Stone World articles from June 2006

Stone World archives from June 2006

It's not you; it's the granite.(premium building materials and countertops demand in stone industry)(Column)
June 1, 2006... Over the past decade, I have visited many fabrication shops around the country, and I would like to share my thoughts on an interesting trend I have noticed recently. In addition to visiting the smaller and medium-sized shops, I have also had...

Mia initiative to raise job safety and health awareness.(occupational safety training and education )(Occupational Safety and Health Administration forms alliance with Marble Institute of America )
June 1, 2006... The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Marble Institute of America (MIA) in Cleveland have signed an alliance to provide MIA members and others with information and training resources to help...

Midwestern stone distributor expands into St. Louis.(NEWSLINE)
June 1, 2006... Universal Marble & Granite Inc., a leading stone supplier in the Midwest, has expanded with an operation in St. Louis, MO. The company, which also has stone galleries in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, has pursued a successful and...

ITSS edition for Rio de Janiero, Brazil, is postponed until 2007.(NEWSLINE)
June 1, 2006... The inaugural edition of the International Tile and Stone Show in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, (ITSS-Rio) has been rescheduled for June 7 to 9, 2007. Organizers of ITSS-Rio report that the decision was made with the support of Abirochas, the...

Two new halls and exhibition specialization for Marmomacc 2006.(NEWSLINE)
June 1, 2006... VeronaFiere has announced some new additions to Marmomacc, the international stone exhibition in Verona, Italy, which will take place from October 5 to 8, 2006. Innovations include the inauguration of two new halls (10 and 11, measuring over...

Natural Stone Council supports green building movement.(NEWSLINE)
June 1, 2006... The Natural Stone Council (NSC) has given long-term budget approval to participate in and raise awareness of the environmentally friendly "Green Building Movement," said John Mattke, chairman of NSC's Committee on Sustainability. "Stone is...

One liners.(death of Stephen Bezozo of Lotus Exim International Inc.)(Obituary)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Stephen Bezozo, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Lotus Exim International Inc. of Englewood, NJ, passed away at Bellevue Hospital in New York City on the afternoon of April 28, 2006. He joined Lotus Exim in January of 2005, and he was...

Statistics.(United States stone trade statistics)(Statistical table)
June 1, 2006... February 2006 | Imports to the U.S. Customers value in dollars does not include insurance or freight GRANITE MARBLE* COUNTRY U.S. $ TONS U.S. $ TONS ARAB EMIRATES...

Company transitions.(appointments and promotions at Braxton-Bragg Corp.)
June 1, 2006... KNOXVILLE, TN -- Michael Pelehach took the helm as president of Braxton-Bragg Corp. on April 17, and began managing the distributor of stone-industry products when cofounder Doug Slocum retired. Pelehach comes to Braxton-Bragg with 27 years...

Slate company opens Southern location.(NEWS)
June 1, 2006... GRANVILLE, NY -- Evergreen Slate Co., one of the largest marketers of natural Vermont slate in the U.S., has announced the opening of its Southern Regional sales office. Since 1916, the company has provided high-quality products and excellent...

New hire.(Alpha Professional Tools appoints Oscar Soltero )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... OAKLAND, NJ -- Alpha Professional Tools[R] recently announced that Oscar Soltero has joined the company's sales team. Soltero will be responsible for Northern California as well as the Reno/Lake Tahoe area of Nevada. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Tenax USA forms new sales structure.(Domenico Borrelli, Gabriele Bellini, and Marco Fortin promoted; Yvan Almodovar appointed)
June 1, 2006... CHARLOTTE, NC -- Tenax USA has recently made some changes to its sales staff. The company promoted Domenico Borrelli as the new Sales Manager. In his new position, Borrelli will be selling and supervising the company's full line of products,...

Voc compliant products.(South Coast Air Quality Management District, State of California and the Environmental Protection Agency launches new regulations)(volatile organic compounds)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... ANAHEIM, CA -- In January 2005, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) adopted new regulations placing limits on the amount of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). The new regulations seek to reduce toxic emissions and...

Hard Rock opens new retail store.(NEWS)
June 1, 2006... ANAHEIM, CA -- Hard Rock Tool has announced the opening of a new service center and retail store in San Diego, CA. The store joins the existing Hard Rock Tool stores in Anaheim, CA; Phoenix, AZ; Las Vegas, NV; Denver, CO; Salt Lake City, UT;...

"Fine living: 2026" features CaesarStone[R].(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... LOS ANGELES, CA -- CaesarStone[R] quartz surfaces is proud to announce its participation in "Fine Living: 2026," a live/work lifestyle installation of L.A. DesignWeek[TM] during NeoCon[R] West, which took place March 27 to 28, 2006. ...

New stone center opens.(Global Granite and Marble)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... SPRINGFIELD, MO -- A variety of natural stone from around the world is now available at the new Global Granite & Marble stone selection center in Nixa, MO. The St. Louis-based importer of fine imported stone opened the center in response to...

Vermont slate producer enters a new era: with new ownership, a recent quarry acquisition and two new divisions, Evergreen Slate Co., Inc.--already one of the leading roofing slate producers worldwide--has solid plans for the future.(RE-EMERGING U.S. STONE INDUSTRY)
June 1, 2006... Founded in 1916 by the Hicks family as a supplier of stone from the Vermont/New York slate belt, Evergreen Slate Co., Inc. of Granville, NY, has seen the industry rise and decline several times over the past 90 years. Today, with new ownership,...

Slate blends corporate facility into neighborhood: three varieties of slate were added to the facade of the AT & T Switching Facility in Walnut Creek, CA, to update its look to match the rest of the community.(Slate in Architecture)
June 1, 2006... The 84,700-square-foot AT & T Switching Facility in Walnut Creek, CA, is clad in three varieties of slate from Echeguren Slate, Inc. of San Francisco, CA, which supplied approximately 9,000 square feet of material for the project. According to...

Slate provides a feeling of comfort for medical center: Brazilian Multicolor slate is featured as flooring and as a border throughout the OSF St. Joseph's Center for Advanced Medicine in Bloomington, IL.(Slate in Architecture)
June 1, 2006... Phase I of the OSF St. Joseph's Center for Advanced Medicine in Bloomington, IL, included the addition of slate, which was used as flooring and as a border throughout the two-story facility. According to Project Architect Joe Bauer of Christner...

Civic project design relies on slate: Black slate was recently added to the Thief River Falls Joint Operations Center in Thief River Falls, MN, to provide a high-quality finish and sense of durability.(slate in architecture, Minnesota)
June 1, 2006... The Thief River Falls Joint Operations Center in Thief River Falls, MN, combines multiple regional facility needs into one Joint Operations and Maintenance Center. The Minnesota Departments of Transportation (MnDOT), Public Safety (DPS),...

Brazilian slate achieves rustic sophistication: for the exterior design of a private residence in Austin, TX, black slate from Brazil was installed in an unconventional way--giving the home texture and character.(Slate in Architecture)(Cover story)
June 1, 2006... The extensive use of Brazilian black slate for a private residence in Austin, TX, brings a distinctive look of rustic elegance to the upscale home. The material was not only utilized for exterior architectural elements, including portions of...

Tennessee fabricator invests in stoneworking machinery: already one of the largest solid surface fabricators in Tennessee, Custom Fabrication, Inc. of Nashville, TN, recently invested in a range of stoneworking equipment.(Tennessee)
June 1, 2006... Custom Fabrication, Inc. of Nashville, TN, one of the largest solid surface fabricators in the state, recently increased its business nearly 30% when it decided to invest in advanced stoneworking machinery and begin processing natural stone and...

Catering to the high-end market: with years of experience in the stone industry, David Palmer of Palmer Marble & Tile, Inc. in West Palm Beach, FL, has developed a business to meet the highest consumer demands.(Fabricator Case Study)
June 1, 2006... David Palmer knows the stone business. Not only has the fabricator been running Palmer Marble & Tile, Inc. in West Palm Beach, FL, for the past 25 years, but he also gained valuable experience while working with several industry leaders,...

Online forum: edgework challenges; In this online stone fabricators forum--Moderated by Stone World magazine and conducted at www.stoneadvice.com--stoneworking professionals from around the country discuss the challenges they face in edge finishing.(FORUM)
June 1, 2006... Q: What is the biggest challenge you are facing today in terms of your edgework, and how are you meeting this challenge? Mark Lauzon, Stoneworks, Hubbard, OR: The challenge is to figure out how to balance the workload. We are now running a...

Profiling the perfect edge: tips to help eliminate touch-up work.
June 1, 2006... Whether your customer has requested a flat edge or a triple waterfall, your goal as a fabricator is to produce the ultimate, superior edge--the grand-of-all-grand edges--without breaking the bank by incurring extra labor costs in touch-ups....

Vitoria Stone Fair draws over 31,000: taking place for the fourth time in Vitoria, Brazil, the Vitoria Stone Fair has become one of the world's major international fairs of its kind, offering the latest in stone materials and machinery as well as the opportunity to visit the multitude of stoneworking plants in the region.
June 1, 2006... The Vitoria Stone Fair, which took place in Vitoria, Brazil, from February 14 to 17, had its strongest edition yet, exceeding the expectations of its organizers. A record 31,202 visitors attended the event, including more than 2,000 foreign...

Exporter opens new production line in Vitoria: already one of the leading stone exporters in Brazil, Brasvit Granitos & Mineracao S.A. has expanded its operations with a new production line for slabs in Vitoria.
June 1, 2006... Over the past 18 years, Brasvit Granitos & Mineracao S.A. has grown to become one of the major exporters of granite in Brazil, and it is part of a group which has been trading in the import and export industry for more than 30 years. Recently,...

Offering a full range of Brazilian stone: located in Serra, Espirito Santo, Brazil, Brasigran has multiple production lines for processing the traditional stones of Brazil as well as for unique, one-of-a-kind materials.(Company overview)
June 1, 2006... Strategically located in Serra, Espirito Santo, only a few minutes away from Vitoria, the state's capital--as well as the airport and the main mineral exportation port in Brazil--Brasigran--Brasileira de Granitos Ltda. is well positioned for...

Expanding from building supplier to slab exporter: in only four years, Dacaza Granitos of Serra, Espirito Santo, Brazil, has grown from a supplier of cut-to-size work for local high-rise projects to an international exporter of slabs and tiles.(Company overview)
June 1, 2006... When Dacaza Granitos was formed in Serra, Espirito Santo, Brazil, its primary role was to supply cut-to-size architectural products for Mata da Praia/Dacaza, which has been a builder of high-rise complexes in the Vitoria region of Brazil for 15...

A first-class source for high-end materials: with a new facility on 100,000 square meters of land in Serra, Brazil, Grein Brasil offers a unique range of value-added materials.(Company overview)
June 1, 2006... Grein Brasil was founded in 2004 by Ivo Siviero and Michael Cramer, both shareholders and managing directors of Grein Italia in Affi, Verona, Italy. Both have more than 40 years of experience in all fields of the stone industry, ranging from...

Using advanced technology to work Brazil's natural resources: with six quarries and a state-of-the-art slab plant in Campo Belo, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Dapaz Mineracao e Industria de Granitos Marmores offers a full range of products to the export market.(Company overview)
June 1, 2006... Established in Santo Andre, Sao Paulo by Marcolino Rodrigues Da Paz in 1966, Dapaz Mineracao e Industria de Granitos Marmores began as a supplier of decorative marble and granite for the domestic market. But in 1985, brothers Lino and Fernando...

Growth continues at Coverings 2006: Coverings 2006 enjoyed a very successful run from April 4 to 7 in Orlando, FL, with 33,649 registrants and nearly 1,200 exhibitors.(Florida)
June 1, 2006... Once again, Coverings--the international trade fair and expo dedicated exclusively to showcasing tile and natural stone--made its name in the international marketplace. Overall total registered attendance surpassed previous years, with 33,649...

BSI Convention takes place in San Diego: the 2006 Building Stone Institute (BSI) Convention was held in San Diego, CA, from March 1 to 4, and it featured a range of educational sessions and networking opportunities.(California)(Conference notes)
June 1, 2006... Always taking place in a desirable locale, the 2006 edition of the Building Stone Institute (BSI) Convention was held in San Diego, CA, from March 1 to 4, giving attendees the chance to enjoy the Southern California climate in between the...

Ballpark tour highlights BSI convention.
June 1, 2006... As part of the educational sessions at the Building Stone Institute Convention in San Diego, CA, attendees received a guided tour of Petco Park, home of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres. The ballpark utilizes 160,000 square feet of...

Bigger is not always better in machinery selection.(stone processing machinery selection)
June 1, 2006... In the stone processing industry, conventional wisdom has always echoed the old car racer's belief that there is no substitute for horsepower: i.e., the more horsepower, the faster and more rugged the racecar. Translated to stone processing, it...

Calendar.(Calendar)
June 1, 2006... June 19 to 22, 2006 Stone World's Stone Fabrication Workshops, Dallas, TX (19th); Houston, TX (20th); Denver, CO (22nd). For more information, call 1-888-530-6714 or visit www.stoneworld.com/fabworkshop. July 13 to 14, 2006 Stone...

Global E-Sourcing, Inc.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... Global E-Sourcing, Inc. has added another dimension to its powerful business management software suite of solutions for the countertop industry--Global StonePro Web[TM]. The latest module is an add-on to its Global StonePro Web[TM] solution...

Buechel Stone Corp.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... Buechel Stone Corp. has recently launched its new Natural Thin Veneer (NTV) Value Product Line, which offers a fresh new range of colors, is aggressively priced to compete with manufactured stone, and is available in building, fireplace and...

Stone Mart.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... Stone Mart, one of the largest purveyors of ancient natural stones, supplies "the real antiques" of the earth, reports the company. Dazzling, largescale, fossil-laden onyx, amethyst, Lapis Lazuli and other exquisite stones that date back well...

Flow-Go Systems LLC.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2006... Flow-Go Systems LLC offers a positive drain (pre-sloped) trench drain system with load ratings that range from being able to withstand pedestrian traffic to being able to withstand fork lifts. Flow rates are 100 to 300 gallons per minute. These...

Marmo Machinery USA.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
June 1, 2006... Marmo Machinery USA has announced the availability of the CNC waterjet machine, which is capable of cutting complex granite and marble countertops in a single pass. The CNC waterjet cuts at a rate of 11.8 inches per minute on marble and...

Park Industries.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
June 1, 2006... The Pro-Edge IV computer-controlled edge shaping and finishing machine, from Park Industries of St. Could, MN, produces more finished lineal feet of material per hour--even with the most demanding edge types and on the hardest materials--than...

Thibaut.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
June 1, 2006... Thibaut completely re-designed the T 108 V4 range, which now represents the most powerful models in the company's series. The T 108 L is based on 5 m wall element and automatic longitudinal shiftings. The "L" version fully benefits the...

Salem Stone of Winston-Salem.(NEW LITERATURE)
June 1, 2006... Salem Stone of Winston-Salem, NC, a major source of high-quality, cost-effective stone fabricating supplies and equipment, has recently distributed its latest 70-page Supply and Equipment catalog. The supply section of the catalog contains...

Diamond Productions Canada Ltd.(NEW LITERATURE)
June 1, 2006... Diamond Productions Canada Ltd. is now distributing a new 39-page catalog featuring its diamond polishing tools. The company's diamond polishing discs are manufactured with unique bonds, patterns and diamond concentrations to suit a variety of...

Bonstone Materials Corp.(NEW LITERATURE)
June 1, 2006... Bonstone Materials Corp. has released a DVD that provides an extensive look at the Touchstone[TM] family of products. The DVD begins with a brief history of the company. Then it features a menu where specific products can be chosen for in-depth...

Machine of the month.
June 1, 2006... For years, Ghines has been offering a range of Manual Multifunctional Centers, which are stationary machines engineered to combine the precision work and productivity of a CNC with the flexibility and handwork of portable shape milling...

Technology update.
June 1, 2006... Pearl Abrasive's new VX10.2XLPRO Tile Saw is made for the professional. It is designed to cut tile, porcelain, granite tiles, marble tiles and more. The machine is engineered to rip cut a 24-inch tile and diagonal cut an 18-inch tile. The Pearl...

Gold Fields.(Stone of the month)
June 1, 2006... This Stone of the Month supplied by Marmocil Ltda., Cariacica, Espirito Santo, Brazil. Technical details provide a frame of reference only. Because stone is a product of nature, testing to determine specific physical qualities should be...