Dakota Granite invests in the future of the monument business.

Letter from Chuck Monson, President.

With the economy in its current repressed condition most companies are cutting back and not investing in the future with new equipment.  Dakota Granite has not been sitting back to see what happens but we’ve made an investment and effort into the future of our business.

We have had a contour diamond wire saw for some time in our facility but have now replaced it with a 6-axis saw which will allow us to do some very impressive designs for the future of the monument industry.  This allows us to take on more complicated and intricate designs for those customers who require and see the advantage of customized monuments. (6-axis saw press release)

We also have replaced 3 of our diamond blade saws with a new multi-wire saw allowing us to produce more, using less energy and with greater accuracy.  The new multi-wire saw allows us to cut as many as 16 slabs at one time.  As I am writing this we currently have 9 wires in place and while the saw is very new, it's operating as we expected. (multi wire saw press release)

We also have on order an automated polishing machine for our plant which will allow us to polish larger slabs and wedges automatically.  It’s just one more way of making Dakota Granite Company more efficient.

The economy has had an effect on our company, as it has so many others in and out of our industry. We have felt the need to downsize our labor force and eliminate all waste and as much overhead as possible, however we also see the need to continue to provide quality service and products to our customers. Dakota Granite will work with your memorial retailer to create your family memorials and estate pieces. Dakota Granite memorials continue to be covered by our Memorial Warranty!

Dakota Granite is embracing the technology from this new multi-wire saw in our slab production area.

This saw is absolutely amazing.... a true jaw dropper when it comes to the amount of time it takes to saw one block compared to our large diamond blade saws. To give some idea for comparison, our diamond blade saws will make (1) cut on a quarried block during an estimated seven hour period. This new multi wire saw will saw the entire block during that same seven hour period.

Dakota Granite has a long history of investing in equipment with the advancement of technology. This dedication still continues today. We have just completed installation of a 6-axis wire saw in our production plant.

This modern marvel will not only increase efficiency but also increase the boundaries of the elements of design. The saw's wire can travel up/down and can tilt on angles. The car or table the granite is placed on also rotates.

Joint Annual Meeting

Mike Riley, Ron Flottmeyer and Rick Dilts recently attended the joint meeting between the National Monument Builders Association and the Mid-America Monument Builders Association held Feb. 18-21^st in Kansas City, MO. Although this was a non-display year for the MBNA, the MAMBA organizers, namely Jim Bell of Bell Memorials in Beloit, KS, organized a design contest with the winners having their designs manufactured by various manufacturers across the country.

Dakota Granite produced 2 of these designs. The first design was submitted by Charlie Hunt of Hunt Memorials in Nashville, TN. His “Dalton” design was fabricated with American Bouquet granite and incorporates Premium Black granite inset for personalizing with an etching. This upright monument is 4’ tall and 30” tall.

The second named “Carter”, was designed by Steve  Oliaro of Baker Memorials in Lexington, MO. It was fabricated using Rushmore Mahogany granite in a 4’ monument.

All 48 vendors and nearly 300 attendees registered for the show agreed that the 13 hours of educational programs were very informative and had something to fit everyone’s needs. One more reason to support the MBNA by purchasing your membership.

The National MBNA show for 2011 will be a full display in Indianapolis, IN. from Jan. 28-31.

See you there.

Mid-Atlantic Monument Builders Convention

PA / MD / NJ / DE / VA / WV / DC
January 8 - 10, 2010

Location: Marriott Waterfront in Baltimore, MD

More Convention Information

Dakota Granite will have a booth on display and sales representatives available to answer questions and visit with. Our display will include 5 different monument designs. Be sure to stop by our booth to see these in person.

See our convention brochure, for detailed information of our memorials on display.

Dakota Granite Company’s Commercial Director, Bill Ruoff and Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Rick Dilts once again attended one of the largest stone shows in the world. Over 1,500 exhibitors showcase all things granite, from slabs used for countertops to giant wire saws used in extracting granite blocks from quarries to bronze statuary. The 25,000+  attendees visit from all over the world to see the latest stone colors and equipment to help them either sell more or produce faster.