When mentioning the top stone-producing firms in the world, the name Antolini Luigi & C. is virtually always part of the discussion. Recently, the company has added a new component to its empire with the completion of its state-of-the-art slab-processing plant near Vitória, Brazil.
A variety of new and recycled slate was recently incorporated into the design of a 3,860-square-foot private residence in Central Vermont, providing the home with long-lasting, functional qualities, while still being aesthetically pleasing to the eye. And Slate Affair Inc. of Enosburg Falls, VT, not only supplied the material for the project, but the company also established the design and installed the material as well.
The new San José Public Library - Pearl Avenue Branch in San José, CA, includes the use of local slate from Echeguren Slate, Inc. of San Francisco, CA, and the material played an integral role in the design of the facility. One main project goal was to double the size of the original library - which was built in 1971 - bringing it from 7,116 square feet to 14,000 square feet of space. Another objective was to give the space the feel of an attractive bookstore, and Krista Nelson, AIA, and Pamela Anderson- Brulé, AIA, of Anderson Brulé Architects of San José, CA, was responsible for the design.
Fairly new to the stone industry, Stephen Bowker, owner of Bowstone of Ball Ground, GA, has quickly learned what it takes to rise to the top, and he attributes much of the company’s success to the assistance of a waterjet machine from WARDJet, Inc. of Tallmadge, OH.
RocHenge of Denver, CO, operates out of a 30,000-square-foot facility that is equipped with a variety of high-end machinery, including a RoboCut saw/waterjet from U.S. Granite Robotics of Barrington, IL, which assists the company in producing an average of 40 kitchens a week.
FloForm Countertops, which has been handling business in Western Canada since the early 1960s, began as a laminate countertop and solid surface operation, and has since moved into natural stone fabrication. With branches in Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg, the stone division of the company produces an average of 12 kitchens a day with the help from a variety of state-of-the-art equipment from Park Industries of St. Cloud, MN, including a Park Fusion™ 6000 CNC saw/waterjet.
In addition to serving as a commercial, industrial and institutional contractor, the David Allen Company also maintains a state-of-the-art fabrication facility at its corporate headquarters in Raleigh, NC. Among the stoneworking machinery in place, the 4,300-square-foot shop relies on waterjet technology from Jet Edge, Inc. of St. Michael, MN, for intricate work.
Although Brazil’s granite exports to the U.S. saw a decline for the second half of 2007, the Vitória Stone Fair still saw steady traffic on the show floor for the most recent edition, which took place from February 19 to 22, 2008, at the Carapina Expo Center in Serra - just on the outskirts of Vitória and where many major stoneworking plants are present. The 2008 Vitória Stone Fair had a record number of exhibitors, as the total of over 400 was a 15% increase over 2007. Moreover, attendees at the event were able to see a broad range of materials - many of which are being targeted specifically at the U.S. market.
The latest Stone Fabricators Alliance (SFA) Workshop was held from March 27 to 29 at Cadenza Granite & Marble of Concord, NC, and it was attended by approximately 100 fabricators from around the country. After a brief greeting and introductions by Ron Hannah and Melissa Hannah, owners of Cadenza, attendees at the event had the option of watching product demonstrations and presentations in the reception area, or they could watch the various stages of projects being fabricated on the shop floor.
After two successful runs last year, the Marble Institute of America (MIA) set out on another “Quarry Tours and More” expedition in March 2008 - this time visiting several of the many granite and limestone sites in Texas. The two-day trip, which was held on Wednesday, March 19, and Thursday, March 20, was attended by a group of industry professionals from across the U.S. who were looking forward to learning more about the quarrying and fabrication processes in the southwest region. Additionally, participants had the opportunity to witness the carving skills of some incredibly talented sculptors at their shop in Florence, TX.
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