Joe Duszka, president of Carolina Custom Surfaces (CCS) in Greensboro, NC, is laser-focused on his business. With a background in manufacturing operations, his goal for the company is making the operation run more efficiently – prioritizing tasks and purchases that bring return on investment.
CCS was founded in 1995 as a cultured marble and solid surface company. In 2006, they made a decision to grow their business by moving to a new location and adding a stone shop.
It was then that a fellow ISFA member, and North Carolina stone shop owner, recommended Duszka look into Park Industries. “I knew I wanted American-made equipment so I had easy access to spare parts,” said Duszka. He also wanted a service center that he could call on 24 hours a day. Park Industries was a perfect fit.
Equipment that Lasts & Holds Value
As CCS built their new stone shop, Duszka relied on the expertise of Park Industries engineers to help him lay out his new equipment: a Yukon, Wizard and Pro-Edge.
Fast forward 15 years, and stone fabrication now comprises 70% of CCS’s business. In late 2020, they sold the Yukon and Wizard to make room for new digital equipment. “We didn’t get rid of them because they weren’t doing their jobs, we got rid of them because our business changed. Park builds workhorses.”
Duszka said that after 15 years, the machines were in just as good of shape as they were on day one. “We maintained them, and had Park come out and service them for us from time to time," he said. "As a result, we sold a 2006 Yukon for half of its original purchase price.”
Going Digital, Then Doubling Down
In 2017, CCS was ready to grow its digital footprint and added the following machines:
- Fusion CNC sawjet
- Titan 2800 CNC router
- Fastback edge polisher
In 2020 and 2021, to double their capacity and prepare for the latest material trends, they added:
- Titan 3800 CNC router
- Fastback II with SlabBack Slab Support
- HydroClear Pro 220 all-in-one water system
- Saberjet XP 5-Axis CNC sawjet
Remove shop pain points
“If you’re a shop that’s not recycling your water, there are huge savings to be had, both financially and environmentally.”
CCS has been using a water recycling system for quite some time, but found some challenges.
“When you’re recycling your water over and over again, you tend to get hard water," said Duszka. "With our old systems, we were always trying to do water testing on our own like you would a swimming pool. We were adding chemicals to try to balance the pH and hardness.”
When Duszka and the Park team were re-imagining the CCS shop in 2020 and 2021, he wanted a system that was self-sufficient and had the greatest recycling capacity he could buy. So he purchased the largest water system Park makes – the Hydroclear PRO 220 water system and is glad his water is now an afterthought.
“I don’t want to worry about water – Park is going to keep building faster and faster equipment and our shop is going to continue to grow," said Duszka. "I want the ability to add new equipment and speed up my machines as new options become available.”
The all-in-one HydroClear Pro 220 system can accommodate up to 170 gallons per minute for Duszka’s shop and he no longer needs to conduct water testing, thanks to the HydroClear Pro’s unique four chemical system that manages coagulant, flocculent, bromine and pH levels for a hands-free, worry-free operation.
Look to the future
Duszka knows industry knowledge is an important part of a leader’s job. He often travels to trade shows, is part of networking groups and talks to other fabricators often. “I feel like I have a pulse on what’s out there,” he said.
Over the years, Duszka has noticed that what he sees on the commercial side of his business today will be what he sees on the residential side of his business tomorrow; hence his recent purchase of a SABERjet XP 5-Axis CNC Sawjet.
“One of the main reasons I chose the Saberjet XP was the ability to cut underwater with the ballast tank option, and the work Park has done to optimize the cutting of porcelain and ultra compact materials," he said. "It’s not a big demand for us now, but we’re seeing porcelain and ultra-compact demand in our commercial work. We see enough coming through today to know that more is coming.”
“The Saberjet XP was an opportunity to buy a machine that is set up to do that material and give us the extra capacity we need to have the time to do it right.”
