About Turley International Resources

The TIR Massage Stone Division was formed to become a basalt rock supplier in the massage stone industry, taking advantage of 30+ years experience in the field of specialty stone sourcing and supply. The principles of the company are Laurence and Mark Turley, with Chris Turley recently joining the team as the Director of the Massage Stone Division. The conduct of the business is the same as it has been for more than two decades, and includes a number of industrial, decorative, and specialty stone product lines.

From 1992 to 2003 alone, the principals processed more than 25,000 tons of exotic beach pebbles from around the world for different purposes, not realizing that these very stones were being utilized in the spa and massage industry under the name Mexican beach pebbles, or basalt massage stones.

It was sheer coincidence when Laurence's wife, Clarree, went to get a massage and noticed some familiar black stones and inquired as to what they were, and why were they in a treatment room. When she was told that they were used for hot stone massage, she smiled, took a few to Laurence, and explained what she had found. After looking on the internet, they both couldn't believe the exorbitant prices that were being charged for these stones by some, or the number of retailers out there that were misrepresenting their products and selling inferior grade stones at what seemed to be a ridiculously low price. Having been in the industry for decades, Laurence knew that when it comes to basalt stones, you get what you pay for, and that he could put together different stone configurations for a reasonable price.

With his supply and industry knowledge, Laurence sought out experts in the massage therapy field who had extensive experience training spa and massage personnel how to use heated basalt stones when providing a full body massage as well as a hot stone facial, manicure / pedicure, and reflexology treatment. These experts helped configure each stone set to possess the right quantity, size, shape and surface quality to perform each of the treatments mentioned above. They also provided a number of manuals and videos to help each purchaser of a TIR Massage Stone set get the education they need to safely and effectively perform a hot stone massage while understanding the medical contraindications in doing so.

TIR massage stones are volcanic in nature and are sourced from the beaches of Mexico as well as certain regions of Chile. Before being used in the massage industry, these stones were only being used as decorative accents based on their beautiful aesthetic qualities, such as shape and color variety - reds, beiges, greens, and of course their famous dark gray (or black when they have oil on them). They are now selectively picked through by hand at the source, shipped to our facility in Arizona, and then sorted again to provide the smooth surface quality needed to be placed against a clients skin. Approximately 15-20% of the stones that we harvest from the source make it into our stone sets, with the rest being used for other applications. Once the stones are sorted, they are thoroughly cleaned and packaged in preparation for shipment. There is no other company or entity that is better suited to provide the volume and quality of these products, as TIR has a very strong market for all of the beach stone it can source and therefore has the luxury of being more selective than others can afford to be.

Everybody involved is very excited about providing great products along with timely, consistent, and a high level of service to the industry. It is also inspiring to know that these special stones will be used to improve the quality of life for those who know how wonderful it is to receive a hot stone treatment. Please visit our massage stone wholesale page for more information on wholesale opportunities. You can also browse our site for a display of our full product line. We look forward to working with you!