In 2011, the Stone Fabricators Alliance (SFA) began taking a delegation of its members to various regions of Italy to learn more about all aspects of stone production. The annual trip, which welcomed 18 fabricators from all over the U.S. and Canada (and myself) this year, took place from May 3 to 11. During that time, we traveled throughout the northern regions of Italy -- from capital cities of Venice and Florence to hidden gems like Zogno and Massa -- where we were afforded opportunities to visit more than one dozen different machinery/tool manufacturers and stone distributors, view the operations of a renowned marble quarry and observe the impact of the Italian stone industry.

The SFA is a completely volunteer-based organization, which has thousands of members and is currently led by a board of nine members. Executive director, Mike Dean of The Top Shop in London, Ontario, Canada, and director, Eric Rolseth of Astonia Co. in Rogers, MN, successfully led this year’s tour.

“As a leader on the tour, it's a lot of fun watching people experience it,” said Rolseth. “Everyone is moved and affected on some level, and most say it's one of the most enjoyable and informative things they've ever done in the stone industry. That's great because it's supposed to be. Encapsulating what the tour is about in words has proven nearly impossible. We simply haven't found a way to express what it means and what it is. The relationships, the knowledge, the scenery, the food, the whole thing -- it's so much.”

The tour, which was founded by Tenax and former SFA executive director Ron Hannah, is also made possible by each and every one of the companies that are visited each year. “Last year, we had 14 stops,” said Rolseth. “It has become a fantastic way to unite users and providers, many of whom would have never heard about each other and very few would have become familiar with each other on the level the tour provides. Some of the companies sponsor and host dinner, and that's an exceptional time for sponsors to connect with tour attendees on a one-to-one basis.

“We have worked in partnership [with Tenax] and cooperation with each other to provide the best tour,” he went on to say. “Tenax is an incredible help utilizing their connections in the industry to coordinate the details of the trip inside Italy.”

The following article takes a look at each of the stops on this year’s SFA Italy Tour.

Breton and Lapitec

Our first stop of the trip was Breton, a manufacturer of machinery for natural stone, metals and ceramics, as well as engineered stone processing plants. Headquartered in Castello di Godego, Veneto, the company currently employees more than 900 people. It was founded more than 50 years ago in 1963 by Marcello Toncelli under the name Brevetti Toncelli, which was later shortened to Bre-Ton and finally Breton, for which it is known today.

With 51,000 square feet of production space at its 2 million-square-foot headquarters in Italy, the company also operates a U.S. counterpart, Breton USA, more than 5,000 miles west in Sarasota, FL, which was founded in 2004.

“We are not focusing on building the best machines; we would like to focus on building a high level of performance,” said Stefano Costa, export sales manager for Breton S.p.A. “Every single customer is important.”

Breton has also developed virtual reality (VR) software for customers wishing to build a stone processing plant or add more machinery to their existing plants known as Visual Components. They’re able to recommend different types of machinery based on the customer’s needs, production and shop size -- and the customer is also able to see exactly what their new shop would look like with the additions in real time, a new and beneficial concept. “We always relied on drawings, but now we can show our customers via VR,” said Costa. “People want to try things, test things and see them before they buy anything. It’s hard to see your solution on paper; it’s a solution, not your solution. The VR software takes it to a new level. This is your plant. This is what you’re going to buy.”

“The Breton factory was really amazing to see where our CNC router and CNC saw was built and seeing the same machines being built while we toured the factory,” added Mark Magers, owner of MaxStone Marble & Granite in Great Falls, MT. “It was an amazing and very clean factory. After seeing the factory, I understand and see why people in our trade want Breton equipment.”

While Breton continues to focus on the production of machinery and tooling, in 2011, it established Lapitec, a sintered stone that features the mechanical and physical properties of porcelain, which is made of 100% minerals without resins or petroleum derivatives. Fire-, frost-, UV-, water-, stain-, mold- and bacteria-resistant, Lapitec is suited for both outdoor and indoor installations. Available in 18 different colors and 9 finishes, sizes span as large as 5 x 11 feet.

Lapitec’s processing plant, which sits on 1 million square feet of land and is located not too far away from Breton’s facility in Vedelago, was constructed entirely using Lapitec products. The plant also utilizes all Breton machinery, including the Smartcut and Combicut, as well as Fila and Tenax products for cleaning and sealing.

“Sintered stone is its own category,” said Francesco Giannini, area manager at Lapitec S.p.A. “We don’t like to be compared to ceramics or porcelain.”

Margraf

We concluded the first day at Margraf S.p.A. in Chiampo, about 50 miles west of Vedelago, which processes all types of natural stone and tile, including marble, granite, quartzite, limestone, travertine, quartz and porcelain. Its glass-clad headquarters features art pieces crafted from both tile and stone, which was visually pleasing. Upon entering the facility, your eyes are immediately drawn to the floors, which are adorned with uniquely designed waterjet patterns cut from white and black marble. The intricate patterns carry onto the walls and staircases throughout the lobby -- a really neat addition -- complemented by various other free-standing tile mosaics and three-dimensional stone sculptures, which evoked a lot of “oohs” and “aahs” from the group. A two-story water wall constructed of stacked stone, which cascaded down the walls behind the reception desk, was also a favorite.

Margraf began as a small family operated business with only four people, which has now grown to incorporate 250 employees. Currently, the company operates 14 quarries throughout Italy, with one in Rome dedicated solely to travertine production and one in Sicily solely dedicated to quartz production. We were lucky enough to tour their headquarters and production facility, which showcased some impressive marble sculptures that sell for as much as 28,000 € each, as well as their 1,475,000-square-foot logistics hub in Gambellara. Located about 12 miles south, the logistics hub features a one-of-a-kind, experimental parabolic marble arch outside of the facility along Autostrada A4, which was designed by Raffaello Galiotto. The 50-foot-tall arch, known as Arcolitico, is covered in Fior di Pesco marble.

The facility was purchased almost three years ago to hold already purchased slabs. “This is the largest warehouse in Italy for natural stone, ceramic, quartz, cement and composite stone,” said sales manager, Luca Borchia, of the expansive facility that houses a selection of 50,000 stone slabs.

The Filter Project

To kick off the second day, the group headed east to visit The Filter Project in San Bonifacio, Veneto, which welcomed us with open arms as if we were part of the family. The smaller family owned business, which has been operating for more than 20 years, manufactures water treatment and water filtration systems, as well as dust collection systems.

“We can customize any product to your needs,” said export manager, Loredana Prioli, of their OSHA-certified equipment.

The Filter Project offers two main systems, with one that utilizes a filter press and another that uses filter bags. “It depends on how much you produce and how much water you use as to which system you should utilize,” said Prioli, who explained how the company can create any water system for your needs or take an existing water system that is in place and customize it part-by-part.

The family also gave us detailed demonstrations of every one of their dust collection systems, highlighting the benefits of each model, which gave fabricators more of an inside look at how these products differ from one another and which is best to utilize for their type of business.

“Their customer service is always top-notch,” said Brian Gambrell, project manager of Tenax USA and managing partner of Weha USA. “Customer service means more than what you’re getting.”

Donatoni/Citco

From The Filter Project, we traveled about 30 miles northeast to Domegliara, Veneto, to visit Donatoni’s new establishment, which was built in 2017. Founded 60 years ago, Donatoni is one of the leading producers of machinery for marble, granite and natural stone, which is located in the “district of marble,” according to marketing manager, Andrea Corradini. The company’s mission is to create “reliable, easy-to-use and versatile” machines. “You need to have the right machine for your needs, not the biggest machine,” said Corradini.

Less than five years ago in 2014, Donatoni partnered with Intermac, which has allowed the company to expand globally into a handful of continents, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Oceania. The company also has a partnership with Montresor, a company specialized in the manufacturing of edge polishing machines, which has also advanced their operations.

During our visit, Corradini explained how the company is currently building another production facility about 100 meters from the showroom and offices we visited, where they will only produce two of their CNC machines, SX-3 and SX-5.

After an all-inclusive tour, we took a 10-minute ride to Rivoli Veronese to see the capabilities of Donatoni machines at Citco, which utilizes Donatoni machines for their creations. The almost 30-year-old company, which was named after Iraqi-born owner Camiran Rasool (“Camiran International Trading Company”), is best known for artistically reshaping blocks of marble into an assortment of flooring, furniture and accessories.

Outside of the showroom’s entrance, a life-size, three-dimensional rhino stands -- one of the feature pieces replicated in Donatoni’s showroom, which was created specifically for Citco -- setting the tone for the entire experience. Walking inside is like walking into a secret museum. At first, it seems like a normal office building, but advancing further, you’re greeted by a circular staircase crafted from blocks of pure white marble, which stands more than three stories tall. And we thought this was the coolest feature.

Shortly after a brief company history, we were carefully guided down the jaw-dropping staircase, which led us to some of the most exclusive artwork created with dimensional stone. Citco, which regularly collaborates with acclaimed international architects and designers thanks to Rasool’s longstanding relationships, creates highly customizable, show-stopping pieces that are ideal for hotels, commercial spaces and high-end homes. Surreal and breathtaking, to say the very least. “This is the coolest place I’ve ever been in my life,” said Jason Cancro of Stone Resources, LLC in Danbury, CT. A comment all of us in the group wouldn’t argue.

Santamargherita

The jam-packed day ended with a stop at Santamargherita S.p.A., located not too far away in Volargne, Dolcè. Founded more than 50 years ago, with deep roots in Valpolicella, the company specializes in the manufacturing and importation of quartz from Germany, Turkey and Brazil.

We visited the quartz factory at the company’s headquarters, which was an eye-opening experience, since most attendees hadn’t seen one before, especially overseas. Different processes, in terms of tooling and manufacturing, are required to produce the manmade material, and it was nice to see the production variations between that and natural stone. Having visited several porcelain and ceramic tile manufacturing facilities, the production process looked quite similar, from what I observed.

With between 35% and 40% of its products exported to the U.S., Santamargherita is also a private label for Arizona Tile, among many other tile companies. “We try to keep a balance between private label and our own branded products,” said Michele Caneva, sales manager at Santamargherita.

The quartz facility, which utilizes all Breton machinery, produces around 1,000 slabs each day and sells between 12,000 and 13,000 slabs each month to more than 70 countries around the world. “The U.S. is our largest export market next to Italy and the European Union,” said Caneva.

Tenax

On the third day, we headed back to Volargne to visit Tenax’s Italian headquarters. Founded in 1956, Tenax specializes in the production of surface treatments, sealers, epoxies, abrasives, mastics, glues, blades, as well as other products and tools for the stone and tile industries.

With more than 160 employees, the Tenax complex features a range of buildings, including the showroom and offices (known as “Casa Tenax”), laboratories, research and development facilities, and production facilities. The company also operates a U.S. counterpart, Tenax USA, which is based in Charlotte, NC.

Last year at its headquarters in Italy, Tenax had Italian stone machinery manufacturer, Pedrini, produce a smaller version of an edge polishing machine for them to test new formulas on natural stone to ensure their accuracy. “We can now do everything in-house so the products that go out are true and tested,” said Filippo Emanuel, CEO of Tenax USA, LLC.

Emanuel, who gave us a detailed tour of the entire compound, explained how the name of the company derived more than 50 years ago. “The highest grade in Italy is 10 and our product in Italy is ‘extra’ so they thought ‘10-X’ would be a good name,” he said. “From there, it became Tenax.”

In Tenax’s testing lab, which was created three years ago, the reverse engineering machinery allows them to see what’s happening inside of the formulas they create, some of the newest technology on the market. “In chemistry, there are no secrets,” said Emanuel. “The machines can tell you exactly how the products were made.”

The lab also features machinery that stimulates outdoor conditions -- UV exposure, rain, and freeze-and-thaw cycles -- to see how their products react and withstand different environments over different time periods, which was really interesting.

Antolini

From Tenax, we headed about five miles west to Antolini, which was a marvel. Aside from the company’s stature in the industry, the headquarters in Cavaion Veronese is beyond impressive. Spanning almost 5.5 million square feet, the sheer size of the complex stretches further than the eye can see, incorporating handfuls of buildings for the production and storage of various types of natural stone. Antolini, which was founded in 1956, began all of its operations in one of the buildings onsite and has grown into what it is today.

The company is known for its exclusivity, which is seen in the unfathomable range of stones offered. With more than 1,000 different options, there are buildings onsite dedicated solely to housing white marble, onyx and even precious stones -- and that is only a glimpse at what the company has to offer.

Each slab produced is trademarked using the Antolini Vacuum Process, an embedded mesh backing that cannot be removed, which is a patented process that was created to make brittle products strong enough to hold up to any installation. “The idea is to let you take advantage of beautiful materials that have special characteristics,” said Tiziana Bellantuoni, sales area manager at Antolini. “Our focus is to try and sell a concept -- to allow designers and professionals to envision uses of stone that are outside of the traditional bathrooms and kitchens. We want you to be more adventurous.”

Another thing that stood out was the company’s innovative “Wow” Factory, the first fully automated factory in Italy, which was designed using customized machinery from Breton. The quality control for the slabs produced here are also only inspected by women, since “they have a better eye for detail and can spot defects better,” according to Bellantuoni. Four women are onsite at all times, which change shifts every couple of hours to ensure accuracy.

CMS

The third day began with a trip to CMS, located in the mountainous commune of Zogno, Lombardy, about 50 miles from the border of Switzerland -- a tucked away gem that many people may not know about. Arriving at the facility, we were greeted by 360-degree mountain views, as representatives from the company and its U.S. counterpart, CMS North America, Inc., explained the company history. Founded in 1969, CMS produces machinery for plastic, advanced materials/composites, wood, stone and glass. The new facility we visited in Zogno was built last year because they needed more space for production. “We like to show the customer not only the machines, but the process,” said Ivan Ponti, product area manager for stone at CMS SpA. “All parts are made in-house.”

The name CMS stems from “construzionale macchina specialize,” which translates to “special construction of machines” in Italian. “We are very true to our name,” said Ponti.

With almost 4,000 employees worldwide, CMS has grown substantially since its inception. In 1985, the company created its first CNC machine for stone production. “Our machines are made to service the stone industry,” said Saba Vasanthan, divisional market manager of stone and glass at CMS North America, Inc. in Caledonia, MI. “Our forte is making customized machines.”

CMS sells the same machinery in the U.S. as they do in Italy, according to Vasanthan. “The U.S. market for CMS is very important,” he said.

Comandulli

The day ended delightfully with a stop at Comandulli in Castelleone, Cremona, located about 45 miles south. We were greeted by company owner, Ernesto Comandulli, and his daughter, Mara, who is training to soon take his place. They gave us a detailed company history in the 194,000-square-foot facility, which also showcases unparalleled mountainous views.

Founded in 1972, Comandulli specializes in the production of edge polishing machines and bridge saws. Alike many of the companies on our tour, the company makes all of its parts in-house.

With almost 100 employees, the company launched a U.S. branch in 2013 to expand its operations, which has proved successful, according to Comandulli. “Perfection is obtained by always discussing it,” he said of the company philosophy and one of the many mantras he repeats to his employees.

Later that night, Comandulli took our group to a quaint historical restaurant in Crema, Ristorante Il Rodottino. A picturesque town out of a movie, Crema features cobblestone streets, Gothic-style cathedrals from the 1300s and narrow alleyways turned into streets that can barely fit cars. The walk to the dinner was a blast from the past, with centuries of history packed into the memorable riverside city.

Henraux

The following day was one for the books. A long-awaited trip to Henraux’s Cervaiole quarry in the Apuan Alps to see Carrara marble in its natural habitat was a bit surreal, if I’m being completely honest. You always read about things like this in books or see photos online, but nothing can compare to actually seeing it with your own eyes. The quarry, accessible only by a steep and winding, 7-foot-wide hill with no guardrails, had some of the finest Carrara marble I’ve ever seen. Skyscraper-sized mountains exposing tons of the raw material were right in front of our eyes, where we were also able to observe firsthand how laborious (and quite dangerous) the quarrying process actually is.

With a seemingly endless supply of white marble, this area is Italy’s most marble-rich region for a reason. Although the quarriers pointed out the major differences in the mountain’s landscape compared to that of 20 years ago, they predict about another two lifetimes of quarrying before operations are forced to stop due to environmental impacts.

From the quarry, we headed to Henraux’s processing facility and headquarters in Quercerta, Tuscany, where we got an inside look at the company’s operations. Henraux, which was founded almost 200 years ago in 1821, only quarries marble, but imports other stones such as granite from countries all over the world, including Brazil, India and Spain.

With 140 employees, the company currently operates seven quarries throughout Italy and cuts around 200 blocks every month to maintain production, according to Valter Bonuccelli, commercial sales manager of the Middle East and South America at Henraux. “We started working with granite in 1970, and before that, we primarily worked with marble,” he said.

Bonuccelli took us through Henraux’s production facility, showing us how the company creates three-dimensional sculptures and other statement pieces, which are used to decorate everything from walls to floors. We also toured their new showroom, where stone used to construct almost everything inside -- from the bookshelves to stairs and even the handrails -- showcasing all of the capabilities of their stone designs.

Nicolai Diamant

After the unparalleled experience at Henraux, we traveled west in Tuscany to Massa to visit Nicolai Diamant. Founded in 1980, the company specializes in the production of diamond tooling for the cutting, polishing and finishing of stone, ceramic and engineered stone. Starting with innovative technology in the stone industry, Nicolai Diamant has expanded its technological horizons to the artificial stone, ceramic and glass industries. With two production buildings and an intricately involved process to create tools, the company is also at the forefront of innovation.

“Nicolai’s research and development team works for the innovative and optimized solutions for our customer’s needs,” said Steve Martin of Nicolai North America in Grand Rapids, MI. “These technological solutions derived by Nicolai are always compatible with various machines of different manufacturers.”

With three locations -- Nicolai Diamant’s headquarters in Massa, Italy; a small facility in Moscow, Russia; and Nicolai North America’s headquarters in Grand Rapids, MI -- the company currently employs a total of 50 people. In Italy, the company produces profiling and polishing wheels, as well as 5-axis tooling for CNC machines and robots; in the U.S., production is focused mainly on ProGlo and Giotto polishing pads, and all other American abrasive polishing pads.

“Since we are not producing profiling wheels and CNC machining solutions in the U.S., we keep $2 million worth of those tools at our headquarters in Michigan,” said Martin. “Both Italy and the U.S. have diamond redressing services that clients can take advantage of if they ship their profiling wheels in for us to prolong the life of their tools.”

After the interactive tour of Nicolai’s factory -- where we even got an inside look at how intricate the process is to make these types of tools and how much time is involved in perfecting the techniques -- representatives took us on an exclusive tour of the Studi d’Arte Cave Michelangelo in Carrara, which is located only five miles away, where highly skilled sculptors create monumental works of art and internal features for contemporary artists.

The stature of the sculptures we saw in the 16,000-square-foot studio were beyond impressive -- with several imitations of Michelangelo’s David standing more than 10 feet tall, as well as a plethora of other unique creations such as human-sized hands and mythological creatures. To get an inside look at something like that was an honor.

We then headed back to Massa for a quick visit a renowned local museum to see an exclusive collection of three-dimensional marble sculptures created by local artists over the years. Some sculptures dated back as far as the 1970s, before the times of CNC machines and hand polishers, when everything was crafted by hand. It was nice to see the connection of history and stonework.

Shortly afterwards, we ended the night with a sunset dinner at Palmo Mare along the Ligurian Sea, something most people won’t ever have the privilege of doing in their lifetime and which I will forever cherish. Aside from the plethora of good food, the room was full of conversation and bustling discussions of the journey. A little family had formed, another goal that was fulfilled.

Early the next morning, we ended the trip with a bang. Nicolai graciously hosted private helicopter rides overlooking the quarry we had seen the day before, as well as various others, which was something out of a dream, especially for someone like me who had never taken a helicopter ride. The 15-minute journey, which seemed to fly by, showcased the marble-rich region of Italy in all its glory -- from the miles of currently quarried mountains to the quaint towns that are nestled in between.

Later on that night, the group headed to downtown Florence for a farewell dinner at one of the best tucked away secrets in the city, La Fettuna. Over Steak Florentine, the members all told me what they took away from this trip and how beneficial the SFA has been in the development of each and every one of their businesses. We left our mark on the hundred-year-old walls of the highly rated establishment, which features countless placemat drawings from visitors from all over the world. The SFA logo stands strong on that wall, along with the names of all of the participants in this year’s trip, in case you ever happen to visit.

More importantly, if you are a member of the SFA and looking to learn more about all aspects of the stone industry, applying to this once-in-a-lifetime trip is something that should be at the top of your list. There are countless things to learn and unparalleled memories to be made.

To apply for next year’s trip, all you need to do is complete the application through the SFA. Up-to-date announcements can be seen on the SFA’s website, www.stonefabricatorsalliance.com, or on the Facebook group page, StoneFabricatorsAlliance.com.