GRANITE & MARBLE SLABS
GRANITE & MARBLE SLABS
One of the things I like about GREIN ITALIA is that they have their own block trading company; Euro-Granit. 150 years of corporate expertise go into the selection of each block which guarantees the quality and availability of the slabs. Also, GREIN has a wonderful digital photo system, with a complete CD showing their 300 colors. This CD has several different shade lots of highly variable materials like Madura Gold. It gives the customer and the supplier a common understanding of what is expected. Then, right before shipment, GREIN emails another photo of the actual bundles to confirm color and veining. This attention to detail is one of the many reasons GREIN ITALIA is so successful.
Quality Assurance
In nature, quality is a matter of selection. I was in Norway recently visiting the various Blue Pearl quarries around Larvik. It was remarkable how many sites were active. There are some twenty different quarries each with their own distinct crystal size and characteristics, and all of them producing at least 5 different variations of color. Even more remarkable is that, despite the obvious expertise of over 100 years of quarrying, 95% of the output of these quarries ends up being waste. 
Of the remaining 5 percent, most blocks are too small for gang saw quality, and cannot be made into slabs for the American market. Therefore, to get the first choice color, consistency, crystal size and block size desired by my accounts, one must select only the very best, which is less than 10% of the usable blocks (10% of the 5%). This means that less than 1% of the original quarry can be considered select material. Selection is everything when it comes to quality in stone.
New Products
Over time, I will continue to search for new products as my customers’ needs change. I attend every major trade show, and continue to interview factories for possible representation. Sometimes I can be the “eyes’ for a customer, looking for just the right material. Other times, it is my accounts who put me on to a new product. However it happens, I will try to be a source for new and unusual products for many years to come.
Your Complete Source for Stone
One of the main benefits of an independent rep, is the complete mix of products they bring you. I have spent considerable time researching the needs of my customers and exploring quality factories I trust. If you wish to know more, contact me at cjohnson@linley.com