Manufacturing

We have the largest manufacturing facilities for Portland limestone.

As the leading Portland stone manufacturer, we constantly invest in the latest factory technology.

With advanced machinery we provide a wide range of finished products, from cladding to paving.

Below are the stages our natural stone goes through to become a finished product.

Primary sawing

Block from our quarries and mine are cut into a series of slabs by our 3 accurate primary saws.

Our primary saws additional capacity allows us to supply slab to other stone masonry companies, whilst keeping our own factory supplied.

The Benetti Fast 736 saws are innovative cutting tools. They reduce friction by using water, which is recycled by our filtration system.

Secondary sawing

Slab from the primary sawing process is then cut by our secondary saws.

This makes it ready for further processing, which can be for ashlar cladding, paving or ‘sawn six sides’ (cut to size) stones.

A selection of grinders and other smaller saws can apply angled cuts or simply ‘gut out’ sections of the stone, for example hollow quoins.

Computer numerical control (CNC)

We operate 2 ‘Omag Blade 5’ CNC machines with five axis, producing the most intricate of stone work with precision.

Computer generated software allows us to replicate existing pieces by scanning objects. It can also produce ramp and twist, this is more commonly found in cantilevered staircases.

Both CNC machines give us greater flexibility in how we produce bespoke pieces or large numbers of repetitive stonework.

Tile and ashlar line

Our automated tile and ashlar line produces large volumes of highly accurate and repetitive sized ashlars or tiles.

Working in a self contained unit, the horizontal and vertical saws cut block directly from our quarries and mine. The stone is then fed through a polishing machine to remove any saw marks to the top surface and apply its final finish.

Planers

The 3 planers are used to work moulding or profiles onto a long series of stones.

Working from zinc templates, produced in our drawing office, each stone will be identical and to a high level of accuracy.

Ideal for items such as string courses, copings or cornices.

CNC lathes and turning

Two lathes give us the ability to turn our natural stone into balusters and columns. Existing stonework can be scanned and replicated.

If columns are to be straight, twisted or with entisis, our lathes are the best method of manufacturing for accuracy.

The maximum size column we can produce is 2,500mm, with a diameter of 950mm.

Finishing

Each stone will go through a final finishing phase, where a rubbed finish will be applied to any seen face. Our standard finish is 60 grit and removes any saw cutting or tool marks.

After spinning the stone faces (by hand or polishing line) they are packed onto a pallet with protective packaging ready for delivery or collection.

At all stages our natural stone is checked for tolerance and visible flaws within our quality control process.

Lead times

We provide you with an estimated manufacturing period depending on your needs. But it takes time and care to extract our stone, to ensure it meets quality standards.

So careful programming is vital if your order is to be met efficiently.

The following is a general guide and will depend on quantities and sizes:

• slab or small orders require 2 to 4 weeks.
• for new orders we require 4 to 6 weeks.
• for large projects we require 8 to 12 weeks notice.