| Construction material suppliers had a tough year in | | | | continue to develop over the past 5 years. |
| 2008 and many of them ended up downsizing or | | | | The new location located at 6005 Anderson Road |
| closing their operations due to economy recession. | | | | will be offering granite countertops, vanities, |
| In general,contruction material industry lost | | | | fireplaces, precast columns, balastrades, |
| average 20% of their sales compare to 2007. | | | | travertine, marble, mosaics, waterjet medallions |
| Although many companies have chosen to | | | | and much more for local and nationwide building |
| downsize, only a few company kept growing in | | | | and remodeling projects. |
| 2008 without losing their sale figures and only one | | | | The company currently stocks over 2 million sqft |
| of them in tampa bay actually getting ready to | | | | of travertine tile flooring, marble tile, marble |
| open their second location. The leading importer of | | | | pavers and pool copings in their existing location |
| Travertine tile and travertine paver, Stone-Mart is | | | | off Anderson Road in Tampa, Florida. With the |
| preparing their new showroom and 3.3 acres | | | | new facility, the company will be able to offer full |
| facility at the previous location of Slate & | | | | natural stone product line to their builder, designer, |
| Granite Imports located on Anderson Road in | | | | wholesaler and home owner clientele. According to |
| Tampa, Florida. | | | | the company's import director, Mr. Omer Ozer, |
| The company's president, Mr. Ugur Ozer, a young | | | | Stone-Mart Marble Group imported over 600 |
| Turkish investor, stated that "with this new | | | | containers in 2008 with 20% increase compared |
| location, as Stone-Mart, we will be able to | | | | to 2007. As a foreign investor, this proves their |
| intergrate our existing travertine tile and paver | | | | confidence in the come back of the US economy. |
| product line with granite countertop fabrication and | | | | The company is expecting the US economy to |
| precast. This will help us to offer a "one stop | | | | recover eventually in second half of 2009. |
| shopping at factory direct price concept" as we | | | | |