100 years in the business, Carolina Colvara Frugoli said the company is proud of its past accomplishments, but it is also looking well into the future. “We're not the largest company in the world, but we want to always be solid,” she said. “We're a traditional company that is old in terms of time, but we are updating ourselves every day.”