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SOLID NATURE

SolidNature is among the biggest players in the field of natural stone. The world is its playing field, with recent projects such as the Qatar National Library, the Fondazione Prada in Milan, the Yves Saint Laurent catwalk in New York and the Parnassus Tower on the Zuidas. The company's uniqueness: never saying no, tackling every challenge with a smile. "We are the new generation - fearless, passionate and open-minded."

Online Editor: Natasha Hendriks
Text: Bart-Jan Brouwer

One-stop-shop

Onyx is a very exclusive material, which was still little used in the Netherlands, while there was definitely a market for it. SolidNature saw opportunities, also given the difference between the asking price of the quarries and the market price. The Aalsmeer-based company began as a wholesaler of natural stone and gradually developed into the one-stop shop it is today. Since onyx is a fragile type of stone that breaks into a thousand pieces if handled incorrectly, SolidNature took production in-house. To do so, it invested in the most innovative equipment, including 3-D machines that can create any shape the customer desires from large blocks. For the same reason, it also started doing installation, project management and maintenance itself. Thus, the company now has responsibility over the entire process and can guarantee the highest quality. "The genesis of SolidNature is thus not the standardized story of many stone suppliers: from father to son, dust in the hair, next to a machine," says major shareholder David Mahyari. "We do not have dust in the hair, but above all, our company does not consist of legacies from previous generations. At the same time, that is our strength: we are the new generation - fearless, passionate and open-minded. We are not indoctrinated by lessons from the past about what can and cannot be done. We experiment on what the past has taught us, then we push boundaries to create a new standard. We are new, doing it our way, a different way."

World's first

That other way can be sketched by a few examples. For example, SolidNature drew the first pool ever made entirely of onyx. That was the client's wish, because onyx is a transparent stone that you can illuminate from the back. But nothing like that had ever been done before. Stone suppliers worldwide informed him, "Forget about it, won't work. Because you're not only dealing with a fragile type of stone, but also with electricity, water, chlorine... SolidNature, however, was willing to take on the challenge and spent a year and a half experimenting, involving world leaders in materials research. "We didn't close that door," Mayhari emphasizes. "That says something about our identity: we don't like to say no."

The best building material

SolidNature works closely with architects and interior designers, but in recent years it has also become more and more of a consumer brand. This is partly due to Instagram, whichinspires people by seeing all the possibilities and unique materials, and more and more end users visit the showroom. There, by the way, much more is shown than just onyx. By now, the company works with six hundred types of natural stone, and the goal is to have eight hundred in a few years. "Those who know us know us mainly for onyx. There's almost no project in which we don't use onyx, even if it's just the back wall of a toilet. But the most commonly sold material is basic cream marble, and other eye-catchers are then requested. For example, the floor in quiet cream marble combined with a kitchen worktop of quartzite or a wall of onyx. You can't have eye-catcher on eye-catcher." What not everyone knows: natural stone is not only an exclusive product and a treat for the eye, it is also the best building material available. "We approach each project as a signature project, offering the highest level of service and quality controls possible, to achieve the result the customer envisions." In addition to its headquarters in Aalsmeer, SolidNature has branches in London and Dubai. Last March, a new office in New York was to be added, but due to corona it was postponed. That expansion fits completely with David Mahyari's plan, "I would like to further expand the brand internationally to become the first global brand in natural stone."

Masters #44

MASTERS #44