The facility is 7,000 square feet in size, and includes indoor and outdoor slab storage. According to Gallo, the biggest challenge in starting his own shop was simply getting everything in place - from obtaining permits and financing to equipping the building as needed.
The primary piece of equipment in the shop is a Zonato FPZ 500 bridge saw, which was purchased from International Machine Corp. of Holbrook, NY. The saw features a 15-horsepower, direct-drive main motor, a 12- x 7-foot cutting table and variable speed gantry and cross travel. The unit also has a table that locks in any position and a digital display for bridge movements.
Templates are made from plywood, and Gallo personally does all measuring and templating. “That's the key to the job,†he said. “It absolutely needs to be right.â€
In the future, the next investment will be a second bridge saw, and the facility already has space allotted for the added equipment.
Boonton, NJ
Type of work: residential and commercial countertops
Machinery: Zonato FPZ 500 bridge saw from International Machine Corp. of Holbrook, NY; GranQuartz Magnum portable router; tooling and accessories from Stone Boss of Woodside, NY
Number of Employees: six
Production Rate: six to 10 kitchens per week