GlobalTech Architectural Stone

About Us:  Our Story

 

     GlobalTech Architectural Stone was formed in 1999 as Solana Architectural Stone in San Diego California out of a need to source quality architectural stone. Before that, Mike Morris began working as a landscaper back in the 80's and 90's when he became a CA contractor. Being the son of a fourth generation mason, he embraced stone features and really enjoyed building custom yards and swimming pools in San Diego's coastal North County in his early 20’s. He used a lot of cantera and travertine from Mexico on his projects. From Del Mar to La Jolla, Rancho Santa Fe to Solana Beach and Carlsbad, they were all his backyard to learn his skills first hand working on high-end masonry projects.

 

    The projects often involved many types of high-end architectural stone features. Mike was winning coveted design and construction awards and began primarily focusing on stone featured projects. His success in construction and several other related industries allowed him to travel the world looking for stone artists. He eventually took his son Sebastian to quarries and factories around the world, just as his father did with him.

 

     Exploring the world and learning about "the art of natural stone", it's intrigues and details, it's processing and manufacturing, it's dangers and history, inevitably sparked a passion for the romance of the entire industry. He was hooked.

 

     Issues with sourcing natural stone from questionable stone suppliers was a regular problem. These issues became real problems and were out of his control. Eventually they began to reflect badly on his growing reputation. Stone suppliers had difficulty getting the details correct, or were just plain dishonest.  As an honest and skilled businessman, he needed to find a more consistent and secure channel for his products and he did just that.

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Stone Risk:

Risk is part of the allure and romance of the stone and masonry industry and why it's desired so highly. Paying large amounts of money to have beautiful works of custom stone made for a passion project goes back to the times of the pyramids and the colosseum. Architects and designers do what they do, they often specify finished stone features that require a team of highly skilled stone artists craft difficult to make unique products out of dense natural materials in far off countries using stone quarried in other countries. The connection to that difficult struggle of making this creation happen is the basis of the centuries of romance and the intrinsic value each of our artists creations as we bring it to the table to be inspected by an inspection team looking for any flaw or imperfection before it can leave the factory and begin it's trip headed to you. 

 

    At that point our packaging team sets to work, preparing each piece of stone up for a trip around the world. The office team supporting it logistically prepares all the paperwork and oversees your order all the way, up to to point of getting it delivered to the jobsite on time, in one piece and all within budget.

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No quite finished:

 

   Then you are trusting someone with a truck full of tools and years of experience to get it all installed correctly, up to your and our specifications.

 

That's a little bit about what we do, and we do it very well. 

 

As an education, you might want to read and educate yourself about a few of the various issues Mike has came across that seem to be inherent to the stone industry in general. 

 

    Clients that Mike supported over the years all required a higher standard. In the early years Mike found that a majority of the suppliers offered substandard products and service, he got frustrated as were his other industry associates. He saw an opportunity.  He sought to develop better methods of supplying stone for his clients projects and ended up becoming one of the most respected stone suppliers in Southern California supporting other peoples projects. He opened a Solana Beach showroom and began importing stone. At first it was rough, but it got better. Eventually he had real experience and set up showrooms and offices all over. He trained and educated masons all over the country to hang heavy stone.

 

    At one point, he had a showroom and distributors in Abu Dhabi UAE who were distributing his products to the Dubai market. His experiences and skills grew as he strived for perfection and expanded. He watched on as large stone companies, his competition did it badly, and over years, he effectively did better himself.

 

   Through all this, he saw himself falling in love with the stone industry as he continued on that path. It’s history, craftsmanship, international challenges and versatility all created an allure unlike any other. As a standard, he will not contract with a factory unless he has personally met the owners and managers, inspected everything from machines to safety procedures to interviewing the employees. He is not satisfied until he has toured and inspected every aspect of the company and it's team. This ensures that the entire system is connected and within his satisfaction.  He inspects factories for one specific reason, other than price and quality, he will not work with companies who do not treat their employees with respect and dignity. Housing and basic human needs must be met before he will issue a contract to them. His associates tend to respect the moral and ethically high standards her requires. He believes they give him better service for that reason. 

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Brokers: (Slick Sales Guys)

A stone broker is a rep that is selling products for a stone company or two or three. They typically don't know anything about the stone they sell or the factory, they don't how to spot design issues, CAD drafting requirements, material details, manufacturing capabilities of the factory, the project details that cause problems, the logistics,  stone installation requirements, or the skills required to make a difficult job happen. Brokers typically get some quick online training and put out a lot of quick prices based on incomplete take offs. Stone brokers are very risky for that reason.

 

   Sometimes broker prices are cheap or very expensive. Problems come up much more often when dealing with a broker. When problems come up, and problems usually do, brokers are extremely difficult to rely on to rectify problems due to the lack of experience, training and project understanding.  Once they are paid, they are gone. They are like car salesmen. Do you ask your car salesman to build you a car, install it then fix it when it has issues? The question should be -  Who do you get mad at when all this is not getting done properly and problems start to pile up? Blame them, or yourself for thinking that the savings you would realize would be worth it. We have experienced seeing brokers upend entire jobs before, in very bad ways.  

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Here is Experience - A large cathedral we bid on back east and lost to a broker, was delayed 8 months and sent $100K over budget, all because an architect client went with a broker that was 5% less expensive who overpromised and underdelivered. When the problems cam, they were no here to be found. The client called us to help bail them out. 

 

     Mike started working with stone as a teen, that was over 35 years ago, and to this day continues to develop the company and it's capabilities. Teaching masons how to install architectural stone is a passion he has. Hanging a 1000 lb. keystone on a 20' tall front door surround takes some skill.

 

    As you will see, Mike has managed to expand into other fine finish specialties and is now fully capable of handling any type or size stone job that's offered. ​

 

     GlobalTech Architectural Stone can now source the highest quality products from the best artists in the world. Artists located in a half dozen countries. We can source over 450 types of granite, limestone, travertine, marble quartzite, stone and cantera. Not to mention we manufacturer 150 types of Semi-Precious Stone in slab or architectural forms!

 

You now have access to tens of thousands of slabs and blocks that are currently in inventory and artists that can create anything you desire. 

 

       Over the years, Mike and his associates have completed hundreds large-scale luxury projects, hotels, estates, chateaus and casinos all over the world, from Asia to the Middle East, to Europe and North America. As an experienced mason, Mike and his team can work with specialists to properly install most of the stone he sells without any issues. On larger projects, the factory itself will often handle the entire project from measuring to final installation, making the GlobalTech system a seamless one-stop-shop supporting our highly respected clients needs and dreams.

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​ How?

       Over the years, Mike developed long-standing relationships with the architectural stone industry's top craftsmen and manufacturers.  Research and travel to factories is how it's done. He has toured over 150 factories in a dozen countries so far. This dedication takes time and money to develop. After all that he found a handful of top producers with the experience, equipment and integrity to work with. These 10 elite manufacturers are the best in the world at what they do. They own and operate their quarries and facilities in each of the following countries and support Mike in any way they can:

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Mexico - France - Italy - China - Turkey

 

Give us a call so you can get us your plans to bid for you. 

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Their projects, are our projects, and visa versa!

 

We can now offer you anything that's needed for your commercial or residential project:

 

• Dimensional Stone

• Hand Carved Stone

• CNC Cut and Routed Stone

• Waterjet Cut Stone

 

Professionally crafted from:

 

Marble, Travertine, Cantera, Granite, Limestone, Quartzite,  Onyx, Basalt  and Semi-Precious Stone

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Fountains

Columns

Mantels

Kitchen Hoods

Tile and Slabs

Site Furnishings

Hotel Lobby Floors

Door and Window Surrounds

Moldings and Medallions

Statuary, Sculptures and Art

Fountain Balls

Monuments and Signs

Tubs and Sinks

Semi Precious Stone Features

Product Manufacturing Services

and More:​​