Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Akron police investigate teen mob attack on family
Man found hanging at playground in Stow
Family is proud of late son's gift
Man shot in back near Akron park
Robbery suspect's body left at Akron hospital
Varejao's $50 million deal isn't really $50 million
FBI asked to investigate attack on white family near Firestone Park
Woman, 75, charged with beating fawn to death
Blogs:
Pets:
Zeke, the basketball playing dog
The Heldenfiles:
HTTP Error 403
Patrick McManamon:
Dwayne Wade says no to Cleveland
Akron Zips:
Opponent outlook: Kent State
Browns Bulletin:
Quick thought on Browns rookies
Tribe Matters:
Now is no time to quit
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth test showed marijuana
Kent State Sports:
Men's Basketball Scheduling update
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Andy’s Signed According to ESPN
All Da King's Men:
Baby Got Barack !
Blog of Mass Destruction:
As California Goes?
Akron Law Café:
Why do public officials violate Ohio Ethics Laws?
Varsity Letters:
Report: Ontko selects Wisconsin
See Jane Style:
Oh Baby!
Car Chase:
Where do We Go from Here?
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Closings….Not the Good Kind!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Margy inquires-when is a Taste of Hudson?
Sound Check:
LeVert II live performance Saturday night — "Dedication" album due July 13,
HRLite House:
DDI One of Best Places to Work
Akron Gamer:
Video game sales drop in May
Nation's only producer of natural quartz surfaces to spend $4 million on site; goal is to open in '08
By Paula Schleis
Beacon Journal business writer
Published on Thursday, Aug 23, 2007
One of the fastest-growing small businesses in America intends to open a plant in Portage County next year.
Cambria, the country's only producer of natural quartz surfaces, announced this week it will spend $4 million on a site in Kent.
The Minnesota-based company has purchased a building at 1510 St. Clair Ave., where it will install quartz fabrication equipment.
A company spokesperson said it was too early to say how many jobs would be created.
The company's natural quartz surfaces are used for countertops, shower and tub surrounds, vanities and flooring.
The 75,000-square-foot site in Kent also will make custom furniture tabletops, fireplace surrounds, desk tops, coffee and end table tops, wet bar areas and window sills.
In this month's edition of Entrepreneur magazine, Cambria was ranked fourth on a list of the ''Hot 500'' fastest-growing small businesses in America. Cambria sales grew from $2 million in 2002 to $100 million last year, according to the magazine.
''We are excited to open ma jor operations in Ohio, bringing new jobs to the Kent area,'' said Cambria's vice president of sales, Tom Annexstad. ''The strong local economy makes Kent an ideal location for our $4 million facility.''
Cambria is a privately held, family-owned company with more than 500 employees. It was founded in 2001 by the Davis family, which has been making cheese for more than 60 years and is one of the largest suppliers to Kraft Foods, according to the company Web site.
The quartz facility in Kent will serve Ohio and western Pennsylvania. In addition to Kent and Minnesota, Cambria has operations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina and Toronto, Canada.
The building it has purchased in Kent has housed other manufacturers in the past, most recently Penn Engineering, which made a variety of fasteners.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com.
One of the fastest-growing small businesses in America intends to open a plant in Portage County next year.
Get the full article here.

