Come back tomorrow wearing some work boots and you have a job.” This is what Buddy Ontra, now owner of Ontra Stone Concepts in Bridgeport, CT, was told in 1982 when getting a job working on high-rise buildings in Houston, TX.
With the rapid expansion of eCommerce and online services, it is only logical for fabricators to utilize digital tools and programs to grow their businesses
With changing consumer shopping patterns, an accelerated pace of business and the need for real-time visibility, the Information Revolution has created a great need for technological advancement in the stone industry; it is up to all of us to answer the call together or be left behind in its wake.
The natural stone industry is filled with companies of all sizes, but we know that most are small-to-medium size companies. When it comes to marketing and training, I often hear about limited budgets and staff resources.
The Blade5 machine is a 5-axis interpolated CNC working center for cutting, shaping, polishing, sculpting, contouring and can be customized with single or dual tables. It has a vertical axis stroke 2 mt/78,74”. A CNC lathe for carving columns is also an option for this multifunction CNC center.
The recent expansion of Midtown Athletic Club and Hotel transformed what was the largest indoor tennis club in the country into the largest lifestyle center in the country. The hybrid health club and hotel exudes intentional details designed by DMAC Architecture, located in Evanston, IL.
This Stone of the Month is supplied by Vermont Quarries Corp. of Mendon, VT. Technical details provide a frame of reference only. Because stone is a product of nature, testing to determine specific physical qualities should be repeated for each project.
Stone fabricators have to balance the demands of their shop and finding business. There may be issues with trying to search for new employees, dealing with machines breaking down, or with the shop getting backed up. Rob and Julie Foley have been able to find a nice balance for their shop.
As I write this, I’m sitting at Newark International Airport in New Jersey waiting for my flight to Indianapolis to board. My final destination is Bloomington, where my friends from the Indiana Limestone Institute will take me on a tour of several quarries in the area.
Perched high on a hillside in Carmel, CA, with stunning views of the ocean is a house that was originally built by renowned architect Joseph Eichler, who was recognized in the 1950s and 60s for his clean, open, mid-century modern designs.