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The world has known of the quality of Portuguese marble from the time of the Romans. Today Portuguese stone is still in high demand around the world. And despite the current downturn in the construction industry this sector has seen steady growth. The Neto family recognized the potential for Portugal's marble and granite sector early on. Two generations ago they founded the company Granetos - Mármores & Granitos. Today it remains in family control under the supervision and ownership of Raul Neto. When Raul Neto took over the business from his father in 1965, Granetos was serving the local market and was unknown on a global scale. Only 10 years later, Granetos had customers as far away as the United States, the Middle East, Hong Kong and Japan. These markets are still the company's most important ones and the Neto family is looking forward to future growth in these areas. Neto remarks that though finding new clients in faraway markets is a challenge, it not necessarily the biggest one. "It requires a lot of persistence but the work really comes in once you find the client," he explains. "When the connection is made, it has to be nurtured. This is done through visits, and always maintaining open lines of communication." The steady market growth experienced by the sector comes not only from the beauty and solidness of marble and granite but also the material's cost-competitiveness. In Portugal, these stones are fairly easy to extract, reserves are still large, and modern technology has made it easier to extract and transport. Years of good relationships with some of the biggest names within the stone industry around the world - and especially in the highly demanding and competitive Japanese market -- show that Granetos knows how to take care of its clients. The company strives for life-long relationships. According to Neto, maintaining this loyalty is simple: always fulfilling customers' needs, providing them with high quality, giving them a cost-competitive price and delivering on time.
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