Few companies in the stone industry have a history as interwoven with global supply, craftsmanship, and long-term performance as Marble Systems. For more than four decades, the business has shaped how natural stone and premium surfaces reach the North American market. And according to Michael Greco, Sales Manager and a long-time industry veteran, the story begins with a simple premise: bringing high-quality Turkish stone to the United States, then building an entire system around how those materials are specified, installed, protected, and maintained.
Mister Greco describes Marble Systems as the distribution arm of Marble Systems Tureks Turnuc Madenclik, a major factory group in Turkey. Over nearly 50 years, the company has evolved into a vertically integrated operation with quarries, manufacturing, and distribution aligned under one umbrella. Today, Marble Systems supplies an expansive mix of natural stone, porcelain, handmade ceramics, terracotta, glazed brick, thin brick, and waterjet-cut designs. “We’re immersed in almost every aspect of our industry,” Greco says, “other than commodity-grade porcelain and ceramic.”
Greco’s role in the company is involved in the Sales and Marketing of Marble Systems products throughout the United States from developing new products and merchandising programs to supporting the nationwide sales team and our wholesale customers. “It’s pretty much every facet of the business,” he says. “Getting products to market, helping customers understand them, and making sure we stand behind what we sell.”
A Market in Motion
When asked about what’s selling today, Greco emphasizes the company’s global reach. Most of Marble Systems’ natural stone still comes from its own Turkish quarries, but the company also sources from 17 countries, including Italy, Spain, Portugal, China, and Tunisia. On the porcelain side, production is focused in Italy and Turkey for porcelain tiles, terracotta tile, thin brick, and waterjet cut materials, and many in-house specialties.
Despite a volatile few years marked by tariffs and currency fluctuations, Marble Systems has remained resilient. “The industry in 2025 is a diverse and complicated marketplace. “Greco says. As the dollar weakens and import costs rise, many suppliers have seen sales drop dramatically. But Marble Systems’ position at the mid-to-upper end of the market has helped them grow. “Our sales are up about 10% this year. Higher-end residential and Commercial work is still moving.”
Greco notes that the luxury market, large custom homes, and high-profile commercial projects remain strong, even while more cost-driven segments have slowed. “If you look at good, better, best, the ‘good’ category is in free fall. The mid-range is holding. The upper end is still positive.”
The System Behind Every Successful Installation
One theme appears consistently in Greco’s thinking: stone is not just a material, it’s a system. And that system only performs when every stage, sourcing, installation, protection, and maintenance, works together.
“Sixty to seventy percent of what we sell is natural stone,” he explains. “And with natural stone, you need the best installers, the best installation materials, and the right cleaning and sealing products. That’s what gives you long-term value.”
Greco is candid about where things go wrong. The biggest failures come not from the stone itself, but from cutting corners. “Low price is still low price,” he says. “If a contractor skips sealing or uses the wrong cleaner, you’ll see staining, efflorescence, grout discoloration, and customers come straight back to the stone supplier.”
That’s where FILA’s role becomes indispensable. “Sealing natural stone is paramount, and FILA has fantastic products in both water-based and solvent-based formulas,” Greco says. “They help us deliver long-term durability, because if anything goes wrong, the customer comes to us. FILA fills that void and helps ensure every installation succeeds.”
Technical Support That Makes a Difference
For Greco, one of FILA’s biggest strengths is its technical service team. “We rely on those people every day,” he says. “When there’s a problem, and someone needs a quick answer, they’re responsive, knowledgeable, and they help us navigate the right products for the situation.”
He stresses that natural stone can be sensitive, especially if treated improperly. “You have to be careful with what you clean and seal it with,” he explains. “FILA has the variety and depth of products that really work.”
Training plays a major role in preventing issues before they start. Marble Systems holds regular sessions with its sales team, often bringing FILA to those meetings. Typical topics include efflorescence on new installations, stain prevention, and how to choose between water- and solvent-based sealers depending on the material. “There’s a recurring theme in the problems people face,” Greco says. “And FILA is the most responsible and quickest to help us solve them.”
Innovation in Surface Care
Greco has also been quick to adopt FILA’s latest technologies, including anti-etch treatments for countertops, a category Marble Systems is expanding into with natural stone, quartz, and quartzite. “Countertops are under a microscope,” he says. “Anti-etch products are going to be a big part of helping us grow our slab business.”
He’s equally enthusiastic about FILA’s developing slip-resistance technology. “Architects ask about the dynamic coefficient of friction all the time,” he explains. “Flat is flat. A shiny surface isn’t inherently more slippery. What matters is how moisture interacts with it. FILA’s new product that increases DCOF is really going to help, especially in commercial settings.”
His Go-To FILA Products
When asked which FILA products he recommends most, Greco doesn’t hesitate. For cleaning, PS87 tops the list. “It’s absolutely terrific,” he says. “Residue, problem areas, it works really well.”
For more severe issues, FILA’s gel cleaner is his “nuclear option,” used carefully with test areas. For everyday maintenance, he recommends DETERDEK and a full suite of neutral cleaners.
On the sealing side, Greco relies on FOB and MP90. “Those are the ones we spend the most time with. They work, they’re proven, and we use them consistently.”
Stone Projects That Demonstrate the System at Work
Marble Systems’ portfolio includes high-end residential and commercial work nationwide. Greco highlights a current project in Jackson Hole using 17,000 square feet of a new Turkish marble called Red Bordeaux, as well as the iconic black-and-white striping at The Mark Hotel in New York. Across these projects, FILA has played a role in protecting and preserving the installations over time. “The stone can only do so much,” he says. “If it’s not protected, we’re all rolling the dice.”
A Partnership Built on Trust
For Greco, FILA is not simply a supplier, but part of the Marble Systems ecosystem. “When we design a collection, we think about the entire system,” he says. “Stone, installers, sealers, cleaners, it all has to work together. FILA helps us ensure our customers get the results they expect, not just on day one but years later.”
Marble Systems manufactures much of what it sells, but when it comes to third-party partners, Greco says the bar is high. “We vet everyone carefully. FILA is a great partner for us in the United States, North America, and worldwide.”
And with the industry continuing to shift, from emerging materials to changing retail models, Greco believes one thing will remain constant: “Good people who understand the product, the application, and the maintenance are what make this industry move forward. Partners like FILA help us make sure that happens.”
