Page 14 - Demo

14|decemBer 2022
Cochise Marble – A Surprise in the Arizona Desert
SlIppery rock GazeTTe
The Klump family purchased the quarry and created the Arizona Marble Company. Matt then built a partnership with Josh and Marco to launch Cochise Marble, LLC. Matt is an integral part of the opera- tion. “We’re all active in this quarry,” says Marco. “We all work together.”
Bringing the quarry back to life took about two years. “We knew that there was an investment for us to work our way into this quarry,” Marco recalls. “Once we decided we were ready – and that was about eighteen to twenty-four months into it – the investment was in place, we had all the right equipment, the right personnel – that’s when we went to market.”
But starting from scratch is an uphill climb. “Did the projects just come flowing in? No,” says Marco.
“We have to go out there. Hence the rea- son that Camden is working for us in mar- keting and merchandising.”
After a few years building their inventory and forging new networks, the company now has traction in commercial projects. Business is steady, and Cochise marble will be part of a four-year long, commer- cial project that will be the company’s largest contract to date.
An Ethos of Efficiency
“One thing to say about Matt,” says Camden. “He is the one who really instilled the idea of using every single piece of marble.”
Please turn to page 15
Continued from page 1
The crew operates with a light touch on the landscape with goal to diligently use all materials extracted from the land.
Cochise County, named after the revered Apache Chief, has derived much of its prosperity from ores and minerals. The area has been home to gold, silver, cop- per, lead, and zinc mining. These metallic deposits were formed when molten magma melted its way through older sedimentary layers. Fluids circulating through the hot rocks concentrated the metals, which even- tually solidified into veins within the rock.
The heat from the magma had another effect — it warmed up the surrounding rocks, causing localized changes that are too small to appear on most geologic maps. Near the crest of the Chiricahua moun- tains, the Escabrosa limestone was heated and recrystallized, changing it from a sed- imentary rock to a metamorphic one, and transforming 300-million-year-old marine limestone to a white marble of rare quality.
‘Are you sure that’s from Arizona?’
Camden Mueller, marketing manager for Cochise Marble, recalls a common occur- rence. People look at our stone and say, “Oh is this Italian?” Camden recalls one anec- dote at a trade show, when he explained the stone is from Arizona. An onlooker exclaimed, “I live in Tucson! There’s no way. That’s impossible.” Camden is accustomed to having to explain the unlikely stone, having done it many times before. “So I showed her a video. I said, ‘No, here it is, look! I promise I’m not pull- ing your leg.’”
Josh Gonzalez, a co-owner at the com- pany, picks up the story from there. “I think people expect more of the brown colors that you see out here. They’re like, ‘Oh, it’s Arizona, western, it’s the des- ert, there’s no way there’s marble.’” Josh describes the frequent questions: “‘Is that 100% marble?’ And we’re like, ‘Yes, it’s 100% marble.’” Josh breaks into a laugh as he replays the conversation.
“Are you sure?” “Yes, I’m sure.” “Has it been tested?” “Yes, it has.”
The element of surprise is an obvious source of pride. It hints at the uniqueness of the quarry and the commitment of the company to bring Arizona marble to a mar- ket that might not expect it.
‘Let’s start digging’
Marco Gonzalez is involved with stra- tegic planning for the company. He’s also Josh’s uncle. Marco has logged more than 30 years working with stone. “I love it every day,” he says. Marco, Josh, and Camden shared the story of the origins of the quarry, beginning in 1908.
Josh muses, “Sometimes you wonder, like, back in 1908 who said, ‘Oh, right here. Marble. Let’s start digging.’”
The original quarry operated for around thirty years, and like so many historical quarries, it shut down, sitting idle for over six decades. In 2002, a local businessman and cattle rancher named Matt Klump set his eyes on reopening the quarry. At the time, the quarry was owned by a family in Texas, who didn’t even realize they owned it. Josh explains, “Matt approached them and said, ‘Hey – you guys own this quarry.’ And they’re like, ‘We own a quarry?’”
Arizona’s desert landscape is famous for its shades of the sunset. Cliffs, canyons, and mesas of russet orange and tawny brown have become icons of the American Southwest.