Addressing the issue of stone remnants within the fabrication sector, Reid Lopatka developed TheStoneBroker.com as a means to turn scrap stone into cash. “From 24 years in stone tile installation and close ties to Chicago fabricators and distributors of slabs, I would hear over and over how consumers, designers and fabricators alike wished they didn’t have to purchase a full slab when they only needed half or a quarter of one,” Lopatka said. He then set out to use technology to connect these discarded pieces with people that wanted or needed them.

The locating technology allows consumers to use a secure account to reach multiple sellers in various regions of the country. The buyer can decide the distance they wish to travel to pick up their piece or have it delivered, and fabricators utilizing the system have reported success. “I am able to locate the type of stone I need for smaller projects without having to cut into one of my full-size slabs in stock,” said John Tithof of Tithof Tile and Marble Inc. “The Stone Broker system also puts money in our account and reduces the amount of partial/pieced inventory we store.”

The system also has a member rating platform. “We believe most people have honest intentions; this platform merely helps ensure it,” Lopatka said.

For more information on remnant locating technology, visit www.thestonebroker.com.