QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC, CANADA — Polycor, a large and diversified granite and marble group in North America, has announced the addition of the Alberene Soapstone Co. to its portfolio and product offering. With this investment and acquisition, Polycor brings American Soapstone back to the North American market.
Alberene Soapstone Co.

Polycor has announced the addition of the Alberene Soapstone Co. to its portfolio and product offering. 

The Schuyler, VA-based quarry, founded in 1888, was previously owned by Georgia Marble, a Polycor division. This acquisition offers the stone and tile industry and its end users a domestic source for this stone, as opposed to overseas quarries where the majority of the stone is sourced.

“At Polycor, we constantly seek to provide solutions for the built environment through diversity of products and offerings,” said Francois Darmayan, Vice President of Polycor. “Bringing the Alberene quarry into the Polycor family expands opportunities for fabricators, architects, designers, contractors and end users to use a beautiful, durable and domestically sourced material in their upcoming projects.”

Polycor’s core competencies are to manage and operate natural stone quarries and service customers with a North American sales force. Alberene Soapstone will be available through a network of distributors and contractors nationwide.

Soapstone offers an elegant and sophisticated choice for interior design elements including countertops, tiling and radiant flooring. It is also primed for exterior applications such as patios and pool surrounds. In addition to boasting aesthetic qualities, Soapstone’s technical properties make it an ideal specification for these applications. These characteristics include impenetrability, bacteria resistance and the best thermal properties of all natural materials. Soapstone’s unique properties also make it the best choice for eco-friendly and sustainable building. The Alberene quarry does not employ chemical sealants or epoxies to ensure durability.