None of us doubts the importance of the architects in our natural stone sector. This profession is responsible for the largest percentage of stone use since he is the main specifier of our products, so we should do our utmost to work closely with him.

However, many erroneous ways of approaching the architects are still being used. We don’t mean by this that the situation has not improved, but much still remains to be done.
We receive many telephone calls and consultations from architects every day requesting specific information and all of them regret that they have so little information on natural stone available to them in their projects offices. 

This lack of information often obliges the architect to desist in his desire to use stone and replace it with an alternative material. If the great number of natural stone company leaders associations there are in the world made a small effort to furnish accurate information to the professional we are referring to, we would be able to take away a large share of the use currently made of alternative materials and cause our demand to rise sharply. The price wars between companies might disappear.

From a summary of the most common queries posed by architects we will try to show a list of needs, or more precisely, solutions that natural stone sector company leaders should offer the architect:

1. Enough information on the variety of materials, colours, their characteristics, recommended uses and possibilities current elaboration technology offers.

2. The guarantee that there is a large enough supply of the material selected.

3. Name of possible suppliers.

4. The certainly that delivery dates will be met.

5. The guarantee that the product has the proper technical quality, low breakage rates, that it confirms to the values set down in the standards in effect for measurements as well as thickness.

6. The guarantee that the product has to proper aesthetic features, homogeneity, uniform colours, veins, etc. while always keeping in mind that stone is not mass produced tile, but a natural product; and finally, that it will take a proper surface finish, polish, etc.

7. Rapid installation and above all, maximum safety so that accidents do not occur, mainly from loose façade panels or slipping on flooring.

8. The standards for natural stone elaboration, reception and installation.

9. The standards and control systems in effect; specialised companies for certification of products, homologated test laboratories for natural stone, information centres, etc.

10. Adequate prices, taking into account that they are aware that natural stone is a material which offers them a series of attributes which alternative materials cannot, but they complain about the presence of too many intermediaries who raise the final price.
    This list of needs and solutions is actually complied with by most building materials manufacturers. This is nothing that is limited to the natural stone sector, although we must remember that it does require a specific strategy.
    So we all agree that we could expect a bright future for all if we were able to meet these requests from architects.