Polycor Group puts the final touches on acquring French stone producer Rocamat; Brazil Stone Exports Gain During Cachoeiro Stone Fair; IDG Adds Trajus Surfaces; more.
0:00 Intro
0:32 Polycor Completes ROCAMAT Acquisition
2:17 Brazil Stone Exportts Gain $3 Million at August Show
4:29 A Word From Quantra
5:25 International Design Group Adds Trajus Surfaces
7:20 Portobello Brings Tennessee Plant to Production
8:38 UMG Surfaces Opens Minneapolis-area Showroom
9:31 NSI Aids with More R.I.S.E. Homes
11:18 Passings: Omar Salazar
12:37 Outro
Radio Stone Update is presented on the first and third Wednesdays every month at 9 a.m. everywhere on Earth with the latest news and insights in hard surfaces. Check our archives at www.radiostoneupdate.com.
Polycor Group puts the final touches on acquring French stone producer Rocamat; Brazil Stone Exports Gain During Cachoeiro Stone Fair; IDG Adds Trajus Surfaces; more.
0:00 Intro
0:32 Polycor Completes ROCAMAT Acquisition
2:17 Brazil Stone Exportts Gain $3 Million at August Show
4:29 A Word From Quantra
5:25 International Design Group Adds Trajus Surfaces
7:20 Portobello Brings Tennessee Plant to Production
8:38 UMG Surfaces Opens Minneapolis-area Showroom
9:31 NSI Aids with More R.I.S.E. Homes
11:18 Passings: Omar Salazar
12:37 Outro
Radio Stone Update is presented on the first and third Wednesdays every month at 9 a.m. everywhere on Earth with the latest news and insights in hard surfaces. Check our archives at www.radiostoneupdate.com.
Hi, I’m K. Schipper with the latest in hard surfaces industry news from Radio Stone Update.
0:32
Polycor Group completed its acquisition of ROCAMAT, a leading producer of natural stone in France and a significant presence in the international building stone production industry. Polycor announced plans in late February of this year to acquire ROCAMAT.
Polycor has been a minority shareholder in ROCAMAT since 2018, when it took over control of operations of five quarries in the French regions of Burgundy and Gard.
Through the acquisition, Polycor Group expands its activities in France. Founded in 1853, ROCAMAT operates 30 limestone quarries across France and four processing plants. The company also has nearly 160 employees.
Patrick Perus, president and CEO of the Polycor Group, says, “Acquiring ROCAMAT not only allows us to inherit the exceptional expertise and know-how of its employees, but also bolsters our mission of restoring natural stone to its former glory, which is the driving force behind everything we do.”
Along with the acquisition, Polycor will be collaborating with the French Group Verrecchia. That company has more than 30 years of experience in new cut stone construction and has established itself as a developer committed to becoming an expert in environmentally friendly, mixed-use construction projects.
The Polycor Group is a leader in the natural stone industry, with a presence in Canada, France, and the United States. The company operates more than 80 quarries and 24 transformation plants and employs nearly 1,500 people.
2:17
The “Export More Brazil” program sparked a burst of business for natural stone during a trade event held in the South American country last month.
Negotiation meetings paired 24 Brazilian stone companies with nine international buyers during Cachoeiro Stone Fair Aug. 22-24, leading to deals worth 3 million dollars. The deals came as the second stage of “Export More Brazil,” a program spearheaded by the trade promotion agency ApexBrasil and stone association Centrorochas.
Natural stone companies represented the Brazilian states of Espirito Santo, Ceara, Rio Grande do Sul and Parana. Espirito Santo is the leading Brazilian state in the production and trade of natural stone – last year accounting for almost 82 percent of sales from Brazil to the international market.
The international buyers came from Germany, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Argentina, and South Africa. Centrorochas and the event’s producer, Milanez & Milaneze, recruited the 24 Brazilian companies that participated in the business meetings.
The program also included an opening ceremony and export presentation at the headquarters of the Confederation of Manufacturing Companies of the state of Espirito Santo in Vitoria, and visits to several quarries in the area.
The program took place along with the 32nd edition of the Cachoeiro Stone Fair, the largest business showcase in the Brazilian stone market. With the theme “Step into the future,” The fair aimed to inspire visitors to broaden their stone horizons.
With more than 1,200 varieties of materials, Brazil is the fourth-largest producer of natural stone in the world and the fifth-largest exporter of the product. In 2021, the sector broke an historic record in exports, with revenues of $1.33 billion, and year-over-year growth of approximately 36%. Last year, that dollar volume grew to $1.28 billion.
5:25
Atlanta-based International Designs Group – IDG – has announced it has acquired Trajus Surfaces. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
Addison, Texas-based Trajus is comprised of legacy brands European Granite & Marble, and MARVA Marble. It joins IDG’s portfolio including United Materials LLC, Construction Resources and Cancos Tile & Stone. The move adds 10 new locations to IDG’s network, bringing the total to more than 50 sites.
With an extensive range of offerings, including tile and slab distribution, custom countertops, glass and mirror solutions, appliances, flooring, garage doors, fireplaces and lighting fixtures, IDG is a premier supplier of materials, services and solutions in the eastern U.S.
Trajus Surfaces’ leadership and legacy brands will remain intact as they integrate into IDG. Mario Persico, president of Trajus Surfaces, noted IDG’s company vision and decades of industry experience. He says being part of IDG will enable both European Granite & Marble and MARVA Marble to expand their product offerings and enter new markets.
IDG is part of the portfolio of Mill Point Capital, a New York-based private equity firm focused on control investments in middle-market companies in North America across the business services, IT services, and industrial sectors.
7:20
Portobello Grupo brought its first ceramic production plant in the U.S. online in late July. The Baxter, Tenn., facility is the first international location for the Brazil-based company.
At just under 1 million square feet, the facility is set on a 95-acre site and equipped with cutting-edge technology and machinery. The state-of-the-art plant includes technology for CO2, NOx and HCL emission reduction, and recycles and reuses 100% of the water needed for production. In its initial phase, the new plant is rated at an annual production capacity of 38 million ft2.
Portobello America’s new plant brings to three the number of manufacturing facilities operated by Portobello Grupo. Portobello America’s CEO, Luiz Filipe Brito, says the new plant offers the capability to provide innovative products with better service to its North American customers.
The new plant has already generated more than 200 local jobs at the factory, which is located between Nashville and Knoxville. Portobello Grupo, incorporated in December 1977 and is considered one of the world’s largest ceramic-tile manufacturers.
8:38
UMG Surfaces opened a new showroom in the Minneapolis suburb of Plymouth, Minn., in late July. The new showroom features a wide range of natural stone and engineered surfaces such as Vadara Quartz, Santa Margherita Quartz, U-Quartz, Ascale Porcelain, Lapitec Sintered Stone and more in full slabs for customers to find their personal choice for any remodel or building project.
UMG Surfaces CEO Arik Narula says the new showroom has been designed to create an immersive experience for customers.
Chicago-based UMG Surfaces has been providing high-quality surfaces to customers throughout the Midwest for more than 20 years. The new showroom joins UMG facilities in Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
9:31
The Natural Stone Institute recently provided natural stone and fabrication services for two homes with the Gary Sinise Foundation through its Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment – or R.I.S.E – program. The R.I.S.E. program builds 100 % mortgage-free specially adapted smart homes for severely wounded veterans and first responders.
Recipients of the new homes are U.S. Army First Sgt. John Borders (Ret.) in Brooksville, Fla., and Capt. Jason Church (Ret.) of Oconomowoc, Wis.
Injuries from an explosion in Iraq in early 2006 led to the amputation of Borders’ right leg below the knee, and more than 55 surgeries to save function to his left leg. After a three-year recovery process, he returned to active duty as a counterintelligence special agent, completing 27 years of service. Since retirement he has worked as a scuba instructor working with individuals with limited mobility. Cosentino and Distinctive Surfaces of Florida provided natural stone and installation for the Borders’ home.
Church, a third-generation soldier, was in Afghanistan in 2012 on a routine patrol when an explosion knocked him unconscious and severed both legs below the knee. He has subsequently attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison, graduating with a law degree. Terrazzo & Marble Supply, Grazzini Brothers & Company, Halquist Stone and Eden Valders Stone provided natural stone and fabrication for the Church home.
Companies interested in getting involved with future R.I.S.E. projects are encouraged to email rise@naturalstoneinstitute.org.
11:18
And Radio Stone Update notes the passing of Omar Salazar, 55, the senior crew chief at Charlotte, N.C.-based Rockin’teriors On Aug. 14 in Raleigh, N.C. Salazar began work with Rockin’teriors during its founding year of 2008. Before that, he had worked in the Los Angeles area as a tradesman as part of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.
Salazar was known for his innovative work with all hard surfaces, particularly cutting-edge installations. One of his favorites was creating translucent backlit walls for a shower, which included bonding the surface to aquarium glass with a transparent, non-streak adhesive to seal off the lighting and allow safe daily use.
Salazar was also a lifelong volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America. In 2021, all members of his troop attained the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest level possible.
Salazar led the accreditation effort by the Natural Stone Institute for Rockin’teriors. He and his crew were chosen as fabricators of the year for 2018-19 by the International Surface Fabricators Association – the ISFA. He is survived by a daughter, two sons, two sisters and two brothers.
12:37
Remember, our online newsletter, Slab & Sheet, comes out on alternate Wednesdays. For a transcript of this broadcast, go to www.radiostoneupdate.com. For Radio Stone Update, I’m K. Schipper and we’ll see you here again soon.