The spark of creation flashes to life deep inside a stone mine. There, the highest quality quartz in the world glints and gleams, already spectacular in its natural beauty. The clarity is beyond anything the eye could imagine but when it comes to the quartz bound for Cambria for countertops, only the best will make the cut. Loaded onto trucks bearing the dragon crest, this stone is only at the beginning of its journey. It is not until the fleet reaches its destination in tiny Le Sueur, Minnesota, that the true artistry begins, when nature meets innovation at the hands of Cambria’s world-class craftspeople.
To walk into Cambria’s state-of-the-art facility is to witness a wonder. The technology, the science, the cleanliness, the hum of dedicated people: this is a revolution in the age-old craft of stone countertops. Cambria has certainly mastered the science of stone, but—make no mistake—in this exceptional workshop magic happens each and every day.
From cutting to polishing, the stone is slowly transformed. Nowhere is that more evident as when a slab moves through the polishing stage. Like artisans perfecting gemstones, Cambria’s craftspeople soften the grit of the stone with each successive polish, coaxing out the natural luster of the quartz. With every pass, its innate brilliance shines more deeply, revealing a beauty that is not only pleasing to the eye but also—because quartz is one of the hardest minerals on earth—incredibly durable, suited to everyday wear and tear. The science of Cambria cannot be fully appreciated until each countertop is put in place; the moment when the stone slabs come together in a perfect fit. That magic is possible thanks to painstaking on-site laser measuring completed before a single cut is ever made. Any imperfections in the space (undulations in the wall or a tight and irregular corner, for instance) are carefully accounted for to ensure that every slab fits like a glove. Perfection in an imperfect world: it’s a refreshing mantra that Cambria craftspeople adopt not just as a motto on a plaque but as their guiding philosophy.
Cambria is the epitome of what a family-owned and -operated company should feel like, from the unflagging spirit of cooperation and unwavering commitment to quality right down to the names of its designs. “Cambria” from the Welsh word for Wales (“Cymru”) pays tribute to the Davis family’s Welsh heritage. The designs and their names celebrate the rich natural abundance of Great Britain’s landscape and geology. It is those inspirations that have lead Cambria to create the most beautiful, innovative, and durable designs in the industry.
Bringing that originality home to the United States takes innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, and the desire to strive continuously to improve and forge exciting new design directions. The result is a history of firsts, like Cambria Matte®, which pairs the unrivaled stain-resistance and longevity Cambria is known for with a matte finish that evokes the subtle sheen of time-worn marble. It’s the perfect example of the intersection of art, craft, and science; a testament to the dedicated artisans who guide each design along its path from quarry to finished slab.
Quartz may be the most abundant natural material on earth but there’s nothing common about crafting a Cambria countertop. Thanks to a family legacy of bold vision and exacting standards of quality, it’s an unparalleled natural stone surface that is as hard-wearing, stain-resistant, and easy to live with as it is easy to love.