Located in the heart of the city of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil — a region rich in the production of ornamental stone — Maq Stone has been among the leading producers of marble, soapstone, granite and quartzite for 16 years. The company was founded by Oto Carneiro, when he was 27 years old. “With strength and courage, he started the company with little money and a lot of hard work,” said Raphaiane Silva, the company’s CCO.

“Throughout the years, Maq Stone is continuously investing in the most modern technology in order to provide our customers with top-quality products,” Silva went on to explain. “Today, we count on the best machinery in the world to process our blocks — starting from when the block is cut until the polishing of the slabs.”

According to Silva, the company, which comprises 85 employees, owns soapstone, marble, granite and quartzite quarries throughout Brazil. “We are the best source for distributors, being able to supply large quantities with feasible prices and good quality,” she said.

At the quarries, there are a total of 30 workers, who operate the sites year-round. Blocks are extracted with wire saws, and on average, measure 3.2 x 1.85 x 2 cubic meters. The company produces roughly 183,000 square feet (17,000 square meters) of stone on a monthly basis.

Maq Stone also runs a stone-processing facility — covering nearly 1.6 million square feet (144,000 square meters) and having 35 workers. The plant is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery from Prometec, Simec and Breton.

Silva explained the company primarily does slabs for both residential or commercial projects. Its principal markets are the U.S., Canada, Italy, Australia, Spain, and Germany, with 80% of its work exported to the U.S.