Briefs – September 2005

• Coverings announced in August that its Brazilian tile and stone exhibitors reported over $22 million in revenue, or 5.5 million m² of ceramic tile, resulting from business generated by the May 2005 event. More than 30 Brazilian companies attended the show, occupying an area of 21,450 sq. feet of booth space and meeting suites, while receiving approximately 8,500 visitors.
• Haas Automation Inc. began construction in July of a new 211,000 ft² building at its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Oxnard, Calif. The new addition, the third building expansion in nine years, will push the company past the million-square-feet milestone when completed next February. The machine-tool builder is on target to produce 10,000 machines by the end of this year.
• Stone Boss Industries, Woodside, N.Y., announces the addition of the entire Maryland/Washington DC/Virginia area into its service network. The company brings 13 years of experience in the mobile-warehouse business throughout the United States.
• Global Architectural Products (GAP) is the newest division of Global Granite and Marble in St. Louis; GAP will provide architects, design-build firms, masons, general contractors and custom-home builders with detailed specification and procurement information on natural stone. Sam Koonz is the division head; Alex Habr, a Global stone engineer based in Lebanon, will provide expertise to the commercial market.
• Simple Stone Care.com announces a new version of its website, with more products from Akemi North America and Bellinzoni North America. Distributorship programs for this no-maintenance, hassle-free website are available, with information available at the Website or by contacting webmaster@simplestonecare.com.
• Affinity Stone moved its operations from Dallas to a 30,000 ft² facility in Nashville, Tenn., according to the Nashville City Paper. Current production capacity is 15 kitchens per day, with the company producing Zodiaq® natural-quartz countertops for Lowes and Home Depot stores, as well as individual retail customers
• Architectural Supply Inc. of Houston now operates its own overseas quarry as part of its growing importation of hand-carved marble and limestone products, including marble fireplaces, columns, fountains, statuary, door surrounds, benches, gazebos, balustrades, urns, planters, vanities, bathtubs and custom, hand-carved solid limestone and travertine kitchen hoods.