Chien Chung (Didi) Pei, AIA, and his younger brother Li Chung (Sandi) Pei, AIA, not only share a family bond, but they also both have a passion for architecture. As a result, they set out on their own in 1992 and opened Pei Partnership Architects in New York City. Before beginning their own endeavor, however, the two gained valuable experience in designing large-scale buildings while working under the tutelage of their father, I.M. Pei, for nearly two decades.
The 2008 edition of Coverings returns to familiar turf this year, as it will take place in Orlando, FL, at the Orange County Convention Center from April 29 to May 2. The move back to Orlando will mark the 10th appearance of Coverings in that city.
Q: What is the REAL situation out there for stone fabricators? I visit some shops that tell me they’re as busy as can be, and yet there seems to be very little work going on. Others tell me they’re “dead,” and the shop seems to be bustling. I guess this is a two-part question:
Established three and a half years ago, Universal Stone of Charlotte, NC, has seen its sales rise steadily each year - mostly by word of mouth as it has placed an emphasis on quality and customer service. Today, the shop has grown to a production rate of 25 to 30 kitchens per week.
Although a quick glance at the facilities of Globe Marble & Granite Stone Fabrication, Inc. in Wood-Ridge, NJ, reveals a traditional fabrication shop, a more in-depth look details the level of calculation that goes into the operation. By focusing on factors such as workflow, cost analysis and value-added services, the company operates on the principles of organization, practicality and efficiency.
OK, I finally admit it, the stone fabrication market is down. It is not “perceived to be down,” as I have repeatedly argued with my publisher; it is not “up and down.” It is simply “down.” Now, with that being said, the question I have is how far down, and how is this downward trend truly affecting fabricators in the marketplace? Are many shops in dire straits? How many layoffs are taking place? Is anyone buying machinery these days?
Over the past few years, U.S. importers and fabricators have dramatically increased their purchasing of stone from Brazil. In fact, this trend has been so significant that Brazil’s 2006 granite export value to the U.S. reached more than $538 million - nearly 75% greater than the second largest granite exporter, Italy. And despite somewhat of an industry slowdown, Brazil’s export totals to the U.S. in 2007 look like they will come close to the previous year’s figures - thus underscoring the importance of Brazilian suppliers to the U.S. market.
For U.S. importers, Latin American stone producers are certainly not a new resource. Stone from countries such as Mexico has been around for ages, and Brazilian granite has been a staple of the U.S. countertop sector since the early to mid-1990s. But over the last five years, the growth of U.S. stone imports from Latin America has seen remarkable growth, and even though the industry has leveled to some extent, leading stone exporters from the region are still reaching extremely high, near-record levels of trade.
The need for industry education in the stone industry has been well documented, and to help fill that need, Stone World has been presenting its Stone Fabrication Workshops since 2005 -- hitting a total of 24 cities in all. These day-long sessions were extremely well received by fabricators of all sizes and experience levels, and based on the success of these original Workshops, Stone World will be offering a completely new educational series beginning in 2008. The “Fabrication Management Clinics” will be geared towards fabrication shop managers, supervisors and owners, with in-depth sessions on topics for operations of all sizes.
Just as there has been major advancement in equipment for cutting, shaping, polishing and edging stone products (as reported in the January 2008 issue of Stone World), there have also been significant developments in the tooling and accessories for stone processing.
