What is marble supplier and Why Do We Use Them?
The Difference Between a Fabricator and Supplier
The Difference Between a Stone Fabricator and Stone Supplier
Marble Granite World specializes in stone sales, fabrication, and installation! This means that we help you find the perfect material for your project, complete a laser measurement of your space, cut your stone, polish your stone, and install it. Marble Granite World fabricates marble, granite, quartz, quartzite, and other natural and engineered stones!
While stone fabricators are the companies who cut and install stone, they are often not the companies that supply stone slabs. Stone suppliers are large warehouses of natural and engineered stone. A supplier buys natural and engineered stone, often from Brazil, India, and China, and completes the shipping process to bring the stones to your local community, such as Kernersville, NC!
Suppliers do not sell directly to the public. Since it requires heavy machinery and large trucks to move the slabs of marble, granite, and quartz, this has to be done through a supplier and fabricator. Marble Granite World has the resources to receive the slabs, cut slabs, polish slabs, and install the finished product. However, suppliers are open to the public so that homeowners can view and select slabs!
The Buying Process:
The purchasing process for countertops can be a two-step process. First, you must have a fabricator selected to fabricate and install your countertop. Second, you may have to work with a supplier to select your perfect stone! At Marble Granite World, we keep around 50 different full size natural stone slabs in our slab yard. We keep a variety of marble, granite, and quartz in our slab yard for customers to view. If a homeowner is looking to see more stone colors and patterns, we often direct them to one of our local suppliers, such as Stone Basyx, Francini, OHM, or Cosmos.
- STEP 1: Set up your in person or virtual consultation with a Marble Granite World sales associate. Once your sales associate has all the necessary details for your project (see our previous blog on how to get a quote!), they can show you the slab selections at Marble Granite World. If you aren&#;t finding the stone you love, your sales associate can direct you to one of the local suppliers.
- STEP 2: Stop by a supplier! Once the homeowner arrives at a supplier, they will be escorted through the warehouse with a selection sheet. Any selections of marble, granite, or quartz that the homeowner makes will then be emailed to the MGW sales associate from the supplier.
If a customer chooses a slab at a supplier, they supplier will let the Marble Granite World staff know, and the slab selection is put on hold under the customer&#;s name. When the project is ready for fabrication, Marble Granite World has the slab selections delivered to our fabrication shop, where we begin the cutting and polishing process.
Things to keep in Mind When Looking at Suppliers:
Benefits of Suppliers:
Stone suppliers are fantastic resources for homeowners and contractors to find the perfect marble, granite, or quartz for their space! These warehouses often house hundreds of stone options, which means that customers have countless options for their stone selection. Suppliers also have the space dedicated to housing slabs, something that is not always available with a stone fabricator. Marble Granite World has a showroom, slab yard, and fabrication shop, meaning our space for slabs is more limited than what is at our suppliers.
Price Levels:
One thing to note: Suppliers will have their own unique system for categorizing their natural and engineered stone by price. Make sure you talk to the supplier staff to ensure that you are looking at marble, granite, and quartz in your budget. While the options are almost limitless at the supplier, you want to make sure you are sticking to your budget and not selecting stone that is going to max out the budget you set for your project.
Marble Granite World staff encourages our customers to stop by our local suppliers, Stone Basyx, Francini, OHM, or Cosmos to make sure that they have selected their favorite option for their home remodel or new build! Before you begin your browsing, just let them know you&#;re working with Marble Granite World as your fabricator!
How To Choose The Right Marble Supplier
All the criteria you need to take into account when choosing the right marble supplier for your next project
Each project is a unique undertaking. When we talk about building, renovating, decorating or designing a space, most people initially focus on the selection of careful and appropriate materials which perfectly represent and best fit today&#;s aesthetics and, at the same time, create a timeless elegance.
Natural marble stone as an investment
Marble has a timeless aesthetic value, which is why it is always at the center of choice, either by homeowners or as a suggestion by professionals in the field. With a style that perfectly harmonizes with the aesthetics of interior and exterior spaces, it is a material you want to invest in. Marble&#;s high durability, its easy maintenance and the wide variety of finishes, shades and colors besides white, are some of the reasons why marble stone continues to leave its historical imprint on modern constructions.
Classy living room with slabs of white marble aella book-matched wall-cladding, great choice to add over a fireplaceHow to choose the right marble supplier for your next building or remodeling project?
At first glance, the choice of marble stone may seem to guarantee the safety of the construction, but it is the right marble supplier who determines the smooth implementation of the project and will be called upon to meet the requirements of the project.
But in what way?And what are the criteria that will help you choose the right marble and natural stone supplier for the project you have undertaken?
Before we see what to look for when deciding on choosing a marble supplier, we think it&#;s useful to touch on some of the key issues that a marble wholesaler, manufacturer, project manager or architect may encounter when trying to secure the right material, in the right quantity and at the right time.
Four usual problems buyers come up against when they are looking for a natural stone supplierWhat are the main problems that a marble buyer may encounter within the natural stone industry?
Ensuring appropriate quantity & dependable delivery time in the marble industry
As inexhaustible as marble is considered to be by its nature, a suitable supplier must ensure the necessary quantity within the agreed time and guarantee the delivery of the required material in order to complete the project. Things get even more demanding because, as we all know in the marble industry, quantity assurance is about a specific material in each case, in an agreed-upon assortment and with specific acceptable characteristics.
But can a single marble supplier provide the required quantity of the same material specified, without delays in delivery? The answer is clearly that it &#;depends on the supplier&#;, whether it has its own quarries, or agreements with other quarries, that ensure exclusive availability of materials in certain markets, marble slab, and tile production and processing units.
White marble quarry in Greece, owned by Stoned Group InternationalAdditional value, suggestions and advice regarding the marble industry
Since marble is promoted as the central feature in public buildings, shopping malls, department stores, hotel lobbies, convention centers, or other high-traffic interior or exterior areas, it must have the look and beauty that the respective architect and design team have envisioned.
On the other hand, when it is a central feature in spaces such as kitchens, countertops, bathrooms, or walls &#; as cladding&#; it must have the look and beauty that the buyer has dreamed of (homeowners dream).
Dark grey marble applied on a kitchen project, rendering of a minimal kitchenCan a supplier go the extra mile and offer the buyer not only the perfect marble but also the appropriate finishes, design, and technical solutions that no one expects? The answer is yes, as long as the supplier has a project department, as well as &#;experts&#; with accumulated knowledge and experience.
Learn all about marble finishes, what they are, their characteristics, and why you should choose them.
Image showing 4 marble surfaces to see how the bush hammered finish looks and decide on a marble supplierConsistency of orders & deliveries in the marble industry
A natural stone such as marble presents a great variety in color and veining patterns. Crystals, spots, inhomogeneities in the pattern, surface or other morphological characteristics affect the quality sorting of the material, which is mostly done by visual means in the market. This means that sometimes the buyer feels that they did not receive what they ordered.
Can a supplier guarantee the customer that they will receive exactly the quality that they ordered? The answer is yes, as long as the supplier follows the best quality control procedures (QA & QC), while simultaneously using an objective and unquestionable approach during the screening process.
See here &#; How Artificial Intelligence can ensure the automated sorting of marble tiles, slabs and tiles.
For more information, please visit Zhouxing.
Photo of the quality shorting process of marble tiles and slabs when an artificial intelligence system (AI) is usedStable partnerships & trust in the marble industry
Searching for different natural stones for each project often directs buyers to different suppliers. But how easy is it to have stable partnerships with marble suppliers that will last over time? The answer is that there can be stable partnerships, as long as &#;trust&#; is cultivated between the buyers and suppliers.
7 most important factors you need to know to choose the right natural stone supplier7 criteria for choosing the right marble supplier
Buyers, in order to simplify their procurement processes and reduce their costs, are increasingly turning to single-source purchasing in search of integrated solutions.
Before choosing your supplier, it might be a good idea to consider the following criteria:
1. Range of materials
It is well-known that due to the wide variety of colors and patterns, marble is used on flooring, wall cladding, marble kitchen countertops or islands, bathrooms, elaborate decorations in residences, but also in commercial or public buildings. The ability of the supplier to provide a wide range of materials is undoubtedly a criterion that plays an important role in the selection of the supplier.
At Stone Group International we truly have one of the most complete product portfolios, in the world, which enables us to operate as a one-stop-shop and to meet the needs of every project.
Outdoor marble warehouse from Stone Group International in Drama area, a Greek marble supplierIt is logical for a project to specify more than one material, such as, for example, white, gray or brown marble color. It is even possible to specify different natural rock slabs other than marble, such as granite, onyx, etc. By choosing a supplier with a wide range of materials, you ensure management and time costs, economies of scale, and at the same time, have better control of quantities and delivery time.
Are you having trouble deciding between buying marble and granite? See here &#; all the differences, overall quality, advantages and disadvantages between the two natural stones.
Visit our shop, see the range of our materials and choose the best marble for your project.
2. Privately &#; owned quarries
The supplier that has its own quarries or stable partnerships with other quarries automatically guarantees the assurance of large stocks and timely delivery, as it determines and controls the entire mining process. In addition, they can give you the opportunity to visit their quarry and showrooms, in order to choose, with their assistance, the perfect marble blocks or slabs you have envisioned for your project.
3. High standards of quality control
It is often observed that different marble companies use different quality control standards. The objective quality sorting of the marble is considered very important as it determines its purchase price but also guarantees that the buyer will receive exactly that which they have ordered. For this reason, they look for a supplier that uses objective means of control and maintains high-quality standards at all stages of the production process.
4. Technical Specifications & Certifications
Each project has specific technical specifications that the contractors must follow. Look for a supplier who will be able to provide you with all the certifications of the technical specifications for each type of marble, guarantee their use and at the same time advise you on how to best use them.
Take a look &#; at the factors influencing the quality selection of marbles & find 7 useful tips for the technical characteristics you should know about so as to not fall prey to counterfeit marble slab purchases.
Transfer of a white marble stone slab in Greece, in an interior warehouse, showing the technical specifications and certifications the marble supplier, you choose has to have5. Special order services & integrated solutions
I think we can agree that every buyer wants to feel that their supplier is able to advise them properly and in every respect and support the realization of their project, following all the design and technical specifications in the most accurate manner possible.
Special orders and demanding projects cannot be implemented by all suppliers. Look for the supplier who will be able to offer you complete solutions tailored to the specific needs of your project, whether they concern odd dimensions, special finishes, or technical and installation instructions.
6. Organized company
Why should you choose an organized marble company? An organized company coordinates human and material resources, while at the same time, looking to meet your satisfaction. A marble expert can give you advice and creative ideas about the various types of marble. The projects department can provide you with solutions and essential custom-made application studies. The logistics department will make certain that all standards are met to ensure the safe flow, storage and transport of the marble from the point of extraction to the point of receipt. The marketing department will research your needs and suggest the right marketing tools to help you do your job easier and more efficiently.
Logistics department of a marble supplier, moving tiles of marble in wooden palettes7. Vertical company
It is true that a vertically integrated company creates economies of scale and reduces overall costs by eliminating many of the factors that increase costs at the various stages of extraction, production, processing and distribution/transportation. It also achieves maximum profitability by controlling the product quality step by step. Finally, by managing the entire production and distribution chain, a vertically integrated company itself becomes the focal point for the development of innovative products, services and production techniques. In short, with the know-how available in a vertically integrated company, the benefits both for itself and for its customers are maximized.
You can read here, in detail &#; all the advantages of a vertically integrated marble company.
Marble slabs in a variety of colors stacked in an outdoor warehouse in GreeceWhere can one find the right marble supplier?
At Stone Group International we are constantly developing and evolving our activities with the aim of satisfying our customers and enhancing their shopping experience. As a vertically integrated company with raving reviews, we have 9 quarries, 6 modern factories, and over 500 employees in our group. We currently have one of the most complete product portfolios in the world, while our goal is to operate as a one- stop-shop for all our clientele, through our wide range of products.
We can find the ideal solution for every project, be it kitchen countertops, wall cladding, flooring, etc. Ask us how we can meet your project needs.
Ask to speak to our experts.
If you&#;re looking to learn more about marble products and natural stones, Stonegroup is here to help. As one of the most well-known marble suppliers in Europe, our team can answer any questions you may have about the production process and how to best take advantage of these materials. And if you&#;re still unsure about whether to contact us, we invite you to explore our blog and read additional articles to gain more insight into our expertise.
The Difference Between a Fabricator and Supplier
The Difference Between a Stone Fabricator and Stone Supplier
Marble Granite World specializes in stone sales, fabrication, and installation! This means that we help you find the perfect material for your project, complete a laser measurement of your space, cut your stone, polish your stone, and install it. Marble Granite World fabricates marble, granite, quartz, quartzite, and other natural and engineered stones!
While stone fabricators are the companies who cut and install stone, they are often not the companies that supply stone slabs. Stone suppliers are large warehouses of natural and engineered stone. A supplier buys natural and engineered stone, often from Brazil, India, and China, and completes the shipping process to bring the stones to your local community, such as Kernersville, NC!
Suppliers do not sell directly to the public. Since it requires heavy machinery and large trucks to move the slabs of marble, granite, and quartz, this has to be done through a supplier and fabricator. Marble Granite World has the resources to receive the slabs, cut slabs, polish slabs, and install the finished product. However, suppliers are open to the public so that homeowners can view and select slabs!
The Buying Process:
The purchasing process for countertops can be a two-step process. First, you must have a fabricator selected to fabricate and install your countertop. Second, you may have to work with a supplier to select your perfect stone! At Marble Granite World, we keep around 50 different full size natural stone slabs in our slab yard. We keep a variety of marble, granite, and quartz in our slab yard for customers to view. If a homeowner is looking to see more stone colors and patterns, we often direct them to one of our local suppliers, such as Stone Basyx, Francini, OHM, or Cosmos.
- STEP 1: Set up your in person or virtual consultation with a Marble Granite World sales associate. Once your sales associate has all the necessary details for your project (see our previous blog on how to get a quote!), they can show you the slab selections at Marble Granite World. If you aren&#;t finding the stone you love, your sales associate can direct you to one of the local suppliers.
- STEP 2: Stop by a supplier! Once the homeowner arrives at a supplier, they will be escorted through the warehouse with a selection sheet. Any selections of marble, granite, or quartz that the homeowner makes will then be emailed to the MGW sales associate from the supplier.
If a customer chooses a slab at a supplier, they supplier will let the Marble Granite World staff know, and the slab selection is put on hold under the customer&#;s name. When the project is ready for fabrication, Marble Granite World has the slab selections delivered to our fabrication shop, where we begin the cutting and polishing process.
Things to keep in Mind When Looking at Suppliers:
Benefits of Suppliers:
Stone suppliers are fantastic resources for homeowners and contractors to find the perfect marble, granite, or quartz for their space! These warehouses often house hundreds of stone options, which means that customers have countless options for their stone selection. Suppliers also have the space dedicated to housing slabs, something that is not always available with a stone fabricator. Marble Granite World has a showroom, slab yard, and fabrication shop, meaning our space for slabs is more limited than what is at our suppliers.
Price Levels:
One thing to note: Suppliers will have their own unique system for categorizing their natural and engineered stone by price. Make sure you talk to the supplier staff to ensure that you are looking at marble, granite, and quartz in your budget. While the options are almost limitless at the supplier, you want to make sure you are sticking to your budget and not selecting stone that is going to max out the budget you set for your project.
Marble Granite World staff encourages our customers to stop by our local suppliers, Stone Basyx, Francini, OHM, or Cosmos to make sure that they have selected their favorite option for their home remodel or new build! Before you begin your browsing, just let them know you&#;re working with Marble Granite World as your fabricator!
How To Choose The Right Marble Supplier
All the criteria you need to take into account when choosing the right marble suppliermarble supplier for your next project
Each project is a unique undertaking. When we talk about building, renovating, decorating or designing a space, most people initially focus on the selection of careful and appropriate materials which perfectly represent and best fit today&#;s aesthetics and, at the same time, create a timeless elegance.
Natural marble stone as an investment
Marble has a timeless aesthetic value, which is why it is always at the center of choice, either by homeowners or as a suggestion by professionals in the field. With a style that perfectly harmonizes with the aesthetics of interior and exterior spaces, it is a material you want to invest in. Marble&#;s high durability, its easy maintenance and the wide variety of finishes, shades and colors besides white, are some of the reasons why marble stone continues to leave its historical imprint on modern constructions.
Classy living room with slabs of white marble aella book-matched wall-cladding, great choice to add over a fireplaceHow to choose the right marble supplier for your next building or remodeling project?
At first glance, the choice of marble stone may seem to guarantee the safety of the construction, but it is the right marble supplier who determines the smooth implementation of the project and will be called upon to meet the requirements of the project.
But in what way?And what are the criteria that will help you choose the right marble and natural stone supplier for the project you have undertaken?
Before we see what to look for when deciding on choosing a marble supplier, we think it&#;s useful to touch on some of the key issues that a marble wholesaler, manufacturer, project manager or architect may encounter when trying to secure the right material, in the right quantity and at the right time.
Four usual problems buyers come up against when they are looking for a natural stone supplierWhat are the main problems that a marble buyer may encounter within the natural stone industry?
Ensuring appropriate quantity & dependable delivery time in the marble industry
As inexhaustible as marble is considered to be by its nature, a suitable supplier must ensure the necessary quantity within the agreed time and guarantee the delivery of the required material in order to complete the project. Things get even more demanding because, as we all know in the marble industry, quantity assurance is about a specific material in each case, in an agreed-upon assortment and with specific acceptable characteristics.
But can a single marble supplier provide the required quantity of the same material specified, without delays in delivery? The answer is clearly that it &#;depends on the supplier&#;, whether it has its own quarries, or agreements with other quarries, that ensure exclusive availability of materials in certain markets, marble slab, and tile production and processing units.
White marble quarry in Greece, owned by Stoned Group InternationalAdditional value, suggestions and advice regarding the marble industry
Since marble is promoted as the central feature in public buildings, shopping malls, department stores, hotel lobbies, convention centers, or other high-traffic interior or exterior areas, it must have the look and beauty that the respective architect and design team have envisioned.
On the other hand, when it is a central feature in spaces such as kitchens, countertops, bathrooms, or walls &#; as cladding&#; it must have the look and beauty that the buyer has dreamed of (homeowners dream).
Dark grey marble applied on a kitchen project, rendering of a minimal kitchenCan a supplier go the extra mile and offer the buyer not only the perfect marble but also the appropriate finishes, design, and technical solutions that no one expects? The answer is yes, as long as the supplier has a project department, as well as &#;experts&#; with accumulated knowledge and experience.
Learn all about marble finishes, what they are, their characteristics, and why you should choose them.
Image showing 4 marble surfaces to see how the bush hammered finish looks and decide on a marble supplierConsistency of orders & deliveries in the marble industry
A natural stone such as marble presents a great variety in color and veining patterns. Crystals, spots, inhomogeneities in the pattern, surface or other morphological characteristics affect the quality sorting of the material, which is mostly done by visual means in the market. This means that sometimes the buyer feels that they did not receive what they ordered.
Can a supplier guarantee the customer that they will receive exactly the quality that they ordered? The answer is yes, as long as the supplier follows the best quality control procedures (QA & QC), while simultaneously using an objective and unquestionable approach during the screening process.
See here &#; How Artificial Intelligence can ensure the automated sorting of marble tiles, slabs and tiles.
Photo of the quality shorting process of marble tiles and slabs when an artificial intelligence system (AI) is usedStable partnerships & trust in the marble industry
Searching for different natural stones for each project often directs buyers to different suppliers. But how easy is it to have stable partnerships with marble suppliers that will last over time? The answer is that there can be stable partnerships, as long as &#;trust&#; is cultivated between the buyers and suppliers.
7 most important factors you need to know to choose the right natural stone supplier7 criteria for choosing the right marble supplier
Buyers, in order to simplify their procurement processes and reduce their costs, are increasingly turning to single-source purchasing in search of integrated solutions.
Before choosing your supplier, it might be a good idea to consider the following criteria:
1. Range of materials
It is well-known that due to the wide variety of colors and patterns, marble is used on flooring, wall cladding, marble kitchen countertops or islands, bathrooms, elaborate decorations in residences, but also in commercial or public buildings. The ability of the supplier to provide a wide range of materials is undoubtedly a criterion that plays an important role in the selection of the supplier.
At Stone Group International we truly have one of the most complete product portfolios, in the world, which enables us to operate as a one-stop-shop and to meet the needs of every project.
Outdoor marble warehouse from Stone Group International in Drama area, a Greek marble supplierIt is logical for a project to specify more than one material, such as, for example, white, gray or brown marble color. It is even possible to specify different natural rock slabs other than marble, such as granite, onyx, etc. By choosing a supplier with a wide range of materials, you ensure management and time costs, economies of scale, and at the same time, have better control of quantities and delivery time.
Are you having trouble deciding between buying marble and granite? See here &#; all the differences, overall quality, advantages and disadvantages between the two natural stones.
Visit our shop, see the range of our materials and choose the best marble for your project.
2. Privately &#; owned quarries
The supplier that has its own quarries or stable partnerships with other quarries automatically guarantees the assurance of large stocks and timely delivery, as it determines and controls the entire mining process. In addition, they can give you the opportunity to visit their quarry and showrooms, in order to choose, with their assistance, the perfect marble blocks or slabs you have envisioned for your project.
3. High standards of quality control
It is often observed that different marble companies use different quality control standards. The objective quality sorting of the marble is considered very important as it determines its purchase price but also guarantees that the buyer will receive exactly that which they have ordered. For this reason, they look for a supplier that uses objective means of control and maintains high-quality standards at all stages of the production process.
4. Technical Specifications & Certifications
Each project has specific technical specifications that the contractors must follow. Look for a supplier who will be able to provide you with all the certifications of the technical specifications for each type of marble, guarantee their use and at the same time advise you on how to best use them.
Take a look &#; at the factors influencing the quality selection of marbles & find 7 useful tips for the technical characteristics you should know about so as to not fall prey to counterfeit marble slab purchases.
Transfer of a white marble stone slab in Greece, in an interior warehouse, showing the technical specifications and certifications the marble supplier, you choose has to have5. Special order services & integrated solutions
I think we can agree that every buyer wants to feel that their supplier is able to advise them properly and in every respect and support the realization of their project, following all the design and technical specifications in the most accurate manner possible.
Special orders and demanding projects cannot be implemented by all suppliers. Look for the supplier who will be able to offer you complete solutions tailored to the specific needs of your project, whether they concern odd dimensions, special finishes, or technical and installation instructions.
6. Organized company
Why should you choose an organized marble company? An organized company coordinates human and material resources, while at the same time, looking to meet your satisfaction. A marble expert can give you advice and creative ideas about the various types of marble. The projects department can provide you with solutions and essential custom-made application studies. The logistics department will make certain that all standards are met to ensure the safe flow, storage and transport of the marble from the point of extraction to the point of receipt. The marketing department will research your needs and suggest the right marketing tools to help you do your job easier and more efficiently.
Logistics department of a marble supplier, moving tiles of marble in wooden palettes7. Vertical company
It is true that a vertically integrated company creates economies of scale and reduces overall costs by eliminating many of the factors that increase costs at the various stages of extraction, production, processing and distribution/transportation. It also achieves maximum profitability by controlling the product quality step by step. Finally, by managing the entire production and distribution chain, a vertically integrated company itself becomes the focal point for the development of innovative products, services and production techniques. In short, with the know-how available in a vertically integrated company, the benefits both for itself and for its customers are maximized.
You can read here, in detail &#; all the advantages of a vertically integrated marble company.
Marble slabs in a variety of colors stacked in an outdoor warehouse in GreeceWhere can one find the right marble supplier?
At Stone Group International we are constantly developing and evolving our activities with the aim of satisfying our customers and enhancing their shopping experience. As a vertically integrated company with raving reviews, we have 9 quarries, 6 modern factories, and over 500 employees in our group. We currently have one of the most complete product portfolios in the world, while our goal is to operate as a one- stop-shop for all our clientele, through our wide range of products.
We can find the ideal solution for every project, be it kitchen countertops, wall cladding, flooring, etc. Ask us how we can meet your project needs.
Ask to speak to our experts.
If you&#;re looking to learn more about marble products and natural stones, Stonegroup is here to help. As one of the most well-known marble suppliers in Europe, our team can answer any questions you may have about the production process and how to best take advantage of these materials. And if you&#;re still unsure about whether to contact us, we invite you to explore our blog and read additional articles to gain more insight into our expertise.
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