Each year, the Natural Stone Institute (NSI) embarks to a region of North America for a Study Tour, which includes visits to quarries, fabrication shops, historical sites and other local noteworthy places. The educational excursion also provides opportunities for participants to interact – reconnecting with old industry friends and making new ones. This year’s Study Tour – celebrating its 20th anniversary – returned to Salt Lake City, UT, from August 25 to 28, 2024 and included a bonus day in Idaho. 

“The Utah Study Tour was an invaluable experience, offering a deep dive into the intricacies of the stone industry and its role in modern architecture,” said Kim Dumais of Miller Druck Contracting, Inc. in New York, NY, and member of the Women In Stone (WIS) steering committee. “The hands-on tours of fabrication plants and quarries provided insights that are hard to gain elsewhere. It was also inspiring to connect with other professionals in the field, sharing knowledge and ideas.” 

Upon arrival, attendees were led on an architectural tour of the city followed by a welcome dinner. Sponsors were also on hand to share product information and demonstrations. 

Town Hall Address

The next day opened with a Town Hall-style meeting presented by Jim Hieb, NSI CEO. Hieb announced that locations for the next six years have been mapped out, and moving forward the Study Tour will be held during the second week of September each year. 

WIS was recognized for its upcoming 10th anniversary. “The WIS initiative added an extra layer of camaraderie and support, highlighting the importance of diversity and collaboration in our industry,” said Dumais. “Overall, the tour was not just educational, but also a reminder of the strong community we have in the architectural and stone industries.”

During the meeting, Hieb also told the crowd the equipment/tooling/supplier sector now gets a vote as members of NSI, and the organization continues its efforts on the issue of silica. “We have 15 silica workshops planned for the second half of the year,” he said. “Our board of directors are on top of it. I’m guessing we’ll spend a quarter of a million dollars on this.”

Another important topic Hieb brought up was sustainability. “Natural stone is being talked about on the sustainable table,” he said. “We are committing staff and resources towards this. The board wants to guarantee we are at the table. We need more members to do what we are doing. We need to grow membership to promote natural stone.”

Following the Town Hall meeting, participants broke into two groups tailored to their needs – fabrication and quarrying. The breakout sessions allowed attendees to talk with their peers to share experiences and issues they face, and brainstorm ways to continue to run a prosperous business.

Onsite Visits

The first full day of the Study Tour included visits to American Stone and Kepco+. Attendees were then bused to the Utah State Capitol building where Kepco+ showed and explained the expansion project they have been working on – scheduled for completion in the fall of 2025. 

On day two, the group headed to Mountain Valley Stone in Peoa, UT, where they toured the company’s quarrying site. The company also engaged attendees in several fun activities. The next stop was Delta Stone Products’ facility in Heber, UT. After lunch, participants had their choice of visiting the Utah Olympic Park or stroll historic Main Street. Everyone then reunited for a memorable night at Wolf Creek Ranch, generously hosted by RJ Masonry, Inc.

The following day, the bus was off to Tremonton, UT, to visit Valley View Granite’s impressive fabrication shop. Blake Christensen, owner and also a member of the NSI board of directors, along with his team, gave the group a facility tour and insight into systems they have implemented that have led to the successful growth of the business.

“Each member company openly shared what they do and how they do it,” said Jane Bennett, NSI executive vice president. “Inevitably, each attendee learns something new.”

After lunch at Valley View Granite, a few participants headed to the airport, while others continued the journey to Idaho, where they were welcomed by the Osterhout family, owners of Northern Stone in Oakley, ID. The Osterhout’s graciously opened their home to the group and invited them to a cookout. The final day of the Study Tour included a visit to Northern Stone, as well as American Stone’s fabrication shop. 

“Lyons Sandstone has participated in BSI / NSI for many years, and for me personally, these study tours are the core of the value we as quarriers and fabricators get from the organization,” said Joshua Buster of Lyons Sandstone in Lyons, CO. “They give us insight into how others are doing things and why. They shape how we think about improving our business. I can say definitively that Lyons Sandstone would not be the industry leader in our state that we are without these tours. They really give you an idea as to what is possible and what we should be striving towards. I have found that attending tours repeatedly is extremely valuable as not every idea that we see is applicable to our product, but maybe something you see this year combined with something you saw three or four years ago can be applicable. I have never regretted coming on a tour and walked away saying ‘Well that was a waste of time.’”

The next edition of the Study Tour is slated for Elberton and Athens, GA, in September of 2025.