The 280,000-square-foot factory in Shanghai actually was developed as the result of the successful operation of its parent company, Horng Yuan, which is based in Hualien City, Taiwan. “I started in the stone business in 1973,” said Billy Liao, president. “I was just trading in Taiwan. I got into manufacturing in 1988. Between 1995 and 1999, we were exporting a lot of slabs from Taiwan to Shanghai. We needed to come be in this market.”

Between the two companies, approximately 750,000 square feet of material is produced per month. The Shanghai factory is equipped with a total of eight gangsaws -- four Gaspari Menotti and four from a Taiwanese manufacturer. Additionally, there are three slab polishing lines -- one made by Gaspari Menotti, a Breton 2000 KG and a Breton 3000 KG that was being installed at the time of Stone World's visit. Three shifts are run on the gangsaws and two on the polishing lines, according to Liao.