New Historic Documentary on Natural Stone in the Works

UMG Toledo (UMG), one of the industry’s largest natural stone distribution companies, announced today that they will be working with the Marble Institute of America to produce a major new documentary that memorializes the global historic relationship between mankind and natural stone. Funding for the documentary will be provided by UMG. The 35-40 minute documentary will be based on a creative concept by Mr. Manu Shah, founder and CEO of UMG. The documentary will trace the evolution of mankind and stone from prehistoric times to today’s thriving use of natural stone as one of the premier decorative building materials used in commercial buildings and homes around the world. Mr. Shah commented, “Natural stone has played an instrumental role in the advancement of civilization over thousands of years. In developing this documentary, we look forward to working with the MIA to further expose both the historical significance of natural stone and the continued impact the natural stone industry has on all of our lives.” Bill Levy Productions, Inc. of Beachwood, OH, which has produced MIA video programs for almost a decade, will work with the MIA-UMG team to create the program. The documentary will premiere at StonExpo in Las Vegas, January 2013. “We are thrilled with the opportunity to work with Manu Shah and the rest of the UMG team on this historic project,” said Gary Distelhorst, executive director of MIA. “Our goal is to create a video documentary that is entertaining, educational and compelling. In his outline proposing the production, Mr. Shah has done a remarkable job of laying the groundwork for visualizing the story.” To develop the program, sound bites from a wide range of experts will be blended with images to create a visual montage showing how stone emerged from being a necessary part of prehistoric man’s tools of life, to his major source of shelter. Finally, the production will describe how natural stone captured the imagination of the design community in the 1990’s, creating a world-wide boom for stone usage in kitchens, baths and other parts of the home, an explosion that has created a worldwide industry employing millions of people and one of the few industries supporting rural regions of the world. Production will begin with a series of video interviews this month at Coverings. Founded in 1975, UMG is a leading distributor of flooring, countertop, wall tile and landscaping products. Headquartered in Orange, California, UMG also maintains 13 distribution centers across the United States and Canada. UMG’s product line includes granite, marble, travertine, slate, limestone and other natural stone products imported from over 36 countries on six continents. In addition, UMG carries an extensive offering of porcelain, ceramic, glass and quartz products. The company imports over 18,000 containers per year and maintains an inventory of over 50 million square feet. For more information on UMG.