Consumer Education—A Must in the Fabrication Process.
I recently read, “From the Quarry to your Home,” an article published in the Spring/Summer 2007 issue of Stone Dimensions magazine, an MIA publication, that sparked my interest. 
While natural stone has become increasingly popular, especially for countertops, over the last several years, there are still consumers that have questions in regards to the fabrication process, etc. They not only want information and knowledge about the products they are buying, but desire information about the whole process.
As stated in the article, “It all starts in the quarry. Giant blocks of granite, marble, limestone, travertine and other natural stones are cut out of the earth with technically-advanced cutting systems, which have drastically reduced the effort it takes to achieve this once time-consuming task.” From there, the blocks are transported to facilities with high-speed gang saws that slice the stone like slices of bread. From there the slabs go to polishing lines, (large automated equipment with multiple polishing heads), where the front face of the stone is polished. The polished slabs are then shipped to various distributors, suppliers, or directly to the fabricator for viewing, or fabrication for the consumer.
After material is selected, a measure date is scheduled to measure the granite counterop, island, bar top, bathroom, fireplace, etc. in your home. In most instances, this should take place after the cabinets are set and in place. A measuring technician will come out and make drawings, or templates of the designated areas and also indicate where there will be any sink cut-outs, cooktop cut-outs, faucet holes, edge detail, etc.
When the drawings are made, they are brought back to the fabication facility to be made into your countertops. At PGC, a large bridge saw is used to cut your stone. Undermount sinks and curve work are run with our CNC mill, while edges are polished with our edge polishing machine.Various other hand tools are used for finishing edges and touch up work.
When all pieces for your job are fabricated and complete, they are loaded on a PGC install truck to be delivered and installed in your home.
Throughout the whole process, much care and attention is given to bring you, the consumer, a beautiful product. As stated in the article, “from the quarry to slabbing and polishing; to measuring and templating; to cutting, edging and polishing and finally installation—people in the stone industry strive for two things—enhancing the beauty of natural stone through perfection and your ultimate satisfaction.”
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Company, Granite on May 14th, 2007 by Barb | | 0 Comments
Celebrating Yesterday And Today!
Today is the day, May 9th, 2007. It is hard to believe that 20 years have passed, since we said “I do.” So much has happened in that time, although I have vivid memories of our wedding day. It was a perfect sunny day with a record temperature of 89 degrees! Family and friends joined us to celebrate our special day.
Over the years, we raised two beautiful girls, (who are now young adults) and established a family with faith, values, rules, integrity and many fond memories. We struggled in the beginning to provide for our family, but we always worked together to achieve our goals and had a strong faith.
Just like any marriage, ours has had its ups and downs, especially since starting our business, PGC, in 1996. In fact, we often get asked the question, “How can you work with your spouse?” Some couples would never dream of working together. It is true, it takes a special relationship to work together. You have to be able to separate your working relationship from your family and spouse relationship. This is hard to do sometimes, but it has got better and easier in the last few years.
Last October, we celebrated ten years in business together. Over the years we established a team of employees who work together for a common goal who have good paying jobs and benefits. We developed a company together that provides a quality product with rules, procedures, and integrity.
We have many memories to look back on and many to look forward to. So here it is Chris…
Our Special Blog, Our Special Day!
Happy Anniversary with love!
Barb
Yesterday (May 9, 1987):
Look at that 80′s hair.
Today:
Coverings Show in Chicago
Posted in Company on May 9th, 2007 by Barb | | 5 Comments
Self-Checkout or Full Service?
Have you ever walked up to a checkout lane at a store and decided it would be “easier and quicker” to do the self checkout? Yes? Me too, unfortunately it caused more stress and disgust than it was worth. Between the automated screen beeping at me, the man with 2 kids in cart crying behind me waiting for me to finish, and working myself into a frenzy trying to find a human to help me, I was at my wits end. Then to top if off, the “customer service representative,” if you want to call him that, comes over and punches his code into the screen to stop the beeping without even acknowledging me as a human being. Customer service is not the same as it used to be, the human element does not exist to the extent that it once did.
Paramount Granite Company takes customer service very seriously. Whether a customer comes to our showroom, calls with questions prior to, during, or after their product is installed, they can expect prompt, honest, and thorough answers to their questions. Our Mission Statement, “To provide top-quality natural stone products on-time, every-time, at a competitive price, while exceeding customer expectations,” clearly identifies our commitment to the customer, and their satisfaction.
If you are seeking someone with a pulse to answer questions regarding granite fabrication, quality installation, color selection, maintenance and care, location of specific colors/stones, granite accessories, etc. please give Cheryl, Leisa, or myself a call. We would be happy to assist you! After all, “easier and quicker” doesn’t always mean better…
Feel free to share…
Angie
Posted in Business, Company, Granite on May 8th, 2007 by Angie | | 0 Comments
Recipe: Twice Grilled Steak Burrito’s
Here’s a recipe I made over the weekend I wanted to share. It will take a little prep time in your kitchen chopping and preparing on your granite countertop, or granite island, but the prep time is worth it for the outcome. This recipe is a great one for summer grilling, so give it a try and enjoy!
Twice Grilled Steak Burrito’s
“The Seasonal Cabin CookBook,” by: Teresa Marrone
1 pound boneless round, or sirloin steak, about 3/4″ thick (You can substitute chicken too.)
1 or 2 bell peppers
1 small onion
Juice from 1 fresh lime (About 2 Tbsp.)
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed, or minced
1 small fresh hot pepper minced
1/4 tsp. cumin
4 burrito-sized Flour tortilla’s (10″)
1 cup shredded Montery Jack cheese
Place steak in glass baking dish. Remove and discard stems and seeds from the peppers and cut them into strips. Place over the steak. Cut up the onion in strips and put over the steak. In a small jar, combine lime juice, oil, garlic, hot pepper and cumin; cover and shake well. Pour over the steak and veggies. Cover and let stand 1 hour on countertops to marinade, or up to 4 hours in refrigerator. Prepare hot grill. Remove veggies from the pan and place them on some foil and create a packet. Do the same with the steak. Cook on the grill until done. Remove and place some of the steak and veggies in a tortilla shell. Top with cheese. Fold up the bottom of the tortilla, then fold in the sides tightly. Brush all sides with cooking oil and place back on the grill. Cook until slightly browned and remove.
Serve with spanish rice, refried beans, sour cream, guacamole, salsa etc.
Thanks for reading!
Barbara Rodgers
Posted in Cooking in your kitchen on May 7th, 2007 by Barb | | 0 Comments
Education—The Best Warranty!
Since starting our blog site, I have been visiting many other blog sites for ideas and valueable information to pass along to our customers. Today I came along a site called Do It Yourself.com, which contained a question about granite countertops, and “How to get a warranty on cracking”. 
The person writing was complaining that the installers which they spoke with would not warranty natural granite countertops—especially for cracking and claimed they wouldn’t purchase any granite countertops for that reason.
Obviously this person was worked up about some myths they heard in regards to granite countertops. Any reputable fabricator will warranty their work for fabrication defects. Paramount provides a limited warranty to the original purchaser that its natural stone will be free from fabrication defects for a period of twenty limited years from the date of final installation.
The person went on to claim that they heard of several instances that granite countertops cracked during installation, which was another reason they wouldn’t buy granite countertops. This claim to me is utterly absurd. Any item can break for various reasons during the installation process. Much care is taken when installing natural stone to prevent breakage and insure a successful install, so there is no need to re-fab pieces. While our installers do their best, there are instances where the stone breaks, which can be from any number of reasons. Some stones contain more fissures and are more fragile than others. Certain pieces can also be more fragile than others, e.g. a sink piece, backsplash, etc. However, once the stone is installed, it is almost impossible for it to break, or crack without some sort of abuse, etc. Remember…there are stone buildings, tombstones, etc. that have been around for hundreds of years!
Thanks for reading!
Barbara Rodgers
Posted in Granite on May 4th, 2007 by Barb | | 0 Comments
