Polycor Grows With Georgia Marble

TATE, Ga. – Georgia Marble Co., a long-time stone producer in the Southeastern U.S., is now part of Quebec-based quarrier and distributor Polycor.
In a press conference at Coverings this March in Orlando, Fla., Polycor General Manager Jean St. Onge noted the deal now makes the company the second-largest supplier of structural dimension stone in North America.
Polycor acquired Georgia Marble from Imerys, a French minerals producer. In restructuring its Dimension Stone Division (Specialty Minerals Business Group) earlier this year, Paris-based Imerys sold its Central Granite facility in Elberton, Ga., and closed the Nelson, Ga., marble facility.
Polycor now retains the existing employee base at the Tate plant with the name (Georgia Marble – Dimension Stone) under a license agreement with Imerys. The move continues Georgia Marble’s 130-year presence in the U.S. stone market.
Patrick Perus, former head of Imerys’ Dimension Stone Division, is now president of Polycor’s Dimension Stone business in the United States. David King, previously regional sales manager under Imerys, will continue his management position with Polycor. Jay Kown will once again head Georgia Marble Memorial Sales.
“Polycor has an ambitious growth plan to improve overall competitiveness of the business. It also has the best expertise in North America to help us improve our operations. With the strong synergies between our new Georgia Marble Company – Dimension Stone and Polycor’s existing business, we will have the ability to offer customers a broader product line, including Polycor granites,” says Perus.
“Structural marble from Georgia will also be widely available through selected partners in the United States specialized in the fabrication of custom-made monuments,” he adds. “We are all very excited about this new opportunity to further the long tradition of Georgia Marble.”