US Stone Fabrication Plant Tour: In 47 Pictures

Posted on by Martin Cooney, Stone Sculptor

Today I present something a little different. But first, a question. Have you ever toured a huge stone fabrication plant? No? Well, most people haven’t. So the closest you may get is to scroll down and take a good, long look at the actual workings that go into all of that lovely finished stonework that you see (increasingly, these days) in fine architectural buildings across the country, and indeed the world. Because no matter where stone is fabricated it is worked in the manner you are about to witness, and believe me, it’s an impressive sight indeed. So, 47 pictures later, you should have a good idea of just what’s involved in the almost entirely unseen world of 21st-Century stone fabrication. You may even not be able to see stone quite the same way again, who knows?

~ ~ ~

Anyway, here we go. The tour involved myself, Martin Cooney, my wife Kris Cooney, and Kelley Judd. His wife, Jill unfortunately could not attend the tour, but the four of us are business parteners who put the Martin Cooney STONEWORKS together at the beginning of this year, 2025 – of which much is written and cataloged here at martincooney.com. Our tour guide was Kyle, who works in sales management for US Stone, and was extremely generous with his time and attention. The tour took place at ten in the morning of Tuesday, November the 4th, 2025. The location of the plant is slightly east of Herrington, and a little further west from Council Grove, Kansas. So without further ado, let’s begin.

~ ~ ~

An industrial stone cutting blade resting on a wooden pallet, with a wooden block placed in the center.

1. Big New Wheel Saw Blade.

These pictures are arranged in the order they were photographed, and this giant circular saw greeted us at the entrance of the US Stone plant, and served to transmit something of the scale of the operation we were about to tour. Just look at it – this thing means business. I just can’t imagine what something like this must cost, and how long it lasts before it has to be replaced. But Kyle informed me that they had just acquired a new saw, so I imagine this – or more correctly, these – will be part of the deal. We’ll actually see blades like these in action on their existing saws, so bear the precision and engineering that went into the blade, and imagine the sheer power with which those tungsten tips will saw through the stone.

Close-up view of a diamond blade saw, featuring the serrated edge and metal segments designed for cutting stone.

2. Big New Wheel Saw Blade, detail.

A large stone cutting machine in a fabrication plant, with slabs of stone positioned on the floor underneath it.

3. Radial Arm Rounter.

Stepping through the door we first entered the office area where we were fitted with the required hard hats, then with no further ado, we stepped straight into the thick of things, for on the other side of the second door lay this huge thing – a massive radial arm router that Kyle told us ‘could do pretty much anything’, ‘in any plane’ to any depth or angle … it does it all.

Tour group observing a large radial arm router inside a stone fabrication plant, with three individuals wearing safety helmets and looking intently at the machinery.

4. Kris, Kelley and Kyle discus the Radial Arm Router.

Close-up of a radial arm router, showcasing its intricate design and positioning above a stone slab in a fabrication plant.

5. The Radial Arm Router, detail.

Obviously, the machine was not operating, but from the pecision of the semi-circular recess I could easily imagine just what such a cunning piece of equipment could get up to, given the right tools and programming. But from the details presented by the idle machine you get a good view of the router bit’s design.

A close-up view of a radial arm router poised above a large stone slab, showcasing its precision bit positioned for cutting.

6. Radial Arm Router, close detail.

View of a stone fabrication plant with workers examining materials and labeled storage crates.

7. Kelley Judd inspects the bins in the packing area.

A little further along from the router machine, and on the other side of the walkway, this little packing area was filling crates with finished tiles and assorted cladding. It all looked very efficient and tidy.

Interior of a stone fabrication plant featuring large machinery, including a circular saw and large stone blocks. A person in a hard hat is standing near a trash bin.

8. First glimpse of the big shed and a large band saw.

And then, all of a sudden, we turned a corner and were immediately confronted by the massive ‘inner workings’ of the plant; and the size and scale of it quiet took us by surprize. I don’t know what we expected, but none of us expected this … and this is just a small corner of the place. Wait until you see the full extent of the place. It truly is massive.

Two men wearing hard hats observe large stone slabs in a fabrication plant.

9. Kyle – our tour guide – and Kelley Judd discuss matters during the tour.

A worker stands in the foreground wearing a hard hat, with a large loader in the background moving piles of stone at a fabrication plant.

10. First glimpse of the massive stone yard.

It was at this point that the vast spectacle of US Stone’s exterior operation presented itself, as we peered out of the slabbing portal and onto the sprawling stone yard and across to the incredible bone yard – of which we will see more of shortly.

Two large stone blocks suspended from a lifting apparatus in a stone fabrication plant, with machinery visible in the background.

11. Rough Slabs enter the Slabbing Area.

But in continuation of the tour, Kyle took us around the slabbing operation. And in the picture above you can easily see for yourself the before and after reality of slicing such huge blocks into the almost wafer thin sheets leaning up against one another to the right of the rough, craggy and fresh from the quarry limestone blocks.

Image of a stone fabrication plant interior, showcasing large blocks of limestone waiting for processing, with machinery and equipment visible in the background.

12. The Slabbing Zone.

Heavy industrial stone cutting machine in a fabrication plant, surrounded by large limestone blocks.

13. Slab Turner.

My attention was caught by this rather odd looking and captivating contraption. Kyle, who is after all in sales management, not a fabrication, readily confessed his lack of knowledge as to what it actually does – but I immediately imagined that it could be used to turn those giant blocks into the right plane, or completely upside down, in order to be slabbed. But, what do you think? I’m going with the slab turner, until otherwise informed.

A large block of stone positioned on a cutting machine in a stone fabrication plant, with water spraying over it for cooling during the cutting process.

14. Closed Band Saw.

Inside a stone fabrication plant, a large slab-turning machine is positioned in the middle of a spacious industrial area, with stone blocks and equipment visible in the background.

15. View of the vast former WW2 Military Hanger.

By now we were clearly near the center point of the old World War Two military aircraft hanger, and what a spendid sight it made. Such a vast building, formerly housing huge winged bomber and fighter planes now accomodated this mind-boggling assortment of stone fabrication machines; it was a perfect match, and an ideal use for such a grand and majestic piece of history. Everyone involved with this apt transformation should be duly proud of their achievement. So, well done everybody. Good work !

Interior view of a large industrial building showing a wooden arched ceiling with exposed beams and hanging lights.

16. Former WW2 Military Hanger Ceiling.

Just look at the workmanship and design of that ceiling. The mind boggles. To my mind, this is a true work of art – such sweeping curves and intricate construction. I can easily see the men up there, with war raging around the world, and this ambitious contribution to the war effort adding one more asset to America’s arsenal. They must have been very proud of their work, as we are proud of them. A beautiful sight, indeed, and a real piece of history still very much in use today as not just a museum, but an actual state of the art stone fabrication plant.

A large stone fabrication machine with multiple diamond blades on a production line in a spacious industrial facility.

17. Very, very Expensive Machinery At Work.

Workers operating machinery in a stone fabrication plant, with large cutting equipment in the background and various materials visible.

18. Workers tend to the workings of some very expensive machinery.

On and on the tour went, and all along the way workers were working and machines machining. The noise was not quite as loud as you perhaps expect. Water, though, was practically everywhere, which I suspect causes the place to feel rather cold in the depth of winter. But all the workers I spied were well equipped and attired for the job, and all seemed to know exactly what they were doing, with a calm effeciency permeating the air, and no raised voices at all. It all seemed to be going like clockwork, to be honest. I was very impessed.

Close-up view of a stone cutting machine with a large circular saw blade and a piece of stone being prepared for cutting.

19. Very expensive wet saw at work.

Close-up of a large wet saw cutting through stone, with water spray visible from the blade.

20. Very expensive wet saw in motion, returning to start another run.

Close-up view of a large circular saw blade used for stone cutting in a fabrication plant.

21. Huge Wet Saw with blade stopped as it returns for another run.

Now we can see the machine that the massive saw, resting on a pallet as we came in, will end up. Or more likely in the new saw that according to Kyle was to be installed ‘in the next couple of weeks’. But here you can see the application of such ginormous blades. It makes my little seven inchers look laughable in comparison. When asked about the cost of such saws Kyle replied ‘about a million, I think, maybe two’. But what an investment. I can only imagine just how fast and clean these things cut.

Large stone cutting machine in a stone fabrication plant, with a partially visible block of stone being processed.

22. Huge Band Saw.

Four workers in hard hats and aprons are engaged in a task at a stone fabrication plant, organizing stacks of tiles on a workbench while machinery operates in the background.

23. Workers discuss procedure during the packing process.

As mentioned, there was an air of calm competence around the place that spoke of a well organized workforce that seemed very confident and assured as they went about their business.

Workers observing machinery in a stone fabrication plant, wearing hard hats and gloves.

24. Workers control the situation.

A close-up view of a stone slab featuring intricate cut patterns, showcasing the precision and details of stone fabrication.

25. Freshly routered plinth bases.

Close-up view of freshly routered stone plinth bases, showcasing intricate details and precision cuts.

26. Freshly routered plinth bases.

I was impressed with the way all of these bases were cut from the same block, in the same plane, so that they would all look the same and compatible when installed. Very smart. And as a stone carver myself – a banker mason, as we are called – this is one area where I could not compete with this application … whatsoever. In other fields yes, but this, no way.

Workers in safety gear operating a large stone fabrication machine in a plant.

27. Block Saw rejects are dispensed with as they pop out of the machine.

A worker operates a large wet saw in a stone fabrication plant, with water spraying as the saw cuts through stone. Another worker is seen in the background, engaged in the process.

28. Intense concentration consumes diligent worker.

Workers in a stone fabrication plant efficiently processing stone blocks, surrounded by machinery and equipment.

29. Hand carving is performed in the ‘banker shop’,as we call it in England.

Two workers in safety gear operating machinery in a stone fabrication workshop.

30. Worker takes a quick pose for us in the banker shop.

I’ve spent a fair time myself doing what these men are doing, although an English Banker Shop is arranged very differently. But this is an impressive settup, all the same. I still work to this day at a height they are working at, and with an array of tools similar to those grinders hanging on a rail in the picture. But there all similarities end. In esscence though, we are accomplishing the same thing – Brothers in Arms, as are all professional stone carvers, all over the world.

A stone fabrication shop with multiple workers operating machinery, including dust extraction systems, while cutting and shaping stone materials. Wooden pallets are seen in the foreground.

31. Trim is finished in the Banker Shop

Workers in a stone fabrication plant are focused on their tasks, surrounded by blocks of stone and machinery for processing.

32. Pieces are sorted in The Banker Shop

Workers in a stone fabrication plant prepare and sort blocks on pallets in a busy workshop, with machinery and tools visible in the background.

33. Pallets of finished stonework are sorted in the Banker Shop

And then, just like that, without warning, out we popped into what has to be one of the largest ‘bone yards’ the world has ever seen. It really was like stepping out into another world, and really served to impress on Kelley, Kris and I just what a colossal operation US Stone have built upon the remains of an old abandoned World War Two military aircraft station. For not only was the building chock-a-block with state of the art stone fabrication equipment, the surround area was covered with an assortment of huge blocks of stone … and these virtual moutains of waste material. Which, by the way, Kyle assured us would all be repurposed in some way or another – into road bed, or crushed into powder. Nothing would go to waste – which I thought was most commendable. We all thought that, and who wouldn’t?

A stone yard featuring heavy machinery, including two excavators and a front-loader, surrounded by piles of stone debris and a sign stating 'NO METAL NO WOOD NO TRASH'.

34. The Truly Huge Bone Yard is loaded onto trucks

Two yellow excavators working in a large stone yard filled with piles of stone debris.

35. John Deere Country.

Industrial dust collection system at a stone fabrication plant, featuring large metal ducts and a purple dust collector machine.

36. The Biggest Dust Extractors I’ve Ever Seen

A person wearing a green hard hat observes a large stone yard with several piles of stone and gravel in the background, along with stone slabs in the foreground.

37. Kris Cooney takes in the highest Jagged Peaks in Kansas.

The scale and scope of those strangely exotic looking ‘slag piles’ take some time to come to terms with. Just how many blocks and blocks of stone went into their making? The sheer height alone is something else, but … there are just so many of them! Impressive, indeed.

Three individuals wearing hard hats converse in a stone yard with piles of stone materials in the background.

38. Kyle, Kris and Kelley discus matters during our US STONE Fabrication Plant Tour.

Four individuals wearing hard hats engaged in conversation at a stone fabrication plant, with stacks of stone materials and machinery in the background.

38. Kyle, Kris and Kelley discus matters during our US STONE Fabrication Plant Tour.

A group of four individuals wearing hard hats stand in an outdoor stone fabrication yard, discussing the surrounding stone slabs and materials.

40. Kelley takes pictures as Kyle and Kris look on.

A large stone yard filled with stacked stone slabs and blocks, with machinery in the background.

41. The Vast Panorama of the Stone Yard defies photography.

It is difficult to exagerate just how enormous the stoneyard is – stretching off into the distance and taking up all of what was presumably at one point the aircraft taxiing area. Huge flatbeds, that I have seen many times rolling down Council Grove Main Street, were hauling off ton after ton of finished product with conveyor belt efficiency. I’ll never look at one of these flat beds quite the same way again.

A busy stone yard at a fabrication plant, showcasing stacks of stone slabs and blocks with trucks and heavy machinery in the background.

42. A Stream of trucks haul away vast amounts of finished stonework.

View of the US Stone fabrication plant, showcasing the exterior stone yard with stacks of stone blocks and the entrance to the plant.

43. The Tumbling and Chopping Shop.

Three workers handling wooden pallets in a stone fabrication plant, with equipment visible in the background.

44. Workers go about their business in the very wet environment of the Tumbling and Chopping Shop.

Our tour was rapidly drawing to a close now, as we entered perhaps the roughest, toughest and in winter almost certainly the coldest shed …. Kansas? I mean, all that water. The noise. The crashing of giant splitters and mean-looking machines chomping down on cold, hard stone. And all the while, the constant tumbling, grumbling clatter of the tumbling machine in the background, made this a challenging environment in which to work. So, well done to those who face up to the challenges and get the job done, day in, day out. Think about that the next time you see a tumbled rock, a split-faced paver or ‘rusticated’ block of stone.

A worker operates a forklift in a stone fabrication plant, moving blocks of stone near cutting machinery and stacks of finished stone.

45. A worker carefully manouvers his forks under a delicate slab.

A large Komatsu wheel loader parked on a construction site, showcasing its massive front bucket and heavy-duty tires. In the background, additional machinery and a blue truck can be seen under a cloudy sky.

46. One of man huge bucket loaders and giant machines.

A man stands next to a white truck outside a large industrial building, with smoke stacks visible in the background.

47. Kelley’s broad smile was reflected by myself and Kris as we head out after our US STONE Fabrication Plant Tour.

~ ~ ~

And with that, the tour was over. What a great tour it was, too. Kyle was a super tour guide and kept us informed and interested throughout the 90 minutes or so that we estimated we were there. But in a way, it all went so quickly. It was fascinating to see such a sleek operation performed on such a vast scale. Nothing prepared me for the size and scope of US Stone’s fabrication plant, and I’ve seen a few in my time. But this one is surely bound for great things and the company prepares to expand and increase their reach into the national, and international, dimension stone business.

Kelley, Kris and I wish them all the success that will surely come their way.

~ ~ ~

Discover more at https://usstoneindustries.com/

~ ~ ~

US Stone Fabrication Plant Tour: In 47 Pictures

~ ~ ~

Thank you for visiting martincooney.com

~ ~ ~

/\/\@r|i/\/

~ ~ ~

~ \ .

\]

I'd love to hear from you, but I do block all spam.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.