Geared for the full range of stoneworking

From high-volume slab production to world-class architectural projects, Saudi Marble & Granite Factory Co. Ltd. (SMG) is able to process large volumes of stone with optimal quality and efficiency

SMG supplied material for Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world.

Pictured is the King Abdullah Medical City in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which was also supplied by SMG.

In the area of hospitality, SMG supplied material for Qasr Al Sharq, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Marble & Granite Factory quarry — The company has 22 quarries, all of which are within an 500-mile (800-km) radius of its production facilities. In all, quarry production has a block capacity of 100,000 cubic meters per year.

A total of 48 jumbo Italian gangsaws helps to ensure that SMG always has a solid supply of inventory on hand.

Pellegrini diamond wire saws are also part of the production process.

Multiple polishing lines and automated resin lines are in place, including a resin line specifically for production headed to the U.S. market.

SMG finishes — In addition to polished material, SMG offers finishes such as honed, sandblasted, polished, brushed, bushhammered, flamed and more.

SMG stone slabs — All slabs are perfectly squared off around the edges, adding an extra level of quality and lowering waste for shops that will be fabricating the slabs.

SMG building — SMG’s production capabilities — coupled with the technical characteristics of its materials — have allowed it to supply projects around the world.

In 1991, Saudi Marble & Granite Factory Co. Ltd. (SMG) was established as a subsidiary of Al Harbi Group, a pioneer in Saudi Arabia’s mining and construction industries. Today, the company has developed into a major supplier of slab materials — with an emphasis on the U.S. market — and it supplies stone for major architectural projects in the Middle East and around the world.

In its early days, SMG served as a block producer, and it expanded into slab production. Over time, it developed one of the most advanced stone cutting facilities in the Middle East, with the capacity to supply large-scale projects regionally and internationally.

Quarries

The company has 22 quarries, all of which are within an 500-mile (800-km) radius of its production facilities. These sites yield uniquely colored granite varieties such as Tropical Brown (the top seller to the U.S., also known as Najaran Brown), Saudi Bianco, Saudi Salmon, New Rosa, Ancient Brown, Saudi Porino, Royal Grey, Royal Gold, Golden Leaf, Violetta and Sweet Gold.

The materials quarried by SMG are known for their high strength, which makes them attractive to builders and developers for projects involving flooring as well as cladding.

In addition to granite, the company has a quarry in Riyadh for limestone, and the site produces shades of white as well as beige.

In all, SMG’s quarries have a production capacity of 100,000 cubic meters of blocks per year.

Production

SMG has two separate factories for production, and material is processed using state-of-the-art technology from Italy. This includes Gaspari Menotti gangsaws, Pellegrini diamond wire saws, bushhammering and flaming technology, automated Gaspari Menotti processing lines and automated resin lines. Given the importance of the U.S. market for SMG, it has a resin line dedicated solely to production of slabs destined for America.

A total of 48 jumbo Italian gangsaws helps to ensure that SMG always has a solid supply of inventory on hand. All slabs are perfectly squared off around the edges, adding an extra level of quality and lowering waste for shops that will be fabricating the slabs.

In addition to polished slabs, the company offers finishes such as honed, sandblasted, polished, brushed, bushhammered, flamed and more. It offers slabs in both 2-cm and 3-cm sizes.

On the project side, in addition to flooring and cladding, SMG has become a specialist in creating elaborate flooring designs, and it has 10 waterjets dedicated to this type of production. It has multiple CNC stoneworking centers for creating complex stonework, and it can also produce ornate columns.

Sales and marketing

Over the past two decades, SMG has developed a portfolio of clients around the world, with a strong presence in markets such as the U.S., Italy, India, Dubai and Qatar. It has supplied a broad range of landmark projects, including:

• Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world

• Delhi Airport in India

• Doha Airport in Qatar

• King Abdullah Medical City in Mecca, Saudi Arabia

• Qasr Al Sharq, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

• Kuwait International Airport

• Dubai International Airport

In terms of slabs, SMG is currently shipping 50 to 75 containers to the U.S. each month, and the goal is to reach 100 containers per month as the market bounces back. In the U.S., the company’s sales efforts are coordinated through SMG USA, LLC of Wayne, NJ, which is led by Mohammed Chamaa. “We’ve seen really large growth over the past five years,” Chamaa said. “And this is because the company is able to deliver what it promises.”