Amanzi Marble and Granite’s Latest TV Commercial
Exploring Quarries and Granite
Quarry refers to an open-pit mine used to excavate natural stones and/or minerals; marble, granite, limestone, chalk, slate, gravel and sand. They vary widely in selection and each rock is unique to its quarry.
Granite stones are found in the continental plates of the Earth’s crust. They are massive, hard and incredibly tough, a popular choice in construction jobs. The word granite is defined as an igneous rock consisting of at least 20% quartz. Granite has a moderately coarse texture and ranges in color from gray to pink.
The world’s largest open-faced quarry is located right here in North Carolina. With a history of nearly 265 years, the NC Granite Quarry in Mount Airy was one of the first commercial natural stone businesses in the state, and is now a major granite supplier to the world. The White Granite this quarry produces is in high demand for massive and symbolic structures around the globe.
Advantages of Going Green In Your Countertop Project
As consumers continually become more conscious of their environmental impact, the importance and relativity of green building increases. Synthetic materials may seem cheaper when you’re considering home renovation on a budget, but you should splurge on genuine stone. It’s an investment that will pay off.
You will actually save money over time on repair and maintenance costs. Using natural stones in your home is not bad for the indoor air quality since the rocks do not emit Volatile Organic Compounds, unlike many man-made substitutes. Also, the difference in appearance and durability is astounding. Natural stone is real, so it looks real. It’s available in tons of finishes, both textured and smooth. Genuine stones do not fade in the sunlight nor do they show scratches and other damages.
Limestone and sandstone installations can last a lifetime. When marble or granite is used on counter tops and exterior applications, they too can last a lifetime.
According to The Stone Council, the United States is one of the chief producers of dimension stone in the world. Each quarry is unique and able to offer a range of exclusive natural products varying in dimension, color, and structural design. The varieties of natural stones allow a perfect fit and easy adaptation for every project. Its durability, availability, color, variety, and timeless quality make natural stone an affordable choice to initiate the green building project in your home!
Going Green Using Natural Stone
Going green is a growing trend in nearly every home and market situation around the globe. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is a nationally certified green building system implemented to improve metric performance in buildings and ensure better care of utilized resources, lessening their environmental impact. The Natural Stone Council is currently working to better the position of natural stone in the LEED rating system, promoting genuine stones as opposed to man-made stones.
Genuine stone not only works great in large construction projects, but also during in-home renovations. The longevity and durability of natural rock, not to mention its shear beauty, make is far superior to any man-made rendition. So, using natural stones is a great way to participate in this socially and environmentally responsible construction effort.
Click to learn more about LEED.
Marketplace Ethics Award
The Better Business Bureau announced the Marketplace Ethics Award winners for 2011. This Award is presented to companies and non-profits who demonstrate exceptional relationship standards. The winners included DreamBuilt, Inc., Bo-Ty Florist, Inc., Flow Companies, Inc. and Twin City Stage. Amanzi Marble & Granite, as well as Out-of-Our-Minds Animation Studio, Mousavi General Contractors, Inc., National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame, received Honorable Mentions for this award.
Retired Chairman and CEO of BB&T Corporation shared the importance of purpose and self-esteem in both the workplace and at home.
The BBB Student of Integrity Award is an annual scholarship program honoring Northwestern North Carolinan high school seniors. 12 students were presented with this award at the luncheon held at Embassy Suites in downtown Winston-Salem in late March.
ReBuilding Hope
Since May is National Remodeling Month, a “repair blitz” is getting ready to roll, Greensboro Builder’s Association and Housing Greensboro have partnered together to repair homes, to make them warmer, drier, and safer. This project, ReBuilding Hope, will help improve over 40 low-income families’ homes in a two week period.
ReBuilding Hope will start on May 9 and finish up on the 21. Each home repair should last between one and five days. Tasks may consist of: repairs; water damage in kitchens and bathrooms; shingle, gutter, and siding replacement; building handicap ramps and rails.
For more information on donating or volunteering , contact Corry Wilder at cwilder@greensborobuilders.org or Gene Brown at 232-0142.
Greensboro Builders Association Honors Amanzi Marble & Granite
The Greensboro Builders Association honored Amanzi Marble & Granite with Associate Member of the year award for 2010 at their recent Award and Economic Forecast meeting. Amanzi was one of several companies to be recognized for different achievements in 2010. Visit the Greensboro Builders Association website for more information on the event.
Its Only A Rock!
Globalization, automation, and strict quality control procedures are now creating products that are vastly superior to products manufactured during previous years. These factors have also affected the dimensional stone industry, resulting to customers that demand high-quality products at lower prices. Manufactured stone products, such as quartz and laminates, now compete with naturally-produced granite and marble. The latter’s natural “flaws, ” such as fissures, fill and veining, have become a cause of concern for customers, and this is why stone importers and distributors need to educate their market about the difference between manufactured and natural stones.
These “flaws” are natural elements in the stone, and since natural stone does not come to the market as a “manufactured” product, these stones are natural products with natural characteristics. The mineral and organic staining that can be found in many decorative stones came from natural factors, such as time, heat, and pressure. Producers deal with these natural challenges by filling natural fissures and refining them to what is generally considered “Industry Standard.” Understanding the limits of natural stone and how to communicate these to customers can certainly help us in up-selling, improving our profits, and better customer relations. For more details on this please visit:http://slipperyrockgazette.net/site/archive_Issues/0111/pdfs/Issue_21.htm
StoneTone Provides A New Sound For the Music Industry
Installing granite bridges into wooden pianos instead of using wood is a revolutionary way of improving the sound, tone and register of the classical keyboard instrument, thanks to the research of Stonetone® Music. The technique was invented by StoneTone’s owner, Robert B. DiSanto, with the help of Daniel Koehler, owner of Naples Piano Company. Using granite bridges, the duo retrofitted a 6’3″ Baldwin Grand Piano that produced clear sound, sustained tone and seamless register integration across the keyboard range despite being built in 1905.
Referred to as the perfect transducer, granite bridges built into pianos activate the whole soundboard during playing, producing low, middle, and high registers that are seamless integrated. Tuning is easier in granite bridges compared to pianos that house wooden bridges, since with a granite bridge, the piano holds its pitch better and is more stable between tunings. A granite bridge also extends the life expectancy of a piano, compared to wooden bridges that are susceptible to weathering. The granite’s tight molecular stone matrix also makes the soundboard resist flattening out – another factor that improves the piano’s performance. Company spokesman Dr. Richard Bosworth explains, “It is clear this new technology will revolutionize performance practices as well as instrument development and construction throughout the music industry.” For more details on this please visit : http://slipperyrockgazette.net/site/archive_Issues/0111/pdfs/Issue_25.htm
