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Accesorizing Spaces: Construction Materials' Shopping Experience

Isaac Azkenazi - Mármoles Arca
Sales Director

STORY INLINE POST

Wed, 11/01/2017 - 17:46

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Q: How has the construction explosion impacted the marble and luxury finishes sector in Mexico?

A: Natural stones were not commonly used much outside of bathrooms and entrance floors. But since the construction industry has steadily grown, using marble in a complete house or building is not uncommon. The selection of natural stones used to be narrow but as the construction industry grew, Mármoles Arca grew with it. We now stock an immense variety in stones and finishes from all over the world. Ninety percent of our natural-stone catalogue is imported, amounting to 200 containers monthly, from over 25 countries including Italy, Brazil and China; the remaining 10 percent is Mexican.

Fifteen years after being founded, Mármoles Arca has sold more than 20 million m2 of natural stone and created the most developed commercial infrastructure in this sector. We have set a benchmark in Mexican construction, an industry that employed almost 600,000 people and had a production value of about MX$35 billion as of May 2017, according to INEGI. Working and understanding architects has enabled us to introduce new products into the Mexican market, enter new markets throughout the country and start exporting. Hotel and residential sectors are the most important for us as they acquire most of our marbles and woods through our store, The Woodshop. Office buildings also use these products but usually in small amounts.

Q: What is unique about the company’s business strategy and what has made the company so successful?

A: We face an inflection point – it is time to change the experience of buying construction materials. Natural stone is a commodity and although Mármoles Arca offers a higher quality of stones than our competitors, that is no longer enough. We are innovating in the market by creating a shopping experience. Our company has moved away from dusty warehouses that doubled as stores. We have showrooms and design centers where between 80 and 90 different stones are on display. Mármoles Arca has successfully turned its marble stores into boutiques and construction materials into accessories.

Design Center Toreo, our new 6,000m2 showroom, displays over 250 products including rare dark-room translucent stones. We want to promote artistic and cultural events in these showrooms as part of our shopping experience. To easily address architects’ needs, Mármoles Arca created a color chart that contrasts various marbles instead of paint colors and a software that helps clients visualize their projects. We add value through unique shopping experiences, decorative finishes and a diverse offering of unique stones to differentiate ourselves. This helps us gain the momentum we need to thrive in our markets.

Q: What products and services does Mármoles Arca offer to the Mexican market?

A: Mármoles Arca focuses on design, selling and sometimes cutting the materials depending on the customer’s needs. Our company has two main divisions: projects and retail. In projects, we assess what architects want in their developments to procure products, ideas and finishes they need. If a hotel project requests 40,000m2 of marble, Mármoles Arca delivers the order cut in the shape and size the hotel requires so that the installer only needs to place the product where needed. This is more cost-efficient than selling stone panels as it reduces product waste. Remaining close to architects and developers enables us to deliver adequate solutions for major developments.

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