1991

In 1991, a young man by the name of Shaun Roberts, aged 16, began working in his father’s stone manufacture and installation business.  Shaun’s role was to repair small chips and cracks in newly installed benchtops, however he was often requested by other manufacturers to repair their damaged installations as well.  He quickly recognised a need in the industry for stone restoration and repair services.

In 1992, Shaun aged 17, purchased a Ford van and started a ‘one man’ business on the Gold Coast called The Marble Man. At that time diamond abrasive and sealing technology was developing at a rapid rate in the United States yet it wasn’t being widely used in Australia.

Shaun began using this new technology to polish and repair stone benchtops damaged during the installation process and found that it produced amazing results. Over many years Shaun tested and developed a variety of methods for polishing and repairing stone surfaces and the need for his services grew rapidly.

In 1998, the original Ford van was replaced by a bigger Mercedes van.  As the workload grew over the next 4 years, so did the need for The Marble Man to expand its capacity to meet the natural and engineered stone restoration needs of the Gold Coast community.

2002

In 2002, The Marble Man hired its first casual employee, and by 2003 another 3 casuals had been employed. Team members were trained specifically in the technical skills needed to meet the stone restoration needs of the local area. Customers were seeking the services of a professional and experienced stone restoration business to maintain their stone care needs.  Natural stone installed in many prestigious homes built years earlier, now required repair, repolishing and resealing due to wear and tear.  New, high-end homes with newly installed marble benchtops and floors also required repairs and sealing.

The Marble Man had evolved into a successful and profitable business, that required leadership, management, procedures, more staff and equipment to service its growing database.  Shaun and his team dedicated many hours to ensuring that The Marble Man’s reputation for quality service could be maintained. They not only ensured they had the latest equipment and technology, they focused on customer service.

In 2003, Shaun realised The Marble Man had the potential to become the biggest and most successful stone restoration business in Australia. He made a sound investment and engaged the services of a business coach to assist him to step away from the technical tasks and begin working ‘on the business’ rather than ‘in the business’. He used the information and knowledge he gained to set short and long term goals, improve his marketing techniques, create and implement procedures, establish a client database and shift his focus to managing.

2005

In 2005, more equipment and vehicles were purchased to service the region, which now extended from the Gold Coast to Byron Bay and north to the Sunshine Coast.  Team members were wearing professional uniforms and a dress code and behaviour standard was implemented to ensure that the image of The Marble Man matched the excellent technical and 5 star customer service it was becoming recognised for.

As well as managing the growth of the business Shaun also needed to keep up to date with technology to ensure that The Marble Man remained at the forefront of stone restoration in Australia.

He and his team regularly attended trade shows and liaised with product suppliers. They tested new products and methods and came up with solutions to complex problems that no one else was able to resolve. Regular training was carried out with technicians to ensure that techniques were being executed correctly and that consistency was being maintained.

With a total of 6 vehicles, more equipment, more team members and the need for a larger office space, The Marble Man had outgrown its home based office. An industrial factory was purchased in Arundel on the Gold Coast and the business moved to accommodate its growth.  This location was ideal for team members who were now regularly travelling between the Gold Coast, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

2024

From 2012 to 2021, more technicians and administration staff were employed and trained to service our growing customer base. The Marble Man also invested time and money into developing a custom made data base program, to replace a paper based system.  Technicians were able to access all job notes on site using an i-Pad rather than printed notes. Keeping up to date with computer technology to manage our large customer base and job load, as well as advancements in stone restoration, has enabled us to provide our customers with a more professional, streamlined and personal experience.

Today, in 2024, The Marble Man has 20 vehicles and 25 staff. We now have technicians permanently based on the Gold Coast, in Brisbane, on the Sunshine Coast and in Sydney, servicing suburbs throughout South East Qld, NSW and the ACT.

From a ‘one man band’ to a professional market leader, The Marble Man is the largest stone restoration company in Australia.  Our business continues to grow due to its reputation for providing quality customer and stone restoration services. The business has become a successful, professional operation and a respected and trusted name in stone polishing, repairs, sealing and cleaning.

Over the past 30 years, our team has maintained a customer focussed approach, adapting our systems to suit the ever changing needs of the community and the stone industry.  Into the future we will continue to ensure that our customers remain our priority and that our services are delivered to the highest standard.