Dekton has introduced two new ranges that it promises are easier for worktop fabricators to process, thanks to what it calls ‘Quick Cut Technology’ (sometimes presented as Kwik Cut).
A request by Natural Stone Specialist magazine for more information about the changes that have been made that make Dekton easier to cut have not elicited any more information, but Cosentino, the Spanish company that makes Dekton, does say that Quick Cut Technology does not alter the technical advantages that Dekton has always had, although it makes the material lighter. It says it makes cutting Dekton up to three times faster, as well as providing greater flexibility and cleaner edges. And it means tools do not wear so quickly.
There is a video by Cosentino about Dekton Quick Cut Technology on YouTube (click here to watch it), but it doesn't provide any enlightenment about what has changed in the making of Dekton that improves its workability.
The new collections are called Kraftizen and Onirika.
Kraftizen consists of five colours with rich, deep textures reminiscent of Venetian stucco. While the eight Onirika designs continue the enduringly popular marble look, mostly whites but one black.
The Kraftizen designs have been given the names Umber, Nacre, Argentium, Micron and Albarium. The Onirika designs are called Awake, Lucid, Somnia, Neural, Trance, Vigil, Daze and Morpheus.
Dekton is A1 fire rated and can be used both indoors and outdoors for facades, paving, cladding, worktops, floors, linings and no doubt other applications. It is manufactured in large-format slabs (up to 3200mm x 1440mm) in five different thicknesses (0.4cm, 0.8cm, 1.2cm, 2cm and 3cm). All Dekton slabs incorporate material recycled from the product’s own manufacturing process. They include at least 50% recycled material.
Hampshire stone company stoneCIRCLE has a new GMM Litox five-axes saw thanks to support from the Leader programme, which is partly funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
The new machine replaces a 22-year-old manual saw. Its 1000mm saw blade is the largest in the stoneCIRCLE factory.
The main motivation behind the purchase was to produce complex 3D stone pieces more accurately and faster. The 1000mm diameter blade means that the company will be able to cut blocks up to 400mm thick, which are often specified for building masonry, artwork and solid stone cantilevered stairs.
Because the saw can be programmed and does not need to be supervised, this releases the mason to carry out highly skilled finishing work on the projects as they come off the saws.
It will also reduce the amount of grinding and rubbing the masons do by hand, reducing the amount of dust created and exposure to Hand Arm Vibration from the hand tools.
Basingstoke-based stoneCIRCLE has been in business since 1968 and has grown into one of the largest stone fabricators in England, employing more than 50 people.
The company fabricates and installs stone for domestic and commercial projects, including prestigious hotels and retail stores such as Harrods, where it is involved in the ongoing refurbishment.
stoneCIRCLE received support from the Leader Programme, which is partly funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
The ever-changing market in recent years has presented challenges for the stone industry as a whole, and being able to adapt to the unstable economic conditions has become necessary for Vetro Tooling, in Basildon, Essex, to keep its customers running without disruptions to their tooling requirements.
Vetro has been working closely with its suppliers and developing its own systems to prevent disruptions to supply.
Vetro is continually evolving and improving its stone tooling with products like the new range of Cosentino-approved Ace tooling. This includes bridge saw blades and drills.
Another new addition is the Swift bridge saw blade range. With its fast cutting speed and high quality finish, Swift is perfect for granite, quartzite and engineered stone. It became an instant customer favourite in field trials.
Vetro says it has had nothing but good feedback on testing both these two new ranges, and that’s what it strives to achieve over its whole range of tooling.
The new ranges sit alongside current customer favourites such as K-Line, Vetro’s premium range of CNC tooling.
Looking ahead, Vetro has some major projects in the pipeline, including website development and a new tooling catalogue.
The in-house office and marketing team has expanded significantly in the past few years and is working hard to bring these new ideas to life in the near future.
With the disruption to supply chains lately, Vetro’s workshop has become more valuable than ever. Being able to create bespoke tooling in-house and making technical adjustments to tooling based on customer specific requirements with just a few days’ lead time is id an attractive service for customers.
Because Vetro is not just a re-seller. Its workshop engineers have years of experience in the design and engineering behind the tooling for the industry, and Vetro’s research and development department is always advancing the limits of what tooling can achieve.
The company’s re-dressing of diamond tooling has also become what is known for, in both the glass and stone industries, and this service has become increasingly popular. Vetro has had to add to its in-house CNC machines over the past couple of years to keep up with the growing demand without compromising the fast turnaround time it has become famous for.
As well as the tools, Vetro sells Denver stoneworking machinery in Ireland, both north and south of the border.
Following Brexit, it has worked closely with its Irish customers to make the Brexit transition as easy for them as possible. Its sales and engineering team spend a lot of time in Ireland – for sales, consultancy and back-up services.
Whatever Irish companies want – be it tooling, machinery or engineering – Vetro is working hard to maintain the level of customer service its customers have come to expect and which Vetro accepts they deserve.
Vetro will have representatives on the Denver stand at the Marmo+Mac exhibition in Verona, Italy, 27-30 September.
Vetro says Denver has some inspiring Stone machinery and is excelling in technological advances. At Marmo+Mac, among the machine Denver is showing are the Quota Stone 3350 CNC, the new four-axes Action Monobloc Saw, and the five-axes all-purpose CNC/saw, Formula Lab. The machines on the stand will be performing simulations and Denver says it would be delighted to give readers a demonstration in Verona.
The government is to cap energy prices for businesses in line with the two-year domestic cap, now called an ‘Energy Price Guarantee’, announced on 8 September, although for businesses it will only last for six months.
The new energy price cap for consumers kicks in from 1 October, restricting energy charges to an average of £2,500 a year for the next two years. This is automatic, applies to all households and is in addition to the £400 energy bills discount for households.
As businesses have not previously benefited from an energy price cap and are not always able to secure their energy price through fixed deals, many are reporting projected increases in costs of gas and electricity of more than 500%.
That is addressed by the new six-month scheme for businesses and other non-domestic energy users (including charities and public sector organisations like schools).
This is intended to protect businesses from the soaring energy costs and provide them with some certainty for planning.
After the initial six-month scheme, the Government promises on-going, focused support for vulnerable industries.
Government borrowing in the region of £100billion-£150billion will be used pay energy suppliers, many of which are earning record profits thanks to the high prices, the difference between the cap and what they would charge their customers were it not in place.
Schemes previously funded by green levies, which are suspended during the scheme, will also be funded by government borrowing during the two-year period.
At the same time the government will seek to secure new sources of energy supply, including allowing onshore fracking, which some fear causes earthquakes, more gas and oil exploration in the North Sea, and more nuclear and renewable energy generation.
The government has set a target for the UK to become a net energy exporter once again by 2040.
A review is to be held into how the UK can become a Net Zero CO2e contributor to the atmosphere by 2050, a target enshrined in law, in an economically-efficient way without placing undue burdens on businesses or consumers.
The review will be chaired by Chris Skidmore MP and is required to report by the end of this year.
Ten years ago John Rushworth established his own company, Restore London, with offices in site of St Paul's Cathedral in London.
The location was chosen because the company wanted to work on the historic buildings in the centre of London, and John reasoned that having offices there would help by enabling the company's senior people to respond instantly to clients' needs.
When John welcomed colleagues and guests to a celebration of Restore London's 10th anniversary in Drapers Hall in Throgmorton Avenue, EC2, he recalled how, when he told people he was naming his company Restore London, some had said it sounded like a campaign. And he said in some ways it had been a campaign – a campaign to look after the impressive built heritage of the capital.
The anniversary celebrations were held at Drapers Hall, one of London's Livery Company halls, because it has many examples of Restore London's work, including the cleaning and, where necessary, repair of the Portland stone from which the hall is built.
Working with Purcell Architects, Restore London has, in its 10-year history, been involved with various projects at Drapers Hall, rebuilt in 1772, repairing and maintaining it.
John praised the team that forms Restore London. He said the word 'team' was often over-used, but it meant a lot to Restore London. "If you take 'team' out of 'teamwork' all you're left with is work," said John.
He is proud of his company's team of stonemasons and other skilled people who enjoy the work they conscientiously carry out on London's built heritage, as he told Natural Stone Specialist magazine earlier this year (you can read that report about Restore London here) and he thanked the clients, customers, colleagues and supply chains Restore London has worked with over the years for their part in the company's success – success that would see its turnover in its tenth year break through the £10million mark. And he thanked his wife and fellow Director, Claire, for her patience, advice and support.
The 10th anniversary celebrations in Drapers Hall took place on the evening of 8 September and during them came the sad announcement that The Queen had died.
Singleton Birch, which supplies hydraulic limes and pre-mixes used in association with natural stone (among other lime products), has been acquired by Mississippi Lime Company (MLC), an independent American supplier of lime products.
The acquisition, which the companies say will power the next phase of growth for Singleton Birch, is part of MLC’s strategy to drive growth, innovation, and sustainability through geographic expansion and new products and technologies.
Mississippi Lime Company is part of HBM Holdings, headquartered in St Louis, Missouri. It is an international supplier of high-calcium lime products and technical solutions. The family-owned business has a history stretching back more than a century.
Paul Hogan (left of photo), president and chief executive officer of MLC, said on 8 September when the acquisition was announced: “For more than 115 years Mississippi Lime has been focused on meeting the evolving needs and priorities of our customers. That focus has served our customers, our employees, and our business very well.
“Our approach is to grow by finding businesses that represent a good cultural fit for us and can complement what we already provide to customers. Singleton Birch are a great fit and we are delighted to welcome them to the Mississippi Lime family today.
Singleton Birch is based in Melton Ross, north Lincolnshire, where it employs more than 150 people. It will continue to trade under its existing branding and the management team, led by chief executive officer Richard Stansfield, will remain in place.
Paul Hogan: “Singleton Birch have done tremendous work and we are grateful that Richard and the leadership team will remain in their roles leading that business. This acquisition is about growth, and we do not anticipate reducing the number of jobs at Singleton Birch as a result of this transaction.”
Richard Stansfield says: “Being part of the Mississippi Lime family will enable us to invest more and power the growth of Singleton Birch. We’re delighted to have a partner for the next stage in our development that shares our culture and values.”
The largest shareholder in Singleton Birch was previously the Katherine Martin Charitable Trust. The sale of shares in Singleton Birch will benefit the three charities the trust supports: the NSPCC, RSPCA, and Barnardo’s.
An 18-year-old construction worker died when a van ran over him while he had his head and torso in a manhole.
The van wheel went into the manhole, crushing the young man, who was taken to hospital but died of his injuries.
The young man, Josh Disdel, and another worker were employed by P & R Plant Hire (Lincolnshire) Ltd and had been tasked with clearing debris from manholes at a house-build construction site at White Bridges, Boston, Lincolnshire.
While work was taking place, Mr Disdel’s colleague was asked if he could move the company van to allow another vehicle to pass. He was not aware that Mr Disdel was lying on the road with his head and torso in a manhole directly in front of the van.
As the vehicle moved forwards one of the wheels entered the top of the manhole, crushing Mr Disdel.
It happened in July 2018 and on 6 September this year two companies and two men appeared before Lincoln Crown Court charged with health & safety offences.
D Brown (Building Contractors) Ltd of Seas End Road, Spalding, was found guilty of contravening Section 3(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined £300,000 and ordered to pay costs of £15,765.92
P & R Plant Hire (Lincolnshire) Ltd of Station Road, Cambridgeshire, pleaded guilty to contravening Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £24,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,264.87.
Brent Woods of North Parade, Holbeach, Spalding, who worked for P & R Plant Hire, was found guilty of contravening Section 7(a) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for two years. He was ordered to complete 200 hours community service and pay costs of £1,200.
Darrell Tripp, of Broadgate Lane, Deeping St James, Peterborough, a site manager with D Brown (Building Contractors) Ltd, was found guilty of contravening Section 7(a) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act. He was sentenced to eight weeks in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay costs of £1,200.
The court heard that an investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) after the incident found that neither the Principal Contractor, D Brown (Building Contractors) Ltd, nor the groundworks sub-contractor, P & R Plant Hire (Lincolnshire) Ltd, had ensured that the work was planned in such a way as to ensure that workers were not exposed to risks to their health and safety.
Brent Woods, a manager with P & R Plant Hire for approximately 10 years, sent employees to carry out the task without a risk assessment or method statement in place, despite having previously produced such information in the past.
In addition, workers had not been trained to work in a road, had not been provided with any equipment to ensure the work was carried out safely and had not been provided with any instructions on any safety measures to be used on-site.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Mark Welsh said: “This was a completely avoidable incident, caused by a multitude of failures by both companies and both of the individuals who appeared in court.
“All of the defendants failed to adequately plan the work to identify the risks, failed to ensure that the individuals carrying out the work were trained and competent to do so, and failed to ensure a safe system of work was in place and followed.
“The result was the tragic loss of life of a young man who was looking forward to a bright future.”
Shortly before the death of The Queen, DBR (London) Ltd, one the UK’s leading conservation construction contractors, was granted a Royal Warrant by Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen in recognition of its longstanding provision of historic building conservation services to the Royal Household.
For centuries, Royal Warrants have been awarded to companies who have demonstrated exceptional service, quality, and excellence. This achievement recognises a culmination of DBR’s delivery of more than 170 historic building conservation projects for the Royal Household over an eight-year period.
There are around 800 Royal Warrant holders, representing a diverse range of trades and industries, from small businesses to multinational corporations. Successful applicants must have provided a regular, direct, and substantial supply of excellent goods or services to the Royal Household for at least five years and must also fulfil a strict set of sustainability criteria.
The knowledge, expertise, skill and precision of DBR’s team, as seen most recently on The Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) restoration project at the Houses of Parliament is an example of DBR's work (you can read about the 'Big Ben' project here).
In recognition of this honour, DBR now has the right to use the Royal Arms as a mark of this achievement in conjunction with its branding.
Commenting on the appointment, Adrian Attwood, DBR's Executive Director, says: “The Warrant is a reflection of the high standards of work consistently delivered by our talented team of craftspeople and dedicated project managers.
"It also reflects our ongoing commitment to achieving the highest quality throughout all the work we undertake, whether for the Royal Household, Palace of Westminster, or, for that matter, any other client.
“We are exceptionally proud to have received this accolade, and we shall continue to strive for excellence in preserving the UK’s built heritage and landmark assets, leaving a legacy for future generations to cherish and enjoy.”
The Natural Stone Show and Hard Surfaces exhibitions being held at ExCeL in London next year have been moved to 6-8 June.
The shows were originally scheduled for April 2021 but were cancelled because of Covid. They were due to return to ExCeL in April 2023. However, because the seriously delayed Elizabeth Line (previously known as Crossrail) will not be fully open until May next year, the Show organisers have been able to negotiate a revised date with ExCeL.
Richard Bradbury, the Managing Director of QMJ Group, which owns the Natural Stone Show and Hard Surfaces (and Natural Stone Specialist magazine), explains: “We are excited by the benefits that a fully operating Elizabeth Line can bring and are keen to maximise these opportunities for visitors and exhibitors.
“The new line will see the number of people within 45 minutes’ rail travel time of ExCeL increase by up to 68%, and those living within 120 minutes by rail rising to 9.2million.
“For ExCeL, visitors from central London will now be able to reach the venue in as little as 12 minutes, reducing travel times by up to two thirds. And with up to 24 trains an hour running from Central London, this will significantly improve access to architects, designers, and other building professionals.
“The exhibition calendar is also less crowded in June than it is in April. And with no bank holidays, fewer people are likely to be away.”
Those who had already booked to exhibit were consulted about the move ahead of a decision to change the dates and the majority were enthusiastic about it.
Stella Zambelis, a Director of machinery, tools and consumables supplier D Zambelis, said: “Moving the exhibition to June is a very good idea, as it is a better period for the stone industry and also avoids the bank holidays in spring.”
She said that from just about every point of view the June dates were advantageous, even the weather is likely to be better.
Salvatore Caruso, who will be exhibiting with the new company he has formed called Stone Automation Ltd to supply machinery and tools, including Donatoni bridge saws, said: “The new dates actually work much better for me. I have got five brands booked to exhibit and can’t wait to meet customers face to face again.”
David Fisher, Head of Event Sales at QMJ, says bookings for both the Natural Stone Show and Hard Surfaces are going well as concerns about Covid diminish.
To book a stand at the Natural Stone Show or Hard Surfaces email David Fisher on David.Fisher@qmj.co.uk or call him on 0115 865 8283 .
“The Shows have all the signs of being another brilliant success for the stone industry. And why wouldn’t they be? With very real concerns around the world about climate change and pollution, natural stone has so much to offer. It is a truly sustainable, zero-carbon, non-polluting, natural raw material. The stone message is so positive, why wouldn’t you shout about it in London at the heart of the international architectural world?
“The Natural Stone Show and Hard Surfaces bring together all the elements of the use of stone in construction and interior design. And for the first time we are bringing the seminars on to the exhibition floor itself. There will be more seminars this time and they will follow the successful formula of Stone Digital earlier this year, with shorter presentations and more live debate from our panels and audience.
“The Natural Stone Show floorplan already contains familiar faces such as Johnston Quarry Group, Brachot, Stamford Stone, Sandberg and Lithofin; Stonegate are back for the first time since 2017; Polycor, Authentic Stone, Solmar UK and Stone Factory are first-time exhibitors, and mainstays of the machining world, such as OnPoint, Breton, D Zambelis Stone Machinery, and Donatoni, have all confirmed, as the industry gets back to face-to-face business.
“Hard Surfaces has seen some exciting bookings too, including among others: Stone Italiana, Ceramiche Caesar, Keope Ceramiche, Nuovocorso, Archi-Porcelain, Surfaces Direct and Artemistone.”
Plans by York Minster to establish a world class campus for research, education and training in craft skills such as stonemasonry have been approved by City of York Council.
The Minster says the Centre of Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills & Estate Management will be the first-of-its-kind, encouraging learning and knowledge sharing on an international scale.
Comprising a 'Heritage Quad' and a 'Works & Technology Hub', the centre will allow current and prospective apprentices to learn digital techniques such as modern saw technology, data scanning and computer-aided design.
It will also enable the Minster to offer international exchange programmes with cathedrals and universities around the world to enable the further development of these skills.
Existing buildings within the Precinct will be repurposed and renewed to provide new workspace and associated facilities, enable greater interaction with the public around key crafts and trades and allow improved links with education.
The Minster will also be able to offer residential accommodation for its first and second-year apprentices, as well as for its international exchange visitors and trainees.
Alex McCallion, Director of Works and Precinct at York Minster, says: “These skills have long been the lifeblood to the fabric of York Minster and the creation of the Centre of Excellence will enable us to continue to develop and pass down these skills with the help of modern digital technology.
“We thank the council for recognising the importance of the Centre of Excellence, the establishment of which will be crucial in allowing us to safeguard the Minster’s long-term environmental, financial and heritage sustainability for future generations to enjoy as we do today.
“This is also a major project for the city and will continue to raise our profile not only as a leading international city for heritage and education, but also a city that is forward looking.”
The £5million fully-funded project is being co-ordinated by the York Minster Fund and is expected to be delivered in early 2024.
The plans form the next stage of the implementation of the York Minster Neighbourhood Plan, a masterplan to secure a sustainable future for York Minster, which was recently ratified by City of York Council.
Delivery of the Neighbourhood Plan will herald the largest planned programme of works at the Minster and its surrounding Precinct since Victorian times.
The York Minster Refectory, Minster Garden and the conversion of Church House to residential accommodation are all already underway, having received planning permission earlier in the year.
Richard Shaw, chairman of York Minster Fund (YMF), says: “The Centre of Excellence is the culmination of a three-year research and development project, which benchmarked the Minster against other heritage sites around the world.
“With sustainability at its heart, the Centre of Excellence vision will allow us to maintain and enhance the cultural significance of the Minster.
“Not only will the Centre of Excellence create opportunities for education and knowledge exchange on a local, national and international level, but it will act as a shining example of best practice in managing and preserving complex heritage estates.”
