INDUSTRY NEWS tell them you saw it in the showroom. Another feature is a section showcasing Florida Tile’s ‘Thinner’ tile. Although primarily thought of for commercial appli- cations, there are definitely areas well suited residentially as well. “San Antonio has warmly wel- comed Florida Tile,” she conclud- ed. “We look forward to being a great partner to a wonderful city and its people!” The Stephens Group buys Pearl Abrasive Pearl Abrasive, producer of high- quality abra- sives, diamond cutting tools, and equipment for welding, con- struction, tile and rental industries across the U.S. and Canada has been acquired by The Stephens Group, a private, family-held investment firm based in Little Rock, Ark. The deal was finalized on May 5th, and will allow Pearl to maintain its reputation as a trusted partner to the industries it serves while expanding its offerings and services. For over 80 years, The Stephens Group has partnered with com- panies to help them grow and achieve their strategic and long- term objectives. Recognizing the great potential of Pearl, as well as the strong leadership team in place, they acquired all of Pearl and its subsidiaries. Clay Hunter, managing director at The Stephens Group, knows the business well, having worked with Pearl for nearly a decade. “I’ve seen first-hand the Pearl team’s relent- less focus on providing innovative, high-quality tools and equipment. We are committed to supporting Pearl as they continue to meet the needs of their various segment cus- tomers and continue to introduce new products, including one-of- a-kind items that help customers save time and money.” From its start in the 1960’s Pearl has continuously identified and introduced key new products that improve efficiency and effective- ness in a variety of end markets. These products include the ver- The “bling” display in Florida Tile’s San Antonio Showroom shows Glamour and Precious, two new tiles introduced at Coverings 2017. The 3,000-sq.- ft. Florida Tile showroom in San Antonio has many unique aspects that help custom- ers “get a better visual impression of what a finished job might look like,” said Florida Tile’s general manager, Bonnie Bennett-Smith.