Denis Turton, founder of Keighley, Yorkshire, stone machinery suppliers New Stone Age Ltd, died on 25 August at his home in the South of France. He was 62.

Denis, who had suffered health problems for 10 years, started his career in stone in 1968 as a trainee architect in Bradford with partners Langtry-Langton. The experience gave him an insight into different stones and their uses.

Moving away from architecture, he became quarry manager at Bolton Woods Quarry in Bradford, where he remained for several years, becoming fascinated by the technical aspects of industrial diamond tooling and stone sawing. He was offered a position with diamond tooling manufacturers Clipper Norton, where he gained a respected knowledge of industrial diamond segments and tooling. His work with Clipper Norton and Diamant Boart took him around the world to places such as India, Algeria and Bulgaria, teaching others the skills he had learnt of re-tipping and re-tensioning.

Denis started his own business, New Stone Age Ltd, in 1987, selling stone working machinery and diamond tooling and also operating a small masonry workshop, bringing all his stone industry-gained skills together in one place. The business has been operated by his children, James and Sarah, since Denis retired in 2004.

Denis is survived by his wife, Avril, children Sarah and James, and four grandchildren.