Stone World articles from August 2008

Stone World archives from August 2008

Walking the line.(STONE COLUMN)
August 1, 2008... With American stone industry companies fighting harder than ever before to turn a profit, we are seeing a number of approaches to offsetting the decline in sales these days. Some firms are lowering prices in an attempt to draw more...

Free admission to Marmomacc in Verona, Italy, from October 2 to 5, 2008 ...(NEWSLINE)
August 1, 2008... Marmomacc, the leading international stone industry trade show, is offering free admission to trade visitors who Preregister online. Held annually at Veronafiere in Verona, Italy, Marmomacc is a global showcase of stone materials and machinery....

Stonexpo is rebranded as Stonexpo/Marmomacc Americas ...(NEWSLINE)
August 1, 2008... StonExpo, the leading natural stone trade show in the U.S., and Marmomacc, the world's largest trade fair in the stone and design sector based in Verona, Italy, announced a new strategic alliance and the rebranding of StonExpo to...

Hanley Wood introduces online networking to enhance trade show experience ...(NEWSLINE)
August 1, 2008... In response to the needs of its customers and their overall show experience, Hanley Wood Exhibitions (owner of StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas) has launched a new online networking tool. "Connect," which debuts for the Remodeling Show 2008, is...

Akemi Mobile Training Unit hits the road ...(NEWSLINE)
August 1, 2008... In support of its distributors across the U.S. and Canada, Akemi is currently scheduling dates for training, using its new Mobile Training Unit. This program serves as an optimal support system for fabricators, craftsmen, architects and...

MIA is conducting slab distributor survey ...(NEWSLINE)(Marble Institute of America)
August 1, 2008... In early June, the Marble Institute of America (MIA) began asking its U.S.-based, wholesale natural stone slab distributor members to participate in the industry's first-ever, distributor-only benchmarking survey. This survey follows the...

One liners ...(NEWSLINE)(Marble Institute of America's donations to Schools of Architecture)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... The MIA is donating its Dimension Stone Design Manual to Schools of Architecture. The manual serves as a reference for dimensional stone design and construction facts and details. Contents include sections on granite, marble, limestone,...

April 2008: imports to the U.S.: customers value in dollars does not include insurance or height.(STATISTICS)
August 1, 2008... April 2008 | Imports to the U.S. Customers value in dollars does not include insurance or height COUNTRY GRANITE MARBLE * U.S. $ TONS U.S. $ TONS ARAB...

April 2008: exports from the U.S.: customers value in dollars does not include insurance or freight.(STATISTICS)(Statistical table)
August 1, 2008... April 2008 | Exports from the U.S. Customers value in dollars does not include insurance or freight COUNTRY GRANITE MARBLE * U.S. $ TONS U.S. $ TONS ANTIGUA...

Lotus Exim and perfect marble & granite expand by opening a new branch.(NEWS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... ELMWOOD PARK, NJ -- Lotus Exim International, Inc., one of the leading suppliers of natural stone, has announced the grand opening of its new branch and warehouse in Cleveland, OH, and the purchase of its new 30,000-square-foot headquarters and...

Laticrete opens first fully-owned plant in China.(NEWS)
August 1, 2008... SHANGHAI, CHINA -- Laticrete International, Inc. recently celebrated the grand opening of its manufacturing plant in China at Songjiang, Shanghai. Laticrete (Shanghai) Building Material Co. Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S.-based...

Park Industries launches Web site for used stone machinery.(NEWS)(Website overview)
August 1, 2008... ST. CLOUD, MN -- Park Industries, one of the largest manufacturers of stone working equipment in North America, recently launched a new Web site, www.usedstonemachinery.com. "The goal of this new Web site is to help fabricators sell used...

CGM makes Crain's "fast 50" for second consecutive year.(NEWS)(Chicago Granite and Marble )(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... FRANKLIN PARK, IL -- Chicago Granite & Marble (CGM), a leading supplier, fabricator and installer of natural stone slabs and tiles, was recently ranked on Crain's "Fast 50" business list as the 48th fastest growing company in Chicago for the...

Jet edge appoints NFW Corporate Sales Manager.(NEWS)
August 1, 2008... ST. MICHAEL, MN -- Jet Edge, Inc., a leading manufacturer of ultrahigh pressure waterjet and abrasive-jet systems for precision cutting, coating removal and surface preparation, has announced its appointment of Robert Bangasser as its new...

O&G Industries--Masonry Division announces new promotion.(NEWS)(Art Portela)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... DANBURY, CT -- Art Portela has been promoted to Inside Sales Representative for O&G Industries--Masonry Division. In his new position, Portela will be responsible for developing relationships with potential clients and providing product...

Laticrete MVP wins golf raffle.(NEWS)
August 1, 2008... GAINESVILLE, VA -- Laticrete, a supplier of ceramic tile and stone installation products, presented Shannon Brothers Tile, Inc. of Huntsville, AL, with a pair of Presidents Cup golf bags in a raffle drawing to raise funds to fight Multiple...

Offering kyanite for the architectural market: Kyanite Mining Corp., the world's largest and oldest producer of the industrial mineral kyanite, is now offering the material in dimensional blocks, which can be processed for commercial and residential applications.(RE-EMERGING U.S. STONE INDUSTRY)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For decades, Kyanite Mining Corp. of Dillwyn, VA, has been quarrying the mineral kyanite for refractory purposes. Preserved through the years by four generations of the Dixon family, the company recently incorporated...

Templating methods: in this Online Stone Fabricators Forum--conducted at www.StoneAdvice.com--stoneworking professionals from around the country discuss their methods for templating, with a look at both digital systems and physical templates.(ONLINE FORUM)(Discussion)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Question: How are people templating their countertops these days? It seems more shops have gone digital, but it is not universal--even when people have CNC machines, waterjets, etc. For fabricators who are using...

Alabama fabricator continues to advance: established in 1941, Southside Granite Co. of Dothan, AL, is now in its third generation, and it processes a range of finished stone products using state-of-the-art technology.(Fabricator Case Study: TEMPLATING TECHNOLOGY)(Company overview)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Established in 1941 by Jack Kingry and Coy Brunson, Southside Granite Co. of Dothan, AL, quickly became the most fully equipped memorial manufacturing plant within a 100-mile radius, serving customers in Alabama as...

California fabricator moves into the "digital age": as second-generation operators of De Lorenzo Marble & Tile, Inc. of Torrance, CA, Joe De Lorenzo and Mario Di Vincenzo have transformed the 1980-born company into a fully digital operation.(Fabricator Case Study: TEMPLATING TECHNOLOGY)(Company overview)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] De Lorenzo Marble of Torrance, CA, founded in 1980 by Frank and Antoinette De Lorenzo, is now a second-generation family business, which Joe De Lorenzo and his brother-in-law Mario Di Vincenzo have transformed into a...

Technology fuels company growth: with a brand new fabrication facility and showroom, as well as new templating technology, Stone Services, LLC of Chattanooga, TN, is meeting a growing market demand.(Fabricator Case Study: TEMPLATING TECHNOLOGY)(Company overview)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In only four years, Stone Services, LLC of Chattanooga, TN, has expanded far beyond its owners' expectations. The company, which was founded in June 2004 by Tony Allen and Keith Porter, has grown from four employees...

Digital templating allows for product expansion: with assistance from digital templating technology, Maxwell Counters, Inc. of Farmer City, IL, was able to branch out into quartz surfacing.(Fabricator Case Study: TEMPLATING TECHNOLOGY)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Starting out dealing 100% with plastic laminate, Maxwell Counters, Inc. of Farmer City, IL, expanded into solid surface fabrications and, more recently, it began measuring and installing quartz products. The addition...

Corporate campus makes extensive use of Indian granite: one of the biggest IT (Information Technology) campuses in Asia, TCS Technopark in Chennai, India, was designed with two varieties of domestic granite for the interior.(Stone from India)(Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] India's rapid growth in the Information Technology sector has given rise to a number of corporate campuses for multi-national companies in the field. And in addition to offering a range of technologically advanced...

New Manhattan landmark features Indian granite: Kashmir White granite is a key design component of the recently built Bank of America Tower, which has quickly established itself as one of New York City's signature buildings.(Stone from India)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park is among the newest high-rises to join Manhattan's world-famous skyline. The 55-story building, which encompasses a total of 2.2 million square feet, was designed by Cook...

Connecting to the desert environment: Teak sandstone from India was used for the Riverpoint Center in Phoenix, AZ, to evoke its desert surroundings, while still sustaining a corporate presence.(Stone from India)(Cover story)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Set in the desert region of Phoenix, AZ, the architects for the Riverpoint Center sought to connect the corporate facility to its natural surroundings, while also maintaining its corporate appeal. To help achieve...

Ongoing growth for Indian stone producer: Granite Mart Ltd. has grown and expanded over the past few years, and more expansion is planned for the future.(Stone from India)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With locations in Hyderabad and Bangalore, India, Granite Mart Ltd. has developed into a leader among stoneworking companies in the nation. And to maintain its solid position in the future, the company continues to...

Calendar.(Calendar)
August 1, 2008... For all seminars and a more complete calendar of stone industry events, visit www.stoneworld.com. September 15 to 18, 2008 Stone World Fabrication Management Clinics, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (15th), Orlando, FL (16th), Atlanta, GA (18th)....

Fusion[TM] 4000 CNC saw/waterjet.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
August 1, 2008... The Fusion[TM] 4000 CNC saw/waterjet from Park Industries is designed and manufactured with a smaller footprint. The revolutionary design allows table access from the front or the side, resulting in a much more efficient material flow and...

High capacity vacuum lifter.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
August 1, 2008... Anver Corp. of Hudson, MA, is introducing a new, high capacity vacuum lifter that features a hydraulic powered tilter for handling steel fabrications up to 10,000 pounds, without chains or slings. Anver's High Capacity Vacuum Lifter &...

80X JetMachining[R] Center with Intelli-TRAX.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
August 1, 2008... OMAX[R] Corp.'s 80X JetMachining[R] Center with Intelli-TRAX is the newest product in the industry leader's arsenal of precision abrasive waterjet solutions. Designed with a footprint of 265 x 152 inches (6731 mm x 3861 mm), the 80X is one of...

Surface Bonder Xi.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... Integra Adhesives Inc. has released the next generation of its color-matched adhesives for the surfacing industry--Surface Bonder Xi. The new formula is available in more than 200 colors, offers higher impact resistance than previous...

Stoneready System.(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... Stoneready has introduced the Stoneready System--framed, poster-sized photos of a range of kitchens, bathrooms and floors with cutouts in areas where the natural stone or tile would be. The concept provides an affordable and convenient way for...

Everlife[TM].(NEW PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2008... Innovative Stone[R] has announced the introduction of Everlife[TM], its new brand of stain-resistant natural stone countertops, which do not require sealing and are protected by a breakthrough technology called PermaShield[TM]...

Technical module.(NEW LITERATURE)
August 1, 2008... The newest technical module produced by the Marble Institute of America (MIA) is devoted to the subject of silicosis a disabling, nonreversible and sometimes fatal lung disease caused by overexposure to respirable crystalline silica (granite,...

2008 Fabrication Catalog.(NEW LITERATURE)
August 1, 2008... Granite City Tool has released its 2008 Fabrication Catalog. With a featured theme of "Everything for stone working," the booklet contains the company's range of products including polishers/grinders, core drill machines, diamond polishing...

Machine of the month.(Pearl Abrasive Co's Co-Action tile saw )
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Pearl Abrasive's new Co-Action (CX10) tile saw utilizes revolutionary new technology that allows the cutting head and table to travel in different directions at the same time. It is designed to rip cut a 24-inch tile...

Baltic Brown.(Stone of the month)
August 1, 2008... This Stone of the Month supplied by Ylamaa Group, Lappeenranta, Finland. 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...