Resources

The Antunes family has been traveling the world in search of the best stone for over 40 years.

It’s been the mission, since 1981, to find the most unique stone, import the highest quality and sell a product we’d approve in our home. We import from over 150 countries making us the largest importer in the US. Check out some of our latest travels and see the stones we’ve discovered.

Natural Stone Processing

Natural stone is quarried from benches, also called walls, of open face or even underground quarries from all over the world. Quarries have layers that allow material to be excavated deep in the ground however benches are walls that are cut from the face of the quarry allowing large portions of the material to be portioned and cut. Each section is cut into 25-40-ton blocks. Different sections of quarries produce different variations of stone. All the patterns and colors have been formed over millions of years based on the mineral content.

After the quarrying – the blocks are brought from extremely remote areas to production factories where the large block of natural stone (like a loaf of bread) is cut or sliced with both diamond wire saws and gang saws. Once the block is cut into slabs, based on the desired thickness, the slabs begin a lengthy process of resin treatment that include microwave and oven heating to ensure the stone is strengthened to its fullest capacity. This where micro fissures or pitting is filled before the polishing process. After slabs are resin – this is the beginning of the calibration and polishing stage. This includes polishing lines of 12-24 polishing heads isolating motion on conveyer belts at different abrasive grits to bring out the polishing of the stone. This allows precise thickness of the slabs to the millimeter. Every material requires a special sequence of polishing to ensure the highest gloss level is reached. This sequence is only obtained by many years of experience with natural stone processing.

After polishing – the slabs are carefully inspected for any defects that would require reprocessing, the slabs are then packaged in wood bundles and loaded into containers and shipped via cargo vessels to our port

Natural Stone Processing

After the quarrying – the blocks are brought from extremely remote areas to production factories where the large block of natural stone (like a loaf of bread) is cut or sliced with both diamond wire saws and gang saws. Once the block is cut into slabs, based on the desired thickness, the slabs begin a length process of resin treatment that include microwave and oven heating elements to ensure the stone accepts the strengthen to the fullest capacity. This where micro fissures or pitting is filled before the polishing process. After slabs are resin – this is the beginning of the calibration and polishing stage. This includes polishing lines of 12-24 polishing heads isolating motion on conveyer belts at different abrasive grits to bring out the polishing of the stone. This allows precise thickness of the slabs to the millimeter. Every material requires a special sequence of polishing to ensure the highest gloss level is reached. This sequence is only obtained by many years of experience with natural stone processing.

Advanced Polishing Technology

AGM Imports is the largest countertop distributor in the country that has two polishing lines in house for easy finish changes to any material.

Our line includes the Bretton Machine and the Pedrini Machine. In mere minutes we can change the finish of any slab to polished, satin, honed or leathered. Our competitors need large timelines to ensure that quarry producers can change the finish before it arrives to the US. We don’t leave the handling of your material to anyone but our highly trained and trusted staff.

We also care about our community. We have installed a state-of-the-art water closed unit water filtration system. All of the water used in our polishing lines passes through a 50,000-gallon silo that then press filters all of the particulates and sediment from the water. The marble waste that is released is then recycled as a natural bi product. We can pump 200 gallons of clean water per minute.

Advanced Polishing Technology

AGM Imports is the largest countertop distributor in the country that has two polishing lines in house for easy finish changes to any material.

Our line includes the Bretton Machine and the Pedrini Machine. In mere minutes we can change the finish of any slab to polished, satin, honed or leathered. Our competitors need large timelines to ensure that quarry producers can change the finish before its arrive to the US. We don’t leave the handling of your material to anyone but our highly trained and trusted staff.

Pedrini

AGM launched the newest machine for polishing supremacy. The PEDRINI Galaxy B220GB, which is the best polishing machine on the market. Technology used by our Italian Marble counter parts

Honed
Honed Quartz
Brushed/Leather
Caress
Repolish
Re-Resin and Polish
Calibrate/Repolish

Slabs can be completed from start to finish in just 10 minutes.

It weighs in at 26000 KG or 57320 lbs.
Pedrini has 12 heads & 24 motor machines
Eco-Friendly using 100% recycled (250 gallons per minute) water making it more efficient consuming less water per slab than any machine in the market

Pedrini Galaxy B220MX

AGM has unveiled their latest innovation in marble polishing technology: the Pedrini Galaxy B220MX. This machine represents the pinnacle of polishing performance, setting new industry standards. The Galaxy B220MX excels in versatility, offering a range of finishes to cater to diverse aesthetic preferences and functional requirements with precision, ensuring the integrity of the slab even when working with thicknesses as thin as 10 mm.

Honed, for a soft, matte finish
Leather for a textured, tactile feel.
Repolish and Re-Resin.
Calibrate/Repolish, ensuring uniform thickness and finish across the slab.

Notably, the Galaxy B220MX boasts an impressive turnaround time. Slabs undergo a complete transformation from rough to refined within an astonishing 10 minutes, showcasing the machine’s exceptional efficiency.

In terms of its physical stature, the Galaxy B220MX is a heavyweight, tipping the scales at 26,000 KG (57,320 lbs). This robust construction is matched by its sophisticated internal workings, which include 12 heads and 24 motor machines. This configuration ensures precision and power in every polishing task.