We manufacture and fit solid stone worktops. We buy stone – granite and quartz – from a range of suppliers in the UK and overseas. But there is one commodity that we use more of than stone: water. All our cutting, drilling and polishing work is done under continuous streams of water – cooling the diamond blades and bits and keeping the workshop air free from high loads of potentially dangerous stone particles.
We manufacture and fit solid stone worktops. We buy stone – granite and quartz – from a range of suppliers in the UK and overseas. But there is one commodity that we use more of than stone: water.
Water Filter
All our cutting, drilling and polishing work is done under continuous streams of water – cooling the diamond blades and bits and keeping the workshop air free from high loads of potentially dangerous stone particles.
Years ago, when we first started out, water was just taken from the common supply and went into the drain. At the time, much of our cutting and polishing work was done on customers’ premises anyway. But as our output and the workshop grew, so did our need for water, and years ago we installed our first water filtration system, allowing us to recycle the water, reducing usage and avoiding sending our stone dust down the drain.
Now, with yet further growth, we have had to upgrade, bringing in a far larger capacity drainage and filtration system that can leave the water really clean for reuse in our machinery. The new system will give us our highest volume of recycling yet, with the separated stone powder being compressed into neat dry slabs for disposal. We now have the lowest level of water pollution we have ever achieved.
Obviously, granite worktop production was held up while this installation went ahead. It was not without some hitches, but overall the job was done well and was soon on line, allowing us to get the factory going again.
We are always very much aware that the solid stone industry does not have the best track record regarding environmental issues. With the increasing use of recycled quartz from Samsung and Cosentino, and our own attention to making as little mess as possible, we want to do our bit to putting that right. Certainly our hosts/landlords at John Lory Farm are happy that we are keeping our own water use minimal and clean.
