Carlos Zanarotti says he decided to create Slab Centre after a bad experience of buying stone from one of London’s established wholesalers.

He understands the difficulties of stone wholesalers, who want to stock a wide enough range to attract a lot of customers. Especially as most customers want fairly small amounts of slab.

When a client wants more slab they tend to go straight to the quarry or an overseas agent.

But Carlos believes there is an opening for an agent in the UK holding larger quantities of a limited range of stone.

He says he openly discussed his plans with stone wholesalers in the UK before setting up Slab Centre. He hopes to work with them to supply projects through established stone distribution routes.

He says it is not UK wholesalers who need to worry about his entrance to this market. “The Italians are the people who should be concerned because they are selling stone at 20-30% higher prices than I can sell it,” he says. He aims to keep his prices keen by careful buying and requiring payment before the stone is delivered.

Carlos is well-known in the UK stone industry through Stonell and his previous business of Limestone Gallery. Lately he has been working with Fox Marble, the company listed on the London Stock Exchange selling Cosovan and Massadonian marble.

“I asked people in the industry what they were having difficulty getting and that’s what I’m bringing in,” Carlos told Natural Stone Specialist magazine.

He said there were some surprises, such as Italian travertine. He is also stocking lower price Asian alternatives to Italy’s white marbles. “I’m stocking a small range, but when you pick up the ’phone it will be there. I’m not going to be the solution to everyone’s problems, but I’m aiming to reduce the stress faced by some clients.”

He is stocking the stone at a 400m² site in Uxbridge, London, although he already has plans to extend the site by another 25%.

He says he is initially stocking the site with 10 container-loads of limestone, marble and granite from Europe and Asia in various thicknesses at what he describes as ultra competitive prices.

And the first 100 people who book to visit the Slab Centre depot by 30 July will be given a box of Italian Prosecco. Interested? Call 0208 133 3511.