This fall, Hallmark Stone, a Fenton, MO-based company that specializes in the fabrication of granite and Silestone countertop surfaces, introduced two exclusive products known as the Top Dolly and Top Saver, which were invented by Install Manager Adam Shelton and President Fred Christen respectively.

Designed to help countertop installation crews safely carry slabs of stone from their trucks into a customer’s home, the Top Dolly was created by Shelton. The product is a dolly with rubber wheels, which is constructed to allow a granite countertop slab to be clamped on top of it horizontally. The Top Dolly’s construction also allows the granite to sit higher off the ground, making it possible for install crews to transport granite slabs up stairs, through yards and down hills without damage to the granite and without having to remove the slab from the dolly.

The Top Saver was created by Christen, who saw the need for a new type of clamp to help prevent granite countertop slabs from breaking during the installation process. Current products utilize a combination of steel rods and clamps that do not allow clamped slabs to be stacked next to one another. The Top Saver boasts a flat clamp design that is nearly equal to the width of the countertop slab and does not require the use of steel rods, making it possible for install crews to vertically stack clamped slabs side-by-side.

Both the Top Dolly and the Top Saver were developed over a six-month period last year and made available for sale last October. Each product is the first of its kind, and has been trademarked. Patents are pending for both products.

“We debuted the Top Saver and the Top Dolly at the 2007 StonExpo in Las Vegas last fall, and response to both products was tremendous,” said Shelton. “During StonExpo, we took orders for 50 Top Dollies and 230 Top Savers. We have also taken numerous online orders for each of the products since the show, and we’re thrilled with all of the positive feedback we’ve received so far from individuals who’ve been using them.”

Shelton notes that Hallmark Stone is now working to acquire an official distributor for the Top Saver. Currently, both products are available via the Hallmark Stone Web site at www.hallmarkstone.com.