Held from September 25th to 28th, Marmomac 2019 marked the 54th year for the Verona, Italy-based exhibition, which draws a global crowd annually to display and view a plethora of stone products, machinery, tooling and accessories, and stone care and maintenance products.

As we approach the beginning of a new year, and a new decade, we are encouraging all of our Rockhead members to take a close look into their business and identify key areas of focus that will allow them to plan and scale their business based on present or potential economic cycles.

Leonardo Rapaj first started working with stone in his home country of Albania. He made his way through Greece, Italy, Switzerland and France, working with stone before finding his way to the U.S. In 2001, Leonardo’s Marble & Granite opened its doors in Farmington Hills, MI.

GK Naquin of Stone Interiors led an engaging morning presentation at the Tampa Stone Summit on October 10, 2019. The day-long event was one of 10 Stone Industry Education sessions organized by Stone World and the Natural Stone Institute across the U.S. This particular one was sponsored by MSI and drew 64 registered attendees.

In recent years, Continental Cut Stone has expanded its capacity while working to address environmental challenges. The company, located in Florence, TX, has added several fabrication machines to its production area, including a CNC, to increase efficiencies.

Waterjetting isn’t new to stone fabrication, though it is still not the norm. Due to being quick, accurate and safe, waterjets are starting to be featured more in stone shops working in the custom architectural and design fields.

Stone World’s “Industry Perspective” column has revolving articles by the Stone Fabricators Alliance (SFA), The Natural Stone Institute (NSI), and the Rockhead Group offering insight into the workings of each organization, and their place within the industry.

Cutting Edge Countertops of Perrysburg, OH, was established in 2006 by Brad Burns, Brian Burns and Jeff Erickson, all of whom are still active in the business today. From the start, their mission was to create a countertop company that delivered quality products with exceptional customer service.

Home to the University of Tennessee and host to the 1982 World’s Fair, Knoxville, TN, was the destination for the 2019 Natural Stone Institute Study Tour, which drew a total of 66 participants. The four-day event provided an arena for attendees to mingle and network through many sessions and activities.

After much preparation, CMS recently opened its new showroom in Caledonia, MI, and held a grand opening to introduce the new display area to its customers at the end of the summer.