MEDIA PRESS RELEASE: AGB Opens NZ’s First Zero-Silica Stone Factory

AGB Nelson Zero-Silica Factory Opening

Keeping Families Safe: AGB Opens NZ’s First Zero-Silica Stone Factory

Industry leader calls on major players to join the move

AGB, the largest stone fabricator in New Zealand, has spent more than 15 years instigating safer processes to mitigate the risk of silicosis. Now it is taking that commitment to the next level with the opening of the country’s first zero-silica engineered stone fabrication factory.

The family-run business with 150 staff, was the first to phase out high-crystalline silica products, in 2023, resulting in suppliers being required to provide low-silica alternatives. This was followed by being the first introduce zero-crystalline-silica engineered stone last year.

AGB is making another bold move to combat the lung disease silicosis, by today officially opening a purpose-built zero-silica factory, in Nelson – believing it is the way of the future and gives peace of mind to staff and their families.

“This is the evolution of safety in our industry,” Cam Paranthoiene, co-owner of AGB Stone, says. “It will mean no reliance on respirators, no silica dust and no fear workers will get lung disease from harmful dust when there is zero silica. They can come to work knowing they are safe, and their families know they are safe.”

Opening the factory in Appleby, Nelson, today, Nelson MP Rachel Boyack said she was delighted to welcome AGB to the region.

“I want to congratulate AGB for investing in a new factory and products that have significantly improved safety standards for workers. It is also fantastic to have more jobs created in the Nelson Tasman region, especially after the difficult winter our region has faced.”

AGB has led the industry to make positive steps without the need for a total ban on engineered stone, such as the one that took effect in Australia last year.

“We could see that the industry couldn’t rely on workplace controls that were hard to police, but we have always felt any ban wasn’t necessary if there was an alternative,” Cam says. “As the largest fabricator we needed to take the risk on behalf of our industry and drive safer substitutions that delivered on quality and safety.”

Within the first year, zero silica makes up approximately 60 percent of AGB’s engineered stone Better Benchtops orders – but to continue that momentum, Paranthoiene believes it is now up to the might of corporate customers.

He is calling for major industry players including large-scale developers and aged care, “big box” and group home builders to do the right thing and specify zero for benchtops for kitchens, bathrooms and commercial premises for new builds and refurbishments.

“The transition to zero can happen, if more corporates start using it, if every day New Zealanders ask for it. The industry says it supports zero – now is the time to specify it. If they do there will be no need for a ban, because there won’t be enough demand for any other product. We can do this through market choice rather than regulation.”

It is a stance Boyack endorses: “It is inspiring to see a company like AGB leading the way, and my hope is that more companies will follow their example. Consumers and customers need to be doing better in terms of the products that they use.

“This is ethical business decision making in operation, and I think that's something that we should all be supporting as leaders, but also as a community.”

As the demand evolves from low to zero, Paranthoiene hopes to transition all of AGB’s five factories to zero silica in its engineered benchtops. Meanwhile, for Nelson customers wanting low-silica, their Better Benchtops orders will be fulfilled out of AGB’s Christchurch factory, using state-of-the-art wet cutting machinery in conjunction with rigorous health and safety processes.

It is those safety measures that give AGB staff peace of mind, coupled with robust testing to ensure low-silica can be produced safely. Paranthoiene cites results from recent tests of the Auckland factory to attest to the safety levels: “WorkSafe regulations state a safe level as .05 [substance per cubic metre of air] – with an actionable level of .025. Our latest Auckland monitoring was .003 – nine times less than actionable – or basically negligible.

“But there are still fabricators who are not up to standard – we know because their staff come to work with us and tell us about those conditions. One of our team moved his family the length of the country because he wanted to work with someone that valued their safety. We are a family run business – our three sons work here. We want to keep our families safe.”

Paranthoiene and his wife Christine had an “a-ha” moment last year when they were researching zero silica products, and talked to Australian workers using them. They have always prioritised physical health and safety, but realised mental wellbeing was important too.

“They told us that working with zero was fantastic, that they don't have to worry anymore. ‘Our families don't have to worry about us anymore, it's like a weight’s been lifted off our shoulders’.

“We’ve got 150 staff and we are responsible for them and their families, this is really important to us. We’ve proven zero silica works. It’s safer for our families, better for our customers, and good for New Zealand. Now we need the rest of the industry to come with us.”

About AGB:

AGB is owned by Cam and Christine Paranthoiene, with seven factories across New Zealand – Auckland, Waikato, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Christchurch, Central Otago and Nelson. It specialises in granite, marble, ceramic, acrylic and engineered stone, and employs more than 150 people across New Zealand. The country’s largest and only national stone fabricator, AGB offers zero-silica through its Better Benchtops brand.

About AGB Nelson Factory:

The Appleby factory is managed by Cam and Christine Paranthoiene’s son Will Paranthoiene, who was previously factory manager at AGB Auckland. There are currently seven staff, this is expected to grow to 15. The site recycles the factory water for reuse in slab cutting or in its gardens. Workers polish benchtops safely without masks – a powerful demonstration of what Zero silica means in practice.