Once again, the stone industry looked to the Marmomacc exhibition in Verona, Italy, and StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas in Las Vegas, NV, for the latest introductions in stone products, stoneworking equipment and supplies and installation and maintenance products. The following is a look at some of the items that were on display at these two important trade shows:

Stone Suppliers

Andrade - Surreal, a unique material with waves of light and dark green from the company’s own quarry

www.andradesa.com.br


Antolin Luigi & C. - slabs of semi-precious stone accented with Swarovski crystal designs by Fiona Swarovski; designs in Shell Stone for a variety of applications, such as accents and furnishings

www.antolini.it


Best Cheer - honeycomb-backed stone panels that can be used for applications where weight is a concern, such as elevator cabs

www.bestcheer.com 


Bramagran - Pictor, which features golden waves on a black background; Nougat, which has a rich tan color, with lighter tan waves and white accents

www.bramagran.com.br


Bresciana Graniti S.p.A. - promoted Birds granite, a material quarried in Switzerland and featuring waves of gold and silver with spots of black and a brownish tint - resembling the look of cheetah skin

www.bsgraniti.it


CaesarStone - introduced a new finish called “Alligator,” providing a texture to its quartz surfaces that resembles the look and feel of reptile skin

www.caesarstoneus.com



Cajugram - Brown Abstract, which has a rusty brown color and distinctive veining in shades of light brown, black and white

www.cajugram.com


Cold Spring Granite Co. - offered a wide selection of stone products, including one of its newest materials, Kasota Valley Limestone, a golden cream-colored stone from the heart of the Minnesota River Valley that is available in a range of thicknesses and ideal for exterior cladding due to its lower moisture absorption rate and low porosity; also promoted its Pacific finish, which gives an appearance partly between polished and antiqued

www.coldspringgranite.com


Dakota Granite Co. - offered Dakota Mahogany granite, a material consisting of warm shades of red and brown that is quarried at the company’s headquarters in Milbank, SD

www.dakgran.com



Decolores - Bronzite, which has a brown color with black, white and gold veining

www.decolores.com.br


Dimpomar - showcased Creme Regina limestone from Portugal that can be used for both residential and commercial applications                

www.dimpomar.com


Gem Granites - displayed Lava Jewel granite, a rich bold material of shades of deep red complemented by lighter tones of red and pink with wavy veining running throughout

www.gemgranites.com


Granite Mart Ltd. - showcased Lavender Blue granite from its own quarry in India, consisting of variations of dark and light gray tones dotted by flecks of burgundy; also displayed Tan Brown granite, a rich blend of dark brown, light brown and charcoal gray

www.granitemartindia.com


Gramil - Cassis, which has waves of light and dark violet color, with brown and golden accents

 www.gramil.com


Granitex - prominently displayed two granites from Africa: Sage Brush, a blend of sand colors, and Oxford Gold, a combination of shades of gold and rust with darker undertones

www.granitex.it


Grein - Cosmic Gold granite, which has alternating waves of black and gold

www.grein.com


Itapoama - Moon Night, which is off-white with gray patterning, and Super White, which has a lighter tone with gray veining - both dolomitic marbles, which have the hardness of a quartzite

www.itapoama.com.br


JMS Jura Marble Suppliers - an assortment of Jura marble quarried in Germany, offered in various tile sizes and slabs with different finish options                                        

www.juramarble.com


La Ponte Marmi - displayed a large selection of stone products, including Namib Green granite

www.laponte.it


Lundhs Labrador - a full range of granite from Norway, including Blue Pearl, Emerald Pearl, Blue Pearl Fjord, Royal Blue TFV, Royal Blue TFM and Marina Blue Star; Norwegian Rose marble

www.lundhs.no


M+Q - a range of exotic materials and onyx, including Onyx Paradise, which has waves of honey, rust and light orange

www.mqitalia.com


Magnitos - Sunrise, which has varying shades of gold and yellow, with maroon accents; an unnamed silver material with white accents

www.magnitos.com.br


Marbrasa - Sonora Golden granite, which has a light gold color with darker accents

www.marbrasa.com.br


Marcolini Marmi - developed a breakthrough treatment, using a specialized resin, that allows its stone materials to be self-cleaning, anti-bacterial water- and oil-repellant for the life of the material

www.marcolini.it


Marmi Bruno Zanet - in celebration of its 50th anniversary showcased several new materials, including Iceberg white quartz from Brazil with an almost uniform color based on nuances of white, gray and black

www.brunozanet.com


Marmi La Precisa - exhibited Crystal Glass Stone, an Italian-made material consisting of natural stone and glass

www.laprecisa.it


Marmocil - Magma Black, which has a light black background and distinctive waves of light violet and white; Emerald quartz, which has a light green tone

www.marmocil.com.br


Meshoppen - introduced a sample version of its stone rocking bench, and it also featured its extensive line of thin stone veneer

www.meshoppenstone.com


Pemagran - Ibere Mari Blue, which has a dramatic pattern that intertwines waves of soft black and white, available in leather and polished finishes

www.pemagran.com.br


Pokarna - introduced a sample of its quartz surfacing material that will be manufactured at its own facility in India and soon available in 15 to 20 colors to the U.S. market; Coral Gold granite from India, comprised of large flecks of gold and gray as well as shades of brown and hints of black veining

www.pokarna.com


Rock of Ages Corp. - Galaxy Blue granite from its quarry in the Ukraine

www.rockofages.com


Santa Clara - Cristalita Honey, which has a white/light golden tone and Cristalita Blue, which has a bluish-white tone - both are very hard, translucent materials quarried in Espirito Santo, Brazil

www.msclara.com.br


Serra Norte - Mascavo granite, which has a light golden brown color with rust-colored waves and accents

www.serranortegranitos.com.br


Tab India - A full array of stone products, including Teak sandstone from India, consisting of a warm blend of color that reflects the hues of the desert

www.tabindia.com


TexaStone Quarries - featured a variety of its stone line, especially highlighting TexaStone Pink, a pastel pink-colored limestone as well as Hadrian, a cream-colored limestone - both are suitable for commercial and residential projects in the interior and/or the exterior

www.texastone.com


Tekmar - showcased a large selection of new material from Turkey, including Crema Extra marble, consisting of a soft blend of beige tones that creates a creamy look; Thalia Beige Antique marble, a light-colored stone accented by dark tan flecks and a textured surface; New Carrara marble, a field of white broken up by streaks of gray veining; Crystal White marble, a soft shade of white with a very subtle hint of gray

www.tekmarble.com


Tracomal - White Macaubas quartzite, which has a bone-colored surface with golden veining

www.tracomal.com.br


Tureks - Skyline Collection, featuring white marble with gray veining from Turkey

www.tureks.com


Vermont Quarries - featured Mountain White, which has a white surface with grey veining as well as a low absorption rate, making it highly suitable for kitchen countertops

www.vermontquarries.com


World Wide Stone Corp. - showcased an assortment of travertine from its own quarries in Mexico, including Authentic Durango Veracruz Con Vena (vein-cut) travertine - offered in a full range of products, including tiles, mosaics, trims, decos and custom items such as vanity tops, sinks, balustrades and columns

www.durangostone.com


Ylamaa Group - Baltic Green granite, which has a dark green color with lighter green accents and a small grain structure

www.ylamaagroup.fi


Fabrication Equipment, Tools and Accessories

Alpha Professional Tools - announced an exclusive agreement for the distribution and service of the Ghines product line within the U.S., including diamond and profiling tools, routers, cost-effective stationary contouring machinery and innovative dust collection systems for stone fabrication shops

www.alpha-tools.com


Advanced Industrial Machinery (AIM) - displayed the MasterJetSaw 3200 automated stone fabricating system - combining two cutting methods to deliver increased capability with lower operating costs

www.aimsaws.com


Amerisink - introduced its AS317 model sink measuring 35 x 18 x 10 and offered in a half rounded shape in single or double basin

www.amerisink.com


Artisan - featured its line of 0 radius 16-gauge 304 stainless steel sinks available in 23 different models

www.artisansinks.com


Barranca Diamond - showcased the new BD-5000 5-inch wet air grinder, designed to accommodate 4- or 5-inch diamond cup wheels; also displayed the BD-1272 wet cutting rail saw with 13-Amp direct-drive motor, 130-inch length of cut and a tilting head for precise 45-degree miter cuts up to 2¼-inch deep

www.barrancadiamond.com


Beckart Environmental - introduced its filtration system, which reuses processed wastewater for 100% recycling and is designed for flow rates of 10 GPM - 200 GPM, promoting cost savings through reduced water costs and the elimination of disposable filters

www.beckart.com


Blick Industries - demonstrated the new Proliner 8 digitizing system from Prodim that offers a portable and quick way to digitize a job on site; the Large Mechanical Clamp designed specifically for stone fabrication with a large clamping area and range as well as the durability needed in stone-processing facilities

www.blickindustries.com


Braxton-Bragg - the G-Clip system for undermounting sinks with all types of stone countertops, requiring no adhesives and basic fabrication tools; the Meta Jaw carry clamp which can carry tops up to 2.5 inches thick; the Omni-Cubed backsplash polishing station; an EZ Dishwasher Bracket that allows for universal dishwasher installation

www.braxton-bragg.com


Breton - the RoboCup system for CNC vacuum pods, which allows for automated position on the vacuum pods on the workbench as well as piece loading and unloading; in this system, the spindle automatically selects the double-acting pods from the store and places them on the workbench in the proper position

www.breton.it


Cemar Electro - introduced the CL-800B Series Bridge Saw Lasers for stone cutting available in 10, 15 and 30mW

www.cemarelectro.com


Chemcore - featured its line of vessel porcelain vanity bowls as well as its acrylic sinks

www.dovae.com


CMS/Brembana - the SprintJet 5-axis bridge saw/waterjet combination, which can also cut miters

www.cms.it


Comandulli - the Omega 100 edge processor, which has two more polishing spindles than the Omega 60, resulting in higher processing speeds

www.comandulli.com


Crystalline Enterprises - featured its QuickQuote software that quickly allows fabricators to give potential customers an accurate quote and drawing, while also storing the company’s entire product catalog, all in one place

www.crstallyneonline.com


Dellas - offered a display of diamond discs, including standard discs, silent sandwiched discs for minimizing noise and discs with wide slots and narrow slots for precision cutting

www.dellas.it


Diamant Boart - XOC blades, which have been engineered for increased speed, high performance and superior quality; a new CNC tooling range, which allows Diamant Boart to offer a complete range of tools

www.diamant-boart.com


Dongsin - pads for use with inline polishers

www.diaflx.com


Edgemarc Tools - introduced its new FabMaster, a multi-purpose stoneworking center for profiling, polishing, cutting or drilling; AC-DC Seam Master, a new model for 2008 featuring fully adjustable leveling feet that slide in the rail to allow plenty of room to work the seam without removing the unit - suction cups available in both 4.5 and 6 inches

www.edgemarctools.com


Endurance Machines - introduced its Vortex Tumbler and showcased its Tornado Tumbler; both feature a proprietary barrel design and a gearbox drive, while the Tornado was built with customer requests in mind

www.endurancemachines.com


ETemplate System - promoted its electronic templating system, which is available in a “rent-to-own” program that allows customers to begin with a minimal upfront investment

www.etemplatesystem.com


Fabricator’s Choice - the new PhotoTop Version 3.0 digital photo templating system; cadtofab digital shop integration, a templating-to-installation shop consulting and design service to help plan growth - with analysis of existing space, facilities, equipment and computer systems

www.fabchoice.com


F. Barkow - the Backsplash caddy, designed to hold three backsplash sections, each up to 8 feet long

www.barkow.com


Flow - featured its 87,000-PSI Stone Crafter, which according to the company has proof of being the fastest waterjet

www.flowcorp.com


GMM - displayed a full line of bridge saws, including the GMM Lexta, an automatic electronic bridge sawing-profiling machine with tilting head for blades up to 825 mm (32.48”) diameter; the GMM Brio, one of the company’s New Generation of bridge saws that features a 180-degree rotating head; and the GMM Litox, a 5-axis fully automatic bridge saw

www.gmm.it


Granite City Tool - offered its Extreme High Speed (EHS) technology, including 5-inch turbo blades; the Q4 Polishing Drum Wheels that present a new concept for polishing sinkholes, as they will wear well for ¾- and 1 ¼-inch-sized materials - a rubber center gives it flex to follow the contour

www.granitecitytool.com


Groves, Inc. - offered a full array of stone handling and storage systems, including the Truck-Mounted A-Frame with 24,000-pound capacity that holds 12,000 pounds on each side and six mounting plates used for bolting to truck or trailer; and the Heavy-Duty Shop Cart with 2,500-pound capacity and four ratchet hold-down straps to secure load

www.groves.com


Intermac America - introduced the Master 30, a multi-functional 3-axis work center featuring onboard programming while the machine is working, ability to perform online diagnostics and software upgrades, reduced maintenance costs and simple, user-friendly interface; also equipped with the company’s new iCam 3D CAD/CAM software

www.intermacamerica.com


KMT Waterjet Systems - demonstrated the StreamlineTM Pro, a new ultra high pressure pump with water pressure up to 90,000 PSI/6.200 bar; also features a newly designed pneumatic valves that contain a new redesigned seal and stem for longer, more predictable life, which enables longer production runs resulting in increased production of parts

www.kmtwaterjet.com


Keystone - is now offering a Nicolai high-speed CNC tool line, which includes M3Pro technology and “ultra-glo” CNC resin profiling wheels

www.keystonetools.com


Komo - introduced the Summit Stone Machining Center, a 24 HP CNC router with a 14-inch programmable Z axis, as well as the Meridian bridge saw, which features an Omron PLC control and a 14-inch programmable Z axis

www.komo.com


Laser Products - the LT-55 XL Precision Laser templator, which features Samsung’s Q1 Ultra TabletPC, completely rewritten software, a larger screen, digital camera, wireless Internet capabilities and a physical keyboard

www.lasersquare.com


Löffler - introduced KSL So, a new edge polishing machine

www.loeffler-mb.com


Marmoelettromeccanica - SHS (Super High Speed) profile wheels for CNC machines, which are designed for quick grinding and polishing, available in North America from Regent Stone Products

www.marmoelettro.it


Marmo Meccanica - introduced the LCR, a specialized linear polishing machine for flat edges that can process a pencil round profile in sizes up to 4 cm and chamfers up to 6 cm

www.marmomeccanica.com


Monument Toolworks - the Gorilla Grip seam-setting tool, which utilizes an electric vacuum pump that provides an extremely powerful and consistent attachment to the stone, releasing only when needed; cam adjusters allow installers to level the seam perfectly

www.monumenttoolworks.com


Mitsubishi/MC Machinery - the Suprema 4-axis waterjet for shops producing more complex parts, which can cut materials up to 6 inches thick

www.mitsubishi-world.com


Montresor - displayed the Luna 540, a smaller-sized automatic edge polisher for straight and bullnose edges for marble and granite

www.montresor.net


Nemi - introduced its backsplash clamp as well as its tool setter, which allows users to setup tools offline while their machines are running

www.nemi.com


Northwood Stoneworks - the FabCenter FC138SW, which is a combination CNC saw and CNC stone router, built to be affordable for shops that only need to process four or five slabs per day

www.northwoodstoneworks.com


Park Industries - Synergy Inventory software, which allows fabricators to maximize material inventory and yield by having an easy-to-use inventory management database; the system tracks each slab of material from the time it is photographed at the Pathfinder Digital Photo station until it is has been processed, with remnants barcoded and filed in the inventory database

www.parkindustries.com 


Pearl Abrasive - introduced new sizes of its reactor blade, including a 12 inch and an 18 inch; as well as the Coaction CX10 saw, which allows users to quickly cut large pieces of tile in a small, compact water controlled machine

www.pearlabrasive.com


Pedrini - demonstrated the Universal M930TG bridge saw with a twisting and tilting head, which has been upgraded to include 5-axis and is now available in the U.S.

www.pedrini.it


Pelligrini Meccanica - the Polywire 34, a single machine that does the production of three granite gangsaws

www.pellegrini.net


Prodim International - demonstrated its series of Proliner 3-D measurement solutions for templating

www.prodim.nl


Regent Stone Products - promoted its touring vans - known as Regent Mobile Stores - which are equipped with 60 cubic feet of space and a 7-foot-high ceiling, and they are stocked with a full line of products; the Mobile Stores are used to support the company’s reps in the field to sell and educate their customers on new lines of products and the RegentiStore (RegentiStore.com)

www.regentstoneproducts.com


Right Manufacturing - featured its rock tumblers for fragile stone, veneer, porcelain, clay, tile and concrete products

www.rightmfgsys.com


Salem Stone - the GMM Edil 36 bridge saw, which offers 180-degree head rotation and a 0- to 90-degree tilting head that can accommodate blades up to 725 mm in diameter; also, Breva three-axis CNC machine dedicated to producing sink cutouts and faucet holes

www.salemstone.com


Stonefone - introduced its web-based application designed for fabricators that bears its company name; Stonefone allows users to keep track of inventory, labels, slabs and remnants to name a few

www.stonefone.com


Thibaut - officially introduced the T508 texturing machine, which allows fabricators to create custom finishes and patterns on slabs; various textures include polished, antiqued, brushed, bushhammered and chiseled; among the patterns are grooves, diamonds, zigzags and waves 

www.thibaut.fr


VIC International - offered a broad range of products for use in stone fabrication, including the Denver Skema Logic C-180 4-axis CNC sawing center with linear guides, head-mounted laser and tilting and rotating spindle

www.vicintl.com


Vytek - promoted its color laser engraving, a four-pass process that allows for full color images on stone, which are permanent; UV resistant so it can be used for outdoor applications                                                          

www.vy-tek.com


Water Treatment Technologies - the EnviroSystem, designed specifically for each facility, which can accommodate shops of varying sizes - from operations that range from one to two kitchens per day with demands as little as 7 gallons per minute to shops that demand over 500 gallons per minute, producing over 50 kitchens per day

www.watertreatmentonline.com


Wood’s Powr Grip - highlighted its hand-held vacuum cups, available in diameters from 3 ¼ to 10 inches, the cups provide a quick and convenient way to handle smooth, nonporous stone, tile and cultured marble products

www.powrgrip.com


Z. Bavelloni - displayed the Bavelloni Egar 450 CNC stoneworking center that uses mostly recycled water, cuts fast, equipped with a large bed size and a convex and straight saw

www.bavelloni.com


Stone Maintenance/Installation Products

Akemi - Darkener Super, a solvent-based impregnating color enhancer that also acts as a protector - especially suited for darker color stones; leaves stone with a natural look

www.akemina.com


Bellinzoni - promoted its “Made in the USA” brand of products, which is the result of Bellinzoni Milan and Bellinzoni U.S. joining forces to manufacture its products in the U.S. to cut cost and ensure U.S. quality control

www.bellinzoniusa.com


Fila - promoted its Marble Restorer Kit, including Fila Marble Shine to polish the surface and Fila Formula Marmo to clean, nourish and protect the surface as well as all of the necessary pads and items needed to apply the products; introduced Fila Tec for use on polishing lines - a large-scale product for protecting stone

www.filachim.com


GranQuartz - introduced its Tuscan Leveling System, which virtually eliminates lippage during tile installation

www.granquartz.com


IMC/Stone Boss - promoted its service, repairs and shop moves

www.stoneboss.biz


Miracle Sealants - 511 H2O+, a water-based, penetrating sealer designed to protect all marble, granite, travertine, slate and other natural stone and masonry surfaces; 511 Concrete Cure & Seal, a professional grade curing agent that reduces shrinkage and cracking

www.miraclesealants.com


Tenax - Marmo Antiacido, which protects marble from acid etching, and Super Granito, protects granite from staining; Dual Touch, a proprietary system to make patterns of granite and marble similar to sandblasting, but at a smaller cost; Epoxy Foam, which can be sprayed onto stone panels and used as support, similar to aluminum honeycomb

www.tenax.it