In this issue of Stone World, we present our annual Report from Latin America. And while firms in stone-producing nations such as Brazil have been using Italian machinery for over a decade now, it is interesting to note that many companies are continually upgrading their equipment, bringing the level of automation and efficiency to a world class level.
In preparing this issue's Latin America Report, I traveled to the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil, to see the level of stoneworking technology first hand (page 48). Not only was I impressed with the level of technology present - including Breton slab polishers, Barsanti gangsaws and Comandulli edge polishers, among other equipment - but I was also intrigued by the investments these companies are making in their future. For example, Marbrasa (which was the first firm to import Italian machinery in the early 1990s) has recently undergone a $3.5 million investment program at its 45,000-square-meter fabrication plant in Cachoeiro. These investments, which include eight new Barsanti gangsaws, increases production capacity to 55,000 square meters per month. Moreover, the company invested $8 million to establish a tile production plant near its quarries, with a first-year production rate of 40,000 square meters per month.