Business major turned stone fabricator, Augie Chavez, began his own fabrication business after moving to Texas more than a dozen years ago, which is now among the most successful stone shops in the state
n 1984, Augie Chavez entered the countertop industry. He began working part-time for a small solid surface fabrication shop in California, which at the time, only offered three different variations of solid surface.
As members of the stone industry, I think we can all agree there is nothing more appealing than the aesthetics and inherent qualities of natural stone. And while many stones come from abroad, we also have numerous quarries here in the U.S. that have supplied material for landmark projects.
Stone World magazine talked with several fabricators to find out why they invested in saw/waterjet technology and what benefits they are reaping from having the machinery
Saw/waterjet technology has been on the rise, being used in more and more shops across the country. Stone World recently asked a group of fabricators who use the technology why they decided to purchase it to begin with, what operations they use it for, and how they have seen the technology change.
SawJet technology, the combination of a saw and abrasive waterjet integrated with a cutting machine, can reduce the time associated with nearly every step in the fabrication process when compared to manual processing.
Owner Steve Crandall has passed away, as well as John Zacher, who was with Unlimited Peak, the investment/management group who partnered with RealStone after Crandall’s death. But despite these tragedies, the company has managed to persevere and is optimistic about its future.
With an extensive educational program, product demonstrations on the show floor and a lineup of displays from numerous manufacturers from the stone, tile and flooring industries, plans are in place to ensure success for The International Surface Event this year.
Each year at Cersaie, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings, new and innovative products are revealed. This year, the event was held from September 25 to 29, 2017 at the Bologna Exhibition Center in Bologna, Italy, where it welcomed 111,604 attendees.