Salem Moves Ahead At Coverings

ORLANDO – If Coverings is any indication of Salem Stone’s progress, the company’s doing just fine.
At a press conference at the end of the event’s first day, Mike Willard, Salem sales/marketing vice president, noted that the Winston-Salem, N.C., company toted up $3 million in sales at last year’s event, and business was brisk for Coverings 2006.
Willard also noted that business continued to grow for Salem, which is now its second year of being an employee-owned company.
“This has been the most-profitable year in Salem’s history,” he said.
The company hired several new sales representatives, including new Eastern Sales Manager Steve Albright, and continues to conduct a search for two more regional sales representatives, Willard said. Salem is also redesigning its Website, with online ordering being readied for a launch in the next few months.
He also noted Salem’s involvement in the industry, including the continued sponsorship of the Marble Institute of America’s advertising-awards program in 2006.
John Bergman, head of Bergman-Blair, Salem’s machinery division, also announced that the company is now representing products from OMAG S.p.A. of Zanica, Italy. He noted the availability of the company’s Mill 4X, a CNC production center aimed at countertop fabrication.
Bergman also noted that Gravellona Toce, Italy-based Gmm S.p.A, another company represented by Salem, is finding success here with its newest bridge-saw product, the Rotex 39. “The first four people that ordered them,” he said, “have already ordered another one.”
Bergman added that Salem is also introducing another edge polisher from Villafranca, Italy-based Montresor & C. S.p.a. – the Lola 400 – with the capability of handling a full slab.