About
Granite, turned since 1987.
A Chennai workshop that began by making monuments and vases for Holland and Canada, and now turns columns, balusters and monuments for architects, builders and temples.
- Established
- 1987
- Workshop
- Sholavaram, Chennai
- Team
- 15 craftspeople
- Projects
- 13 (10 India, 3 abroad)
- Tallest piece
- 10 m hollow column
- Minimum order
- None
Monuments and vases for Holland and Canada.
In 1987 Universal Granites started in Chennai making Japanese-style monuments, and vases, for customers in Holland and Canada. That first work was turned stone: round, repeatable and exact. It is still how we think about every piece.
The journey, revision by revision.
- A1987
Founded in Chennai. The first work is Japanese-style monuments and vases for customers in Holland and Canada.
- BGrowth
The lathe work widens into columns, balusters and architectural pieces for architects, builders, temples and landscape architects.
- CLandmark
A round hollow column, 10 m high, for Dr Ambedkar Eco Park in Lucknow: the largest and most demanding piece made so far.
- DOverseas
Projects delivered in Riyadh, Germany and the USA, every piece checked by hand and packed for the journey.
- EToday
Among the first names buyers call for columns, balusters and monuments, with a team of 15, some here for 15 to 20 years.
- FNext 5 years
CNC machines, for more accuracy and speed.
What was hard, and what got us through.
Difficulty
Funding the early years
How we met it
Finance was the hardest part of the journey. We got through it with Qardan Hasanah, an interest-free community loan.
Difficulty
Pieces that push the lathe
How we met it
The 10 m hollow column for Dr Ambedkar Eco Park is the most demanding piece we have made. We meet work like this by learning every day, updating our techniques and training our people in the best skills and practice.
Difficulty
Getting stone safely across the world
How we met it
Every piece is checked physically for cracks and dull polish, wrapped in EPE foam and stretch film, and packed in a wooden crate before it leaves.
What sets us apart.
Turned, not only cut
Round forms are turned on granite lathes. It has been our specialty since 1987.
Built to scale
From a single vase to a 10 m hollow column, the same drawing discipline applies.
No minimum order
One piece is as welcome as a full run of balusters or columns.
Colour matched
Send a sample and we match it, or choose from Jet Black to Vizag Blue.
Focused on purpose
We do not make idols or statues. We keep to turned and architectural stone.
Always learning
We update our techniques and train our people, and CNC is next.
Fifteen people. Some here for twenty years.
Our craftsmen stay. Several have been with us for 15 to 20 years, and we keep training the whole team in the best skills and practice and updating our techniques.
- Team
- 15
- Longest serving
- 15-20years
- 1The pieceChecked by hand for cracks and dull polish
- 2EPE foamCushions every edge and curve
- 3Stretch filmHolds the wrap tight and clean
- 4Wooden crateBuilt to take the journey
Who we work with
- Architects
- Landscape architects
- Builders
- Hotels
- Temples
- Monument exporters
- Monument undertakers
- Cemeteries
Next 5 years
CNC machines, for more accuracy and speed.
We are among the first names buyers call for columns, balusters and monuments. We intend to stay there by learning every day and adding the machines that let us do more, more exactly.
Have a piece in mind?
Send drawings, sizes and quantities. We reply with feasibility, stone options and a quote.