In response to the recent fears about granite and radon, Consumer Reports has done limited radon testing on granite counters. Using a radon meter in a room with the door closed, the group tested one sample of granite from two national companies and one slab from a local stone yard. None added any radon to the air. (Look for its report on short-term radon tests kits in the September 2008 issue of Consumer Reports.) More information from Consumer Reports can be found at:http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/2008/06/radon-counters.html.

Dakota Granite Co. would like to inform the stone industry that it has no affiliation with an Indian-based company that calls itself S. V. L Granites and “Dakota Granites.” Dakota Granite Co.’s URLs on the internet are “dakgran.com” and “dakotagranite.com.” The company attempting to gain recognition with a similar name uses “dakotagranites.com.” Dakota Granite Co., which has been in business since 1925, has a general office located in Milbank, SD. It has no affiliation with any company that does not use the mailing address: P.O. Box 1351, Milbank, SD 57252. The company in India does not buy or resell any material from Dakota Granite Co.’s quarries, and the materials are not similar in color or structure. The name is totally misleading and unauthorized, according to Dakota Granite Co.

Walker Zanger, a leading stone and tile company, received two 2008 ADEX Awards (Awards for Design Excellence) for the unique and contemporary designs featured in two of its newest collections. The Studio Moderne Collection by Michael Berman, which fuses ceramic tile and natural stone products into one all-encompassing line, earned a Gold ADEX Award. A Silver ADEX Award was given to the Vibe Mosaics Collection, which celebrates the bold and sassy designs of the ‘60s and ‘70s with a new spin on the geometries and colors that defined the era. ADEX, sponsored by Design Journal magazine, is one of the largest and most prestigious product design awards program in America. This is the second consecutive year Walker Zanger has received an ADEX Award.

Jo Anne Martino, who has 30 years of professional experience in the stone and ceramic industry, is now Amazing Stones’ direct U.S. product contact for the company’s exclusive “Semi-Precious Collection.” Martino’s extensive knowledge of the U.S. stone market, coupled with her vast experience as an importer of stone from various countries, makes her an ideal candidate to represent the most exclusive material on the market, according to Amazing Stone. John Lenzini, who has over 14 years experience with technical and fabrication knowledge, will be joining Martino to serve all customer needs with the North America office for The Semi-Precious Collection.

For the second consecutive year, StonExpo has been named to Tradeshow Week’s Fastest 50 list of the 50-fastest growing tradeshows in North America. This prestigious designation is based on total net square footage growth (50%) and percentage of growth (50%) between 2005 and 2007. StonExpo has a history of significant increases on the show floor since its acquisition by Hanley Wood in 2004, reports the organization. Most recently, the event has grown 95% in the past three years. In 2005, the show moved to the Las Vegas Convention Center and featured 237 exhibiting companies in 80,100 net square feet of exhibit space, which equated to a 25% increase in size over 2004. The 2006 event increased by another 25% in Las Vegas with 261 exhibiting companies in 101,900 net square feet of exhibit space. Last year’s edition brought 330 exhibitors in 124,000 net square feet.

Any questions regarding Newsline, contact: Newsline Editor, Stone World, 210 Route 4 East, Suite 203, Paramus, NJ 07652; Fax: 201-291-9002; E-mail: michael@stoneworld.com.