Stone World articles from May 2005

Stone World archives from May 2005

Unprecedented growth, unprecedented competition.(STONE COLUMN)
May 1, 2005... Five years ago, I remember telling friends from outside the stone industry how much the field has grown. I pointed to an import total of $870 million in 1999 and explained that this was exponentially higher than when I joined Stone World in...

Marble Institute committee launches accreditation effort.(NEWSLINE)
May 1, 2005... The Marble Institute of America (MIA), a 1,200-member global organization, has initiated a plan to create a major accreditation program for residential and commercial natural stone companies. The plan was given life in mid-April at a meeting of...

Marmomacc and StonExpo announce endorsement agreement.(NEWSLINE)
May 1, 2005... Organizers of Marmomacc in Verona, Italy, one of the world's largest and most prestigious exhibitions in the natural stone industry, and StonExpo, a leading North American exhibition for the stone industry, have entered into a mutual...

Association representatives discuss future of Natural Stone Council.(NEWSLINE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Representatives of the Building Stone Institute, Elberton Granite Association, Indiana Limestone Institute, Marble Institute of America and NBGQA met on March 31 in Itasca, IL, to map out the future of the Natural Stone Council (NSC). Formed in...

New Water Treatment Technology recognized by U.S. Patent Office.(NEWSLINE)
May 1, 2005... Water Treatment Technologies' patent for its EnviroSystem has been approved by the U.S. Patent Office. "This is an important step forward for the industry as it continues to recognize that the EnviroSystem brings a new technology to the stone...

One liners.(NEWSLINE)(Bermarmol S.A.)(CaesarStone)
May 1, 2005... Manuel Alvarez-Gomez has been named Sales and Marketing Director of Bermarmol S.A., a major stone producer based in Novelda, Spain. Alvarez-Gomez has been working for more than five years with the company. He has been in charge of Bermarmol's...

Statistics.(Illustration)
May 1, 2005... January 2005 | Imports to the U.S. Customers value in dollars does not include insurance or freight COUNTRY GRANITE MARBLE* U.S. $ TONS U.S. $ TONS ARAB...

Celebrity designer appears at K/BIS.(NEWS)(Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... LAS VEGAS, NV -- Celebrity designer Michael Moloney, from ABC's popular "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," made a guest appearance at the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas, NV, on May 10, 2004. Moloney signed...

Waterjet Cutting Techniques Course to be held.(NEWS)
May 1, 2005... KENT, OH -- Richel Inc.'s 43rd annual Waterjet Cutting Techniques Course will be held at the company's corporate offices in Kent, OH, from July 17 to 19, 2005. All existing waterjet operators and owners are encouraged to attend as well as...

New additions to sales staff.(NEWS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... WYCKOFF, NJ -- Alpha Professional Tools[R] recently announced the expansion of its sales department. As of mid-February 2005, Mike Salinger and Al Benoliel have joined Alpha[R] as new regional sales managers. Both Salinger and Benoliel come to...

Japan Stone exhibition to take place.(NEWS)(The Japan Stone Fair International 2005 )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... TOKYO, JAPAN -- The Japan Stone Fair International 2005 will be held from November 8 to 11th at Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo, Japan. Exhibit space applications for the exhibition are now being accepted. Over 230 companies, including exhibitors...

Stone Boss acquires new territory.(NEWS)(Stone Boss Industries)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... WOODSIDE, NY -- Stone Boss Industries recently announced the addition of the entire Maryland/Washington, DC, area into its vast service network. As always, the trucks will be "chock-full" of all name brand fabrication products, as well as the...

New e-commerce site developed.(NEWS)(The Stone and Tile Shoppe)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA -- The Stone and Tile Shoppe, an e-commerce site that can be found at www.buystonenow.com, has been developed as a total online solution for consistently high-quality stone tiles. Get the materials you need when you need...

Fostering a love of stone: after being inspired by a trip to Italy over 20 years ago, Charlie Zgonis founded Olympia Marble and Granite in Needham, MA.(RE-EMERGING U.S. STONE INDUSTRY)(Column)
May 1, 2005... In the early '80s, Charlie Zgonis was a young economist working for Congressman Paul Tsongas. Then, during a trip to Italy, he "fell in love" with marble and was suitably inspired to come home and establish his own operation near Boston, MA....

Stone imports increase 30% in 2004: the U.S. imported $1.95 billion worth of stone last year, a significant increase over 2003's total of $1.51 billion, and it is using more sources than ever before.
May 1, 2005... The U.S. role as a consumer of natural stone continues to increase at a rapid pace, as it imported $1.95 billion worth of stone in 2004. This represents an all-time high, and an increase of nearly 30% over 2003, when stone imports reached a...

Anticipating success for Stone+tec 2005: the 14th edition of Stone+tec will be held in Nuremberg, Germany, from May 25 to 28, 2005, and show organizers are anticipating a large turnout of exhibitors and attendees.(Report from Europe)
May 1, 2005... Stone+tec 2005, the 14th International Trade Fair for Natural Stone and Stone Processing Technology, is scheduled for the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg in Nuremberg, Germany, from Wednesday, May 25 to Saturday, May 28. And in response to...

New marketing campaign expected to boost attendance at CarraraMarmotec 2005: set to take place from June 1 to 4, 2005 in Marina di Carrara, Italy, extensive measures have been employed to ensure success for CarraraMarmotec.(Report from Europe)
May 1, 2005... CarraraMarmotec 2005 will be held in Marina di Carrara, Italy, from June 1 to 4, and the show's organizer has been hard at work with a worldwide promotional campaign to ensure a positive turnout. The exhibition, now in its 26th year, provides a...

Covering all aspects of tile production: the Marmi Lanza Group has added a new state-of-the-art tile facility in Verona, Italy, which includes a complete line for applying resin.(Report from Europe)
May 1, 2005... The Marmi Lanza Group of Verona, Italy, recently added to its production facilities with a new tile plant. And in addition to state-of-the-art machinery for cutting and polishing, the new plant has an automated line for applying resin...

Striving to beat the competition: Marcolini Marmi S.p.A. of Grezzana, Verona, Italy, processes granite, marble, onyx and other materials into a broad range of finished products.(Report from Europe)
May 1, 2005... Since being founded in 1960, Marcolini Marmi S.p.A. of Grezzana, Verona, Italy, has faced increasing competition--from Italian stoneworking firms as well emerging companies overseas. But over the years, the company has remained successful by...

A definitive source for Italian porphyry: with 15 different stone quarries in its organization, Consorzio Cavatori Produttori Porfido of Albiano, Trento, Italy represents the full range of Trento's porphyry production.(Report from Europe)
May 1, 2005... In Northern Italy, at the foothills of the mighty Dolomite Alps, quarrymen extract a unique material known as porphyry that can be used for a broad range of applications. And to make this material known on an international level, Consorzio...

The "10 most common" OSHA violations by stone fabricators.(FABRICATOR INSIGHT)(Occupational Safety and Health Administration)(Column)
May 1, 2005... Since the time that you first decided to be a natural stone fabricator, you have always concentrated on "the work" or "the final product" that you presented to your customer with great pride. You did your thing, you got your money (hopefully...

Sandstone creates a stone haven in Colorado: Colorado Buff Sandstone was used to establish "The Sanctuary" clubhouse on a private golf course in Sedalia, CO, as a retreat for people and wildlife to take refuge from the world.(Cubic Stone)
May 1, 2005... Upon the owner's request for a place of relaxation for his private golf course clubhouse--dubbed "The Sanctuary"--Zmistowski Design Group LLC of Boulder, CO, was challenged to create a unique style built of native materials that blended with...

Architectural definition created with stone: the Mill Creek residence in Vail, CO, was recently renovated with limestone and sandstone to add architectural elements to the home and blend it into its ski village environment.(Cubic Stone)
May 1, 2005... Originally built in the early 1970s with vertical wood siding and little architectural definition, the Mill Creek residence in Vail, CO, was recently renovated to blend in with its natural surroundings. Fritzlen Pierce Architects of Vail, CO,...

International collaboration results in colossal stone structure: the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Bartlett, IL, truly stands as a symbol of the ancient heritage and craftsmanship of traditional Indian temples, consisting of almost 43,000 square feet of Turkish limestone and approximately 33,000 cubic feet of Carrara marble.(Cubic Stone)
May 1, 2005... Building the massive limestone and marble mandir for the Bochasanwasi Shree Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha organization (BAPS) was a labor of love, involving more than 40,000 stone pieces, 3,000 craftsmen and countless volunteers. The...

Breathing new life into a Mediterranean mansion: located on France's famed Cote d'Azur, an historic mansion was recently renovated with a wealth of new stonework, including classical details as well as some contemporary elements.(Cubic Stone)
May 1, 2005... The Cap Estel Mansion in Cap d'Ail, France, is the kind of home people dream about. The mansion, located on France's famed Cote d'Azur, (Blue Coast), was built early in the 20th century, when the area was a popular meeting place of wealthy...

An inviting atmosphere is achieved in limestone: Texas limestone was implemented for the most recent expansion of the Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, TX, continuing the theme of past work.(Cubic Stone)
May 1, 2005... Already updated with limestone in 1999, the latest phase of the Prestonwood Baptist Church West Wing Expansion in Plano, TX, included further use of the original limestone. Due to increased membership and limited space, Phase II of the...

Vitoria Fair continues to grow: the 19th edition of the International Marble and Granite Fair, which took place for the third time in Vitoria, Brazil, drew nearly 29,000 visitors, an increase of more than 20% over last year.(Report from Brazil)
May 1, 2005... In February of 2003, the International Marble and Granite Fair, which had previously taken place in Cachoiero, Brazil, took place for the first time in Vitoria, the capital city of Espirito Santo. The move turned out to be a success, as the...

Focusing on the U.S. market: with a modern stoneworking facility outside of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Ideal Stones has been concentrating on supplying stone for the American marketplace.(Report from Brazil)
May 1, 2005... Since being sold two and a half years ago, Ideal Stones of Braganca Paulista, Sao Paulo, Brazil, has maintained a strong presence in the U.S. market. In addition to marketing itself at international trade fairs in Brazil and Italy, it can also...

Expanding into Brazil: one of the world's leading stone processors, Levantina has expanded its international scope by opening a new state-of-the-art factory in Vitoria, Brazil.(Report from Brazil)
May 1, 2005... With the rising popularity of natural stones from Brazil, many leading stone producers from Europe have decided to establish plants within the state of Espirito Santo. One of these new endeavors is Levantina Brasil, a modern stoneworking...

Ambitious factory is developing in Vitoria: already a major quarrier of Brazilian stone, Proton Granito Ltda. is establishing an impressive stone processing plant in Vitoria.(Report from Brazil)
May 1, 2005... In the growing stoneworking region of Vitoria, Brazil, Proton's new stoneworking plant is busy processing stone into a broad range of finished products and slabs, and trucks are continually coming in and out of the facility. And even though...

Expansion continues for Brazilian producer: Granito Zucchi of Vitoria, Brazil, has continued to grow over the years, and it has recently added a second warehouse to better serve its customers.(Report from Brazil)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Since entering the marketplace, Granito Zucchi of Vitoria, Brazil, has expanded its product selection as well as its facilities. The company is continually introducing new materials to its customers, and it has built a new warehouse facility to...

A growing force in stone quarrying: Brasil Quarries Imp. e Exp. Ltda. of Vitoria, Brazil, started 13 years ago with one quarry in Espirito Santo, and it now has numerous sites that produce a wide variety of materials.(Report from Brazil)
May 1, 2005... When Brasil Quarries was founded in 1992, it started with a white granite quarry named New Kashmir in the north of Espirito Santo. Over the years, the company acquired other quarries such as Giallo Napoleone, Giallo Florence, Lilas Gerais and...

Trends for installing stone floors.(Stones Tile flooring)
May 1, 2005... Stone tiles are being used more than ever on projects in both residential and commercial applications. Some of these stones can be tricky to install and even trickier to maintain. In this article, I am not going to touch on the stone tile...

AIA Expo to feature education on stone: the AIA 2005 National Convention and Design Expo will take place in Las Vegas, NV, from May 19 to 21, and architects will find a wealth of educational opportunities at the Stone and Tile Pavilion, which is sponsored by Stone World and Contemporary Stone & Tile Design magazines.
May 1, 2005... The AIA 2005 National Convention and Design Expo is set to take place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV, from May 19 to 21. This event will feature over 160 continuing education programs, 50 professional tours, 45 special...

Calendar.(Calendar)
May 1, 2005... May 19 to 21, 2005 American Institute of Architects National Convention, including the Stone and Tile Pavilion, Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV. Contact: M/C Communications LLC, 380 Stuart Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02116;...

Universal Granite & Marble Inc.(NEW PRODUCTS)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Universal Granite & Marble Inc. (UGM) has announced the immediate availability of the Quarella Industrial Stone Composite, which can be used anywhere that natural stone is used, according to the company. This includes kitchen countertops,...

Akemi North America.(NEW PRODUCTS)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Akemi North America has developed a new polyester that uses the company's patented "seamless technology," while also letting the stoneworker control the consistency of the mixture. Rapid stirring makes Thixo flow while slower stirring returns...

Bellinzoni.(NEW PRODUCTS)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Rust stains, tar, smog, graffiti and dirt are easily removed from granite, sandstone, limestone, brick and terracotta exteriors using UB-58, an acid-based, heavy-duty cleaner from Bellinzoni. The cleaner is easy to use and economical, and is...

Custom Building Products.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
May 1, 2005... Custom Building Products recently introduced its revolutionary new Platinum[TM] Tools line. Designed to meet the rigorous demands of leading tile installation professionals, these innovative new tools create new standards in professional tile...

Ghines.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
May 1, 2005... Ghines has further improved the Sector portable shape-milling machine by introducing the Aquawheel--a gliding system on a set of lubricated rollers. Now, Sector can glide on a set of nylon rollers, individually lubricated with a constant jet of...

Kirkstone[R].(NEW LITERATURE)
May 1, 2005... Kirkstone[R] has recently distributed a new brochure showcasing the company's collections of English slate. Included in the publication are Kirkstone's two varieties of green slate, Kirkstone Sea and Silver Green, as well as its Brathay Blue...

ECS Eich GmbH.(NEW LITERATURE)
May 1, 2005... A brochure on the products and services offered by ECS Eich GmbH, a company specializing in the production of fully automatic water-processing and sludge-drying installations, is now available. The company's machines are available in the U.S....

Thibaut T818 CNC.(Machine of the month)
May 1, 2005... The Thibaut T818 CNC stone-working center, available in North America from EuroStone Machine of Atlanta, GA, offers users a broad range of choices and options. The gantry movement model is equipped with two 3.2- X 1.6-meter parallel tables. A...

Light walnut (classic) travertine.(Stone of the month)
May 1, 2005... This Stone of the Month supplied by Travertine Bros., Istanbul, Turkey. 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...