More than 25 years ago, Brian, Mike and John Rector first started pulling fieldstone out of the woods and hills of Tennessee with their father. They recognized there was an opportunity in the masonry business and started Plateau Masonry in 1986.

The Xiamen Stone Fair has been building momentum as a reputable international stone exhibition, and the 2018 edition is expected to be even bigger. Now in its 18th year, the next edition is slated for March 6 to 9, at the Xiamen International Conference & Exhibition Center.

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.