Stone World articles from January 2009

Stone World archives from January 2009

Fabricators assess the future.(STONE COLUMN)(Survey)
January 1, 2009... Every year, Stone World's parent company, BNP Media, conducts an in-depth survey among U.S. stone fabricators. This survey gauges their short-term and long-term market predictions and their capital outlay and purchasing plans for the future. It...

Letter to the editor--Radon study finds zero health risk ...(NEWSLINE)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2009... To the Editor, Stone World Magazine: It's official. The most comprehensive scientific study of health threats from granite countertops did not find a single stone slab that poses a health risk. Quantities of radon and radiation emitted by...

GranQuartz to be exclusive distributor for water treatment technologies ...(NEWSLINE)
January 1, 2009... GranQuartz of Tucker, GA, and Water Treatment Technologies (WTT) of Hampton, NH, have announced an exclusive North American partnership to market and distribute WTT's water filtration and recycling systems, which were developed exclusively for...

The 9th China Xiamen International Stone Fair.(NEWSLINE)
January 1, 2009... The 9th China Xiamen International Stone Fair will be held from March 6 to 9, 2009 in Xiamen, China. This edition will further expand the exhibition space to approximately 970,000 square feet and gather 1,200 exhibitors from Turkey, Italy,...

Hanwha L&C receives $10 million from Ontario AMIS ...(NEWSLINE)(Ontario Advanced Manufacturing Investment offers funds)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Hanwha L&C Canada, the newest North American division of Korean-based Hanwha L&C, announced the investment of $10 Million (CAD) from the Ontario Advanced Manufacturing Investment Strategy (AMIS). The funds represent Ontario's commitment to the...

MIA announces winners of its advertising awards ...(NEWSLINE)(Awards list)
January 1, 2009... Five Rocky Awards and six Rocky Certificates were awarded by the Marble Institute of America (MIA) following the judging of the 4th Rocky Advertising Awards competition. The winners were honored at the MIA annual Awards Luncheon, which was held...

Laticrete.(ONE LINERS ...)(Ron Nash appointed as sales director)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Laticrete, a global leader in the manufacturing of innovative systems for the installation of stone and tile, has appointed Ron Nash to the position of Director of Sales, Architectural Products Division. In his new position, Nash will create...

Barton Mines Company, a leading supplier of waterjet abrasives and waterjet replacement parts, announced the expanded capacity of its HPX waterjet abrasive processing facility in North Creek, NY.(ONE LINERS ...)
January 1, 2009... Barton Mines Company, a leading supplier of waterjet abrasives and waterjet replacement parts, announced the expanded capacity of its HPX waterjet abrasive processing facility in North Creek, NY. The increased production is a direct result of a...

September 2008: imports to the U.S. Customers value in dollars does not include insurance or freight.(STATISTICS)
January 1, 2009... STATISTICS September 2008 | Imports to the U.S. Customers value in dollars does not include insurance or freight COUNTRY GRANITE MARBLE * U.S. $ TONS ...

September 2008: exports to the U.S. Customers value in dollars does not include insurance or freight.(STATISTICS)(Statistical table)
January 1, 2009... STATISTICS September 2008 | Exports to the U.S. Customers value in dollars does not include insurance or freight COUNTRY GRANITE MARBLE * U.S. $ TONS U.S. $ ...

AIA Marmomacc alumni training event.(NEWS)
January 1, 2009... NEW YORK, NY -- Veronafiere--the trade fair company that owns and manages Marmomacc, a leading international stone exhibition that is held annually in Verona, Italy--collaborated with MAPEI, a leading manufacturer of maintenance and...

Lotus Exim International opens warehouse in New Jersey.(NEWS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... Lotus Exim International, a leading natural stone distributor, recently opened the doors to a 20,000-squarefoot closed-in warehouse attached to its Elmwood Park, NJ, location. The Mayor of Elmwood Park, Richard A. Mola, attended and...

Caesarstone opens new division in Atlanta, Ga.(NEWS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... VAN NUYS, CA -- CaesarStone, an original quartz surface manufacturer, has announced the opening of its new division in Atlanta, GA. The new facility will offer CaesarStone and Concetto product lines--stocked and supported by CaesarStone's...

MIA Migliore award honors lifetime achievement.(NEWS)(Louie Carnevale president of Carnevale and Lohr awarded)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... CLEVE LAND, OH -- Louie Carnevale, President of Carnevale and Lohr in Bell Gardens, CA, has been awarded the 2008 Migliore Award for Lifetime Achievement by the Marble Institute of America (MIA). Carnevale and Ed Lohr, both 21 years old at...

Stone+TEC 2009 anticipates success.(NEWS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2009... NuRNBERG, GERMANY -- From May 20 to 23, 2009, Stone+tec will be held in Nurnberg, Germany, and once again, the exhibition center will be geared to stone and all its varieties. Stone+tec, which attracted some 1,000 exhibitors and more than...

Fabricator thrives in the commercial sector: based in San Carlos, CA, D&J Tile Co. has developed into a leading stone fabricator/contractor in the Bay Area commercial market.(RE-EMERGING U.S. STONE INDUSTRY)(D and J Tile Co., Inc)(Company overview)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Established in 1989, D&J Tile Co., Inc. of San Carlos, CA, has grown to become one of the largest tile and stone contractors in the San Francisco Bay Area. And over the past few years, the company has made...

A continuous work flow amid the housing crisis: having witnessed other granite shops go out of business because of the economy, Trish Sumrall, the owner of Monarca Countertops, has set out to become the "recommended" choice for fabrication in the Phoenix area.(Fabricator Case Study)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Content with the size of her 6,500-square-foot shop, Trish Sumrall, the owner of Monarca Countertops in Phoenix, AZ, has stayed in business, while witnessing other shops in her area go under. "I never wanted to...

Fabricator feelings are mixed for 2009: as expected in a volatile economic climate, American stone fabricators have a range of predictions for the coming year--according to this exclusive stone world fabricator survey--but investments in machinery and other business necessities will continue.
January 1, 2009... Given the rocky financial landscape that virtually all fabricators are facing these days, it makes sense that the results of this year's annual U.S. stone fabricator survey received a very mixed reaction from respondents. On the positive side,...

Fabricating technology roundup: new equipment for cutting, polishing and shaping stone is continually being introduced and updated, with an eye on increased production and efficiency.(PART I--MACHINERY)
January 1, 2009... The lineup of machinery available to stone fabricators has shown new advances every year. From efficient sawing and polishing equipment to computer-controlled, multi-axis (CNC) stoneworking centers and bridge saws and combination bridge saw/...

Vitoria Fair remains a highlight for Brazilian industry: despite challenging times for many Brazilian stone suppliers, the Vitoria Stone Fair is certain to feature the country's leading producers, who will display the latest stone materials to an international audience.(Latin America Report)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] After more than a decade of exponential growth, exports of Brazilian granite to the U.S. saw their first-ever decline in 2008--dropping from an all-time high of $555.05 million in 2007 to a projected total of $409.70...

Nearly two decades of growth in Brazil: since 1990, Cajugram of Mimoso do Sul, Espirito Santo, Brazil, has been increasing its capacity, and its products are shipped to destinations around the world.(Latin America Report)(Company overview)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When it was first established in early 1990, Cajugram of Mimoso do Sul, Espirito Santo, Brazil, operated two gangsaws with the intent of supplying stone for the local domestic market. A few years later, the firm had...

Argentina onyx quarry yields a range of products: operating high in the Andes Mountains of Argentina, a new onyx quarry is yielding several varieties of material, which are being processed into a range of finished products.(Latin America Report)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Al ready known as one of the well-established stone suppliers in Brazil, Itaarte Industria e Comercio de Marmores e Granitos Ltda. of Sao Paulo, has expanded its product line with the...

TexaStone Rose debuts in civic design: the recent construction of the first community function shared government building in the state of Texas, also resulted in the first time use for the material TexaStone Rose limestone in a civic project.(Cover story)
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TexaStone Rose l imestone, quarried by TexaStone Quarries of Garden City, TX, recently brought together the design of the Cedar Hill Government Center in Cedar Hill, TX, which houses the city, school district and...

Calendar.(stone industry's exhibitions)(Calendar)
January 1, 2009... For all seminars and a more complete calendar of stone industry events, visit www.stoneworld.com. February 3 to 5, 2009 Surfaces 2009, Sands Expo & Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV. Owned and operated by Hanley-Wood Exhibitions....

Pro-Dolly.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2009... The Pro-Dolly by Omni Cubed provides easier transport and installation of countertops, and is especially helpful when used in pairs for very tall, extremely heavy or extra large countertops, according to the manufacturer. This square-tube...

Lexicon Granite Sinks.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2009... Domain Industries has introduced an all-new line of sinks, Lexicon Granite Sinks. According to the company, Lexicon granite-composite sinks combine the beauty of nature with unmatched strength and durability. Made of 80% natural granite,...

Fila MP/90.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2009... Fila MP/90 from Fila Floor Care Products is a stain-proofing protection agent for natural stone, polished porcelain stoneware, marble and granite. It penetrates in depth and protects the floor to make subsequent routine and extraordinary...

Stone care products.(NEW PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2009... The owners of Surface Treatment Technologies (STT) have set out to produce and offer stone care products to the natural stone industry, including sealers that resist staining for life and color enhancers that match the resined surface of...

Tiger 1100 Diamond Belt Saw.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
January 1, 2009... Park Industries has introduced a new belt saw called the Tiger 1100 Diamond Belt Saw, which delivers performance through straight forward programming and fingertip versatility. It is also suitable for the processing of more blocks of soft...

100hp X-Stream xP90-100 waterjet intensifier pump.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
January 1, 2009... Capable of producing pressures in excess of 90,000 psi, Jet Edge's new 100hp X-Stream xP90-100 waterjet intensifier pump achieves much faster cutting speeds and drastically lowers operating costs compared to traditional 60,000 psi pumps,...

Stone Veneer Saw.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
January 1, 2009... The Stone Veneer Saw from PB Marble Services Co. is used for cutting natural thin stone veneer, limestone, sandstone and other hard stones. According to PB Marble, this reliable, cost-affective and easy-to-use machine has a 50 HP cutting motor,...

150-page, four-color stone fabrication product catalog.(NEW LITERATURE)
January 1, 2009... VIC International has introduced a new 150-page, four-color stone fabrication product catalog commemorating the 30th anniversary of VIC International Corp. The VIC International color-coded product catalog is organized into easy-to-use...

Consumer publication.(NEW LITERATURE)
January 1, 2009... The Marble Institute of America (MIA) has introduced a new consumer publication at StonExpo/ Marmomacc Americas 2008 in Las Vegas. A "Homeowner's Guide to Natural Stone Countertop Installation" was presented as the perfect pre-sale brochure to...

Waterjet parts catalog.(NEW LITERATURE)
January 1, 2009... Barton Mines Company, LLC recently announced the publication of a new waterjet parts catalog representing the industry's most comprehensive offering of replacement parts for abrasive waterjet equipment. The 40-page catalog features a full line...

Machine of the month.
January 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Breton Smartcut 800, which was officially released at Marmomacc 2008, is a 5-axis CNC bridge saw. Riding upon Breton's trademark extreme-duty bridge and rack-and pinion-system, the cast-iron-housed, 35-horsepower...

Sparking blue marble.(Stone of the month)
January 1, 2009... Country of origin Brazil Dry and wet bulk density 2,813 kg/cu.m Compressive strength after frost 82.1 MPa Porosit 0.25% Water absorption ...