New VIC International High-Speed, Powerful Bowl Hole - Edge System
VIC International has introduced a bowl hole system designed to cut bowl holes in three-centimeter granite in less than 15 minutes — even on the job site.

Named the VIC Scorpion™ Bowl Hole/Edge System, it is powered by a three-horsepower, single-phase, 220-volt variable-speed drive motor suitable for in-shop as well as field use. With a seven-foot arm and an extension table for large pieces, the VIC Scorpion™ can handle a variety of bowl jobs, as well as drilling water supply holes and some edge profiling.

The versatile cutting system is simple to set up and operate either in the shop or out on the job site. It is extremely rugged and offers speeds from 2,700-10,000 rpms. It comes complete with a router-turbo tip finger bit, a thin wall core drill (38mm x 100 mm) and a tool holder.

The VIC Scorpion has been tested to drop bowl holes in three-centimeter granite within a 10 to 15 minute range. It also offers a number of optional tools, safety equipment, polishing accessories, as well as 25 bowl hole templates. Availability is immediate.

Successful Hardscape
North America Launch
More than 1,700 industry professionals attended the inaugural Hardscape North America, March 7-10, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville. Hardscape North America, the national hardscape tradeshow is produced by the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) and endorsed by the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA), Brick Industry Association and North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association. The tradeshow provided an excellent opportunity for contractors to network with key manufacturers and suppliers of hardscaping products, construction equipment, vehicles and service while gaining valuable knowledge through educational seminars, exhibits and certification courses.

As more contractors aim to broaden their education, they're finding what they need at Hardscape North America. To improve their ability to install top-notch residential and commercial applications, contractors made the hands-on training classes sold-out events for 2007. The Hands-on Best Practices for Paver Installation sold out, as did the NCMA SRW Installer Education and Certification Program. Two additional ICPI Level I Concrete Paver Installer Certification Programs were added to accommodate demand.

More than 95 exhibitors displayed state-of-the-art products and equipment. In addition to the indoor exhibition, an outdoor exhibit area enabled contractors to "touch and feel" tools and allowed exhibitors to showcase their equipment in typical site conditions.

Next year's Hardscape North America will be held Feb. 27-March 1, 2008, at the Nashville Convention Center.

Powers Fasteners Unveils Fifth Edition Specification and Design Manual
Architects, engineers and construction specifiers can find just about everything they would want to know about the hundreds of anchoring and fastening products and systems manufactured and marketed by Powers Fasteners Inc. in the company's new fifth edition Specification and Design Manual.

The comprehensive 390-page manual is a complete update to previous technical manuals and provides the latest in anchor technology, testing standards, construction codes and approval listings for every Powers product. In addition to general product information, it also contains up-to-date product approvals and listings, MSDS sheets, submittal packages, software tools and contact information.

Tennessee Marble Co. Acquires
Tennessee Valley Marble
Tennessee Marble Company, a vertically integrated quarrier and fabricator of natural stone headquartered in Friendsville, Tenn., has acquired the assets of Tennessee Valley Marble, also located in Friendsville.

Monica Gawet, president of Tennessee Marble Co., said that the acquisition makes the company the largest marble cutting and fabricating operation in the United States.

"This enables us to offer a greater variety of Tennessee marble with a better ability to match existing products," Gawet said, noting that the acquisition involves the purchase of quarry rights and minerals, as well as several leases.

Gawet said that her company's strategic move was taken primarily to bring stability to the supply for Tennessee Pink marble, which is found only in East Tennessee. She said the material also has historical significance for the East Tennessee region, quarried since the 1890s with a comeback in popularity over the past decade.

The former owners of Tennessee Valley Marble are Tom and Mary White, who have owned the company since August 2003 and have recently retired.

Global Granite & Marble Opens in Peoria, Ill.
A variety of natural stone from around the world is now available at the new Global Granite & Marble stone selection center in Peoria, Ill.

The stone selection center represents the fourth location for Global Granite & Marble, which imports granite, marble, slate, travertine and a variety of other stone slabs from more than 30 countries, including Brazil, Italy, India and Spain. The firm's other locations are in St. Louis, Springfield, Mo., and Louisville, Ky.

More than 600 slabs in more than 140 colors eventually will be showcased at the 10,000-square-foot center. The choice jumps to 6,000 slabs in more than 300 different colors because of the extensive selection found only a few hours away at the St. Louis warehouse. The Peoria center also features natural stone tile, trims and accessories.

Tavella Elected Vice President of ASLA
Landscape architect Thomas R. Tavella, LLA, LEED AP, of Boston-headquartered firm BSC Group, was elected vice president, communication, of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), a national professional association. ASLA includes more than 16,200 members and 48 chapters, and promotes the landscape architecture profession and practice.

Tavella is vice president and landscape architect in the Glastonbury, Conn., office of BSC Group, a multidisciplinary planning and engineering firm. With more than 20 years of experience, he has worked on numerous planning and design projects in New England. Recently, he led the development of an award-winning master plan for Oyster Shell Park in Norwalk, Conn. He has also provided low impact landscape design for University of Connecticut's Burton Family Football Complex, the first National Collegiate Athletic Association facility to be LEED-certified.

Tavella has held several positions within ASLA, including chair of the ASLA's Council of Professional Practice Networks and Public Relations Advisory Committee; Connecticut chapter trustee to the ASLA Board of Trustees; and president of the ASLA Connecticut chapter.

Pearlman Industries Acquires
Dimensional Tools
Pearlman Industries Inc. of Commerce, Calif., a leading distributor of stone cutting and fabrication tools, has acquired Dallas-based Dimensional Tools Inc. The financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.

Dimensional Tools, which distributes products for the stone fabrication market, will become part of Pearlman's Keystone Tools division, according to the announcement made by Jeff Fox, CEO of Harbour Group, the St. Louis-based private company that owns Pearlman.

"[Dimensional Tools] location are a natural extension of our geographies and expand our footprint into attractive growing markets," Fox said. "This acquisition further demonstrates Keystone's dedication to growth through both internal initiatives and an aggressive acquisition strategy."

Robert Pico, president of Dimensional Tools, said: "Our team worked hard to build the company into a recognized leader in its markets. We believe we have the keys to successful growth and are pleased that Harbour Group and Keystone are willing to dedicate significant resources to help us achieve our goals."

Stunning Washstand Emulates Contemporary Loft-Style Design
No matter how it is presented, the Studio washstand, from the Walker Zanger Bathroom Vanity Collection, is an artistic achievement of modernist style which is the perfect addition to a contemporary bathroom suite — as well as a more eclectic, or transitional bathroom design. It combines austere form with day-to-day function, making it as beautiful to behold as it is to live with.

The Studio washstand follows a clean, rectilinear plan-form, with brushed stainless steel base and legs, sporting an open-lattice shelf at the bottom, ideal for keeping towels both ready and fresh.

The top is hand-crafted from a single piece of honed Italian Calacata Vaglia marble, notable for its delicate and subtle veining. The top comes pre-drilled, ready to accept standard three-hole widespread faucets. In the center of the Studio washstand top resides a rectangular white ceramic undermount sink.

The Studio washstand features two, front-facing drawers, each adorned with a simple steel pull, and lined with genuine leather, softening — and harmonizing with — the cooler surfaces of its exterior. While the lines are simple, the finishes are far more sophisticated. The Studio washstand's matte lacquer finish over the stainless-steel base protects the impeccable design from nicks and fingerprints./p>

Environmental Stoneworks Acquires
St. Croix Stone Inc.
Environmental Stoneworks, a leading turnkey manufacturer, installer and distributor of stone veneer and related products located in Denver, has agreed to acquire St. Croix Stone Inc., located in North Branch, Minn. This acquisition will strengthen Environmental Stoneworks' presence in the Midwest market and allow the company to better serve its customers nationally.

By teaming up with Environmental Stoneworks, St. Croix Stone will broaden the market for its innovative products and grow its stone installation business.

Other expansion sites the company is targeting include the Carolinas, New England and Texas.

Natural Stone Council
Launches New Website
The Natural Stone Council (NSC), a collaborative organization representing business and trade associations that promote stone under the Genuine Stone™ brand, announced the launch of its new website — www.GenuineStone.org.

Designed specifically for the stone industry and trades, the site is a central clearinghouse providing overviews of natural stone products and links to more detailed information depending on the type of stone and/or project.

 The Genuine Stone site, developed in partnership with McKee Wallwork Cleveland, reflects the NSC's new branding message, "As Genuine as You," and offers architects, designers and builders solid examples of ways to bring that message to life using genuine stone.

"Our primary goal is to create a one-stop shop for people to find the answers and resources they need with regard to stone," said Sarah Biondi, account manager at McKee Wallwork Cleveland. "Further, the website tackles some of the misconceptions and myths currently in the marketplace about natural stone products."

The site offers a photo library of stone applications and installations as well as the variety of products available. There is also a section devoted to green building. The section explains what the NSC is doing to establish stone as an eco-friendly building material.

3M Expands its Capabilities in
the Stone Industry
3M, St. Paul, Minn., has acquired Diamond Productions Inc., of Wayne, N.J., a manufacturer of superabrasive diamond and cubic boron nitride (CBN) wheels and tools for stone fabrication and other markets.

According to 3M, the deal enhances the company's cutting and grinding capabilities for such things as kitchen countertops, monuments and structural granite.

"This acquisition expands 3M's superabrasives business into new areas for 3M like the industrial stone industry," said Chris Holmes, division vice president, 3M Abrasive Systems Division. "Adding DPI's bonded superabrasives enhances our existing product line and enables 3M to provide even more products for manufacturing process improvements by our customers."

New Park JAGUAR Profile Machine
For shops that require the ultimate in control and flexibility, the JAGUAR from Park Industries fits the bill with precision cutting and advanced touch-screen automation. Add that to Park's legendary durability and you have a machine that redefines performance and productivity. The JAGUAR is the ultimate machine for cutting dimensional stone and creating linear profiled stone.

The new JAGUAR's standard 30 horsepower, or optional 40 horsepower TEFC, motor powers up to a 40-inch blade which cuts full slabs of granite, marble, limestone, sandstone or bluestone up to 15 inches thick. More options and enhanced touch-screen computer controls allow operators to easily make adjustments for cutting a wide variety of profiled shapes.

In addition, there are multiple turntable options available, including the new programmable turntable with 10 tons of capacity.

Braxton-Bragg Opens New Headquarters, Customer Training Facility
Braxton-Bragg Corp., the Knoxville, Tenn.-based supplier of professional products and tooling for the stone and tile fabrication industry, has moved its headquarters to a larger facility in Knoxville. President and CEO Michael Pelehach said the move gives the company a lot more working space and will improve efficiency.

"The market has been evolving and Braxton-Bragg is evolving with it," he said. "We want to be on the leading edge of the industry, and this new facility gives us the platform to provide more services for our customers."

The new warehouse, sales and training facility just off I-640 is 46,000 square feet and includes a demonstration area where customers can attend seminars to see products at work. There also is a classroom onsite where customers can learn about the latest stone and tile equipment and technology.

"We're not just providing product; we are providing solutions to help our customers improve productivity," Pelehach said.

"Our new facility will provide our customers with better service with state-of-the-art shipping capabilities," added Stephen Spencer, vice president of sales. "We'll be able to handle our increasing walk-in traffic much more efficiently."

Superior Stone Equipment
Introduces New Machinery
Superior Stone Equipment announced the introduction of four of their new machines for their equipment line. Included in the new line are the Force 4000 bridge saw, Edge Xpress 1000 vertical polishing machine, Edge Xpress 2000 single head polishing machine and Streamliner water recycling unit.

The Force 4000 bridge saw is the latest from Superior's bridge saw line boasting a cast iron, single-beam bridge, oil bath greasing system, 17.5-horsepower direct drive motor, 7x12 oversized tilting table with hydraulic brakes, Allen Bradley touch screen controls, remote pendant with speed control, and heavy-duty steel stands. The saw like their already popular Force 5000, is sold as a complete turnkey package, which includes installation, training, all technician expenses, rigging, and pouring and planing a three-inch concrete pad on the table bed before installation.

The Edge Xpress 1000 vertical edge machine is Superior's new edge polishing machine made for fabricators wishing to quickly polish flat polishes on pieces ranging from one to six centimeters in thickness. The machine features nine heads, with six of the heads being polishing heads, two of the heads being 45 degree chamfering heads, and a multispindle head that can be swapped out to route out many different edge shapes. The machine is sold as a complete turnkey package including installation, training, rigging and all technician expenses.

The Edge Xpress 2000 single-head polishing machine is Superior's new edge polishing machine made for fabricators wishing to quickly polish flat polishes, beveled polishes, half bull nose and full bull nose polishes on pieces ranging from two to eight centimeters in thickness. The machine is capable of running at speeds ranging from one to 150 feet per minute. It is sold as a complete turnkey package and includes installation, training, rigging and all technician expenses.

Finally, Superior has introduced a new line of water filtration and recycling systems. The systems can be customized and sized to fit shops with flow needs ranging from 40 gallons per minute, all the way to 500 gallons per minute. All systems come as complete turnkey packages including installation, training, all technician expenses, rigging, clean water tanks, piping between units and forklift-ready base units.

LGM Offers Modeling Services
Available in Just Days
Model shop LGM, one of the most advanced architectural modeling shops in the United States, has developed a new online service that streamlines both ordering and production of architectural models.

The service combines online shopping with the speed of 3-D modeling. Using the latest 3-D printing technologies, LGM builds models for a wide range of residential and light commercial projects. Users can request risk-free quotes, upload files, monitor a model's status, view digital proofs and make payments.

"We have modernized the way architects get physical models of their designs," said Charles Overy, president of LGM. "The RapidArch website makes it easy for customers to manage projects, place orders and make payments. We accept any type of input, from finished 3-D CAD files to hand sketches."

RapidArch Premium models display a building's every feature, from structure mass and roof overhangs, to windows, doors and railings. Premium models cost $2,495, Deluxe models cost $2,195 and Basic models cost $1,695. The RapidArch online service produces detailed, custom models in just a few days.

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