Demo

The Beacon of The STone InduSTry
aprIl 2020 Volume 26.4
Three Generations Shape Emco-Williams’ Customer Service
www.slipperyrockgazette.net
Check-in desk at Westgate Resort features stunning samples of Santorini Quartzite. Below: The curving, free-form island in this custom kitchen is a beautiful marriage of granite and wood. Emco-Williams’ business is split about 50-50 between residential and commercial clients.
Coverings Announces Cancellation of 2020 International Conference & Show
From its beginning in 1962, Emco-Williams’ roots have stood firmly planted within the greater Knoxville, Tennessee area as a producer of cultured marble products. Located in Sevierville, Tennessee, about an hour’s drive from Knoxville, the company was founded by Hubert Williams, a local entrepreneur. As for the Emco- portion of the name, it was simply an abbreviation for Electro Mechanical Corporation, a franchise that Williams had pur- chased to make multi-colored cul- tured slate.
Decades later, Hubert Williams put Emco-Williams up for sale, and when destiny came-a-knockin’ at the door of Bill Grove Senior, he took notice, he recalled. “The com- pany is 58 years old, and we’ve owned it for 32 of those years. When we first bought it, the com- pany was manufacturing bathtubs, whirlpools and shower enclosures.”
In an effort to add more value to their products, Bill Senior and son, Bill Grove Junior, decided that every shower enclosure would now come with glass doors and one other option, continued Bill Senior. “When we got into mak- ing the glass doors, we decided that offering mirrors wouldn’t be a bad idea, either. Around that same time, a company named Bevels came up for sale in Knoxville. It
Peter J. Marcucci
Photos by Derek Brodka, Larry Hood and Courtesy Emco-Williams
turns out that Bevels did beveling on glass for mirrors. So we visited the company and got a list of their equipment, because before we buy any company, we always wanted to make sure that the equipment was an asset, and that we were getting good assets. Surprisingly enough, one of the glass beveling machines was a Z-Bavelloni.”
By the next morning, Bill Senior had called Z-Bavelloni in Greensboro, North Carolina, and gave them the model and serial number, and asked them if they thought the machine was worth- while, he explained.
“Turns out, the person I talked to was their granite equipment sales- man and he said, ‘Now, I’ll tell you what you want to do. I’ll be there to- morrow, and we’re going to get you set up to fabricate granite. If you fabricate granite and have one of these machines and have a sign out on the street, you’ll be flooded with business.’ Sure enough he came up, and sure enough we bought the machine, and sure enough we were flooded with business, and that’s how we got started in granite fab- rication, 17 years ago.”
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Breaking News Update from Coverings, March 18, 2020
Coverings has been mon- itoring the domestic and global develop-
ments regarding the coronavi- rus pandemic for several weeks.
The health and safety of our exhibitors and attendees are very important to Coverings. Given the public health emer- gency we are currently facing, we believe the only prudent action at this time is for Coverings to cancel for 2020.
As you can imagine, this was a very difficult decision. Coverings has been providing connections, education, and a global marketplace for the tile and stone industry for more
than 30 years. However, with the limitations to travel, the rec- ommendations regarding mass gatherings, and our concern for the health and safety of the Coverings community, we have decided cancelling is our only course of action.
We ask for your patience and understanding during this time of uncertainty, as there are many complexities involved in this decision which we are working to resolve.
Coverings is, as always, com- mitted to the education and promotion of the tile and stone industry. Although the pub- lic health concerns caused by
this pandemic have impacted Coverings 2020, we look for- ward to engaging with the Coverings community moving forward to ensure a robust in- dustry and show for 2021.
Please monitor Coverings website, social media chan- nels, and future press releases as we work toward a successful Coverings in April 2021.
Visit the Coverings web- site for more information, including exhibitor and on- line edication opprtunities: https://www.coverings.com/ coronavirus-impact/