ISFA's Countertops & Architectural Surfaces Vol. 14, Issue 3

Smart Solutions for Fabricators

CREDITS

Editor:

Sarah Peiper

Contributors:

Reuben Hochstetler

Bill Moore

Frank Sciarrino

Dan Peter

Katherine Gifford

Ted Janusz

Nancy Busch

Steve Mast

Proofreader:

Marsha Jo Scott

Design:

V2 Marketing & Management

Printing and Distribution: LSC Communications

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE

Countertops & Architectural Surfaces (ISSN 2372-983X) is published quarterly by the International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA), with a fifth edition, a Buyers Guide, publishing in October.

Individual copies of Countertops & Architectural Surfaces magazine are available at the nonmember newsstand price of $14.95. Countertops & Architectural Surfaces magazine is also available by annual subscription (five issues) for $30.00. ISFA members receive a complimentary annual subscription with every membership renewal. Special rates and charges apply for orders outside of the United States. To subscribe, call (888) 599-ISFA.

For change of address, please include old label with new information, including both old and new ZIP codes. Allow 3-6 weeks for address change to take effect.

Countertops & Architectural Surfaces magazine is proudly printed in the United States of America. Copyright © International Surface Fabricators Association 2021. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without the publisher’s written consent.

Countertops & Architectural Surfaces magazine and the International Surface Fabricators Association assume no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. Materials will be returned only if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Opinions expressed by contributors in this magazine are not necessarily the opinions of Countertops & Architectural Surfaces magazine or the International Surface Fabricators Association, but rather those of the individual writers.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Photos in this publication may not depict proper safety procedures for creative purposes. ISFA and Countertops & Architectural Surfaces magazine support the use of proper safety procedures in all cases and urge readers to take steps to institute such procedures.

Photography/graphics provided by:

Amy Kyriazis

Andrews McMeel

Syndication

Better Vacuum Cups, Inc.

Bill Moore

Blanco

Caragreen

Carol Wilhite

Chris Pappenfort

Crystallyne

Durasein

Durat

ETemplate Systems

Fabricator’s Choice

Frank Sciarrino

GEM Industries

Hampton Products

International Corp.

Kanani Camacho

Karran

Katherine Gifford

Laminam

Laser Products Industries

McDermott Top Shop

Meganite

Mico Fence

Moraware

MSI

MYCON General Contractors, Inc.

Nancy Busch

Park Industries

Prodim

PWI

Quote Countertops

Samantha Winslow Slabsmith

SPEEDlabel

Staron

Stephen Alberts

Steve Mast

The Construction Industry Roundtable

Vicostone

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:

LSC Communications

c/o Countertops & Architectural Surfaces magazine 3401 Heartland Drive Liberty, MO 64068

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SURFACE FABRICATORS ASSOCIATION

FEATURES

28 Software, Templating & Technology Spotlight

Advancements in technology that aim to grow your business and streamline your workflow.

32 The Road to Profitability is Paved with Software

Perfect the sales process, win more customers and prevent costly mistakes with a digital solution.

34 ISFA Fabricator Profile: McDer mott Top Shop

For over 25 years, this W isconsin fabricator has been providing a top-notch customer experience.

Four Qualities of an Excellent Manager

Do you have what it takes to inspire and engage your team?

COVER PHOTO

Shaun Swainston of Multi-Surface Fabrications Ltd. uses the LT-2D3D Laser Templator by Laser Products Industries to digitally template and measure for new countertops in this residential kitchen. Photo

DEPARTMENTS

Work Smarter, Not Harder

My first job after college was as a production editor for a budding startup service that paginated pressready comics pages for newspapers all across the country. We would collect the content, which included hundreds of comic strips — Garfield, Peanuts, Doonesbury, Ziggy, Cathy, Dilbert — and other features such as puzzles, crosswords, horoscopes and advice columns. Then we would format the content for the newspaper’s layout and design. It was all done on a computer, but much of it was still a manual process.

Download the file, rename it, archive it on a server, place it on a page, copy, paste, format, save, upload. Rinse and repeat thousands of times. It was a lot of mouse clicks.

For some of it, we used software that helped us automate how the comics were collected and placed on the pages. Everything else — the puzzles and columns — was still being formatted by hand. We were a small team of only a few people, and as our client list grew, so did the work. It begged the question: how do we make room for more? There are only so many hours in a day, and we didn’t have unlimited staffing capabilities. I had the energy in my 20s to work 12-hour days, but it wasn’t sustainable. We were a lean machine, but could we be leaner?

I was fortunate to work under a tech-savvy, forward-thinking manager named David Ohman. He was perhaps the worst speller I ever met, but he sure knew his way around a computer.

David started looking at ways to automate the pagination of puzzles and columns. I’ll spare you the details, but with some clever programming, he developed processes that cut our production time by more than 75%. No more copy/paste! Huzzah! It eliminated a lot of the possibility for human error, and as you can imagine, accuracy is essential in the newspaper business — even in the comics pages. It was a turning point for the company.

“Work smarter, not harder!” he’d say with a wink and a smile. I’ll never forget it.

Because of David, I have always appreciated technology and what it can do for us. I love solutions that make our work and lives easier, enable us to do more with our days, be more productive and grow our businesses.

In this issue of Countertops & Architectural Surfaces, it’s all about working smarter, not harder. Business is booming across the construction industry, and there are all kinds of products and services out there that can help you improve the way you do business. Our software spotlight (page 28) offers a dozen different solutions that can streamline and simplify the way you work. There’s a great introduction to digital marketing (page 23), digital templating (page 25) and a piece on employing technology as a way to drive profitability (page 32). Even ISFA’s president, Steve Mast, has a perspective on what it can mean to your business if you accept the challenge of finding better ways to do things (page 50).

A few weeks ago, I bought one of those little robot vacuums, a Roomba, to help me keep up with the chores at home. Our German shepherd, Cora, is quite a shedder no matter how much I brush out her coat. Typically, I am vacuuming the house every other day.

This little robot is something else. As I write this, it’s scooting around the house, getting into all the spots I can’t reach with my upright vacuum. It picks up everything! While it is indeed saving me the chore of doing the vacuuming myself, it remains to be seen how much time it will save me since I end up just staring at it as it rolls along — mesmerized — watching while it works. Technology is amazing.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

ISFA Virtual Shop Tours (held monthly)

Sponsored by Park Industries TBD SHOP Online

September 8, 1-2 p.m. ET 888-599-ISFA www.ISFAnow.org

Global Health and Wellness Summit

September 9 Online www.greenbuildexpo.com (866) 815-9824

POLYCON

September 13-15 Salt Lake City www.polyconevent.com

Greenbuild International Conference and Expo

September 21-23

San Diego, Calif. www.informaconnect.com/ greenbuild Colorado Stone Summit: Key Pulse Points September 23 Aurora, Colo. www.naturalstone institute.org (440) 250-9222

The International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings (Cersaie)

September 27-October 1 Bologna, Italy (39 05) 3681-8111 www.cersaie.it

ISFA Mixer (last Thursday of every month) Online

September 30, 7 p.m. ET 888-599-ISFA www.ISFAnow.org

Marmomac 2021

September 29-October 2 Verona, Italy (39 04) 5829-8561 www.marmomac.com

NeoCon October 4-6 Chicago 312-527-7583 www.neocon.com

ISFA Virtual Shop Tours (held monthly) Sponsored by Park Industries TBD SHOP Online

October 6, 1-2 p.m. ET 888-599-ISFA www.ISFAnow.org

ISFA Annual Conference & Meeting Sponsored by GranQuartz, Park Industries, Infinity Surface, Crossville and Integra Adhesives October 18-20 Rancho de los Caballeros Wickenburg, Ariz. 888-599-ISFA www.ISFAnow.org

Arizona Stone Summit: Stone Shop Management October 21 Tempe, Ariz. www.naturalstone institute.org (440) 250-9222

Stone Fabricators Alliance Tradeshow October 27-30 Rio Grande, Puerto Rico www.stonefabricators alliance.com

ISFA Mixer (last Thursday of every month) Online

October 28, 7 p.m. ET 888-599-ISFA www.ISFAnow.org

Woodworking Machinery & Supply Conference and Expo (WMS) November 4-6 Mississauga, ON Canada 319-389-3352 www.woodworkingnetwork. com/events/woodworkingmachinery-supplyconference-and-expo

Texas Stone Summit: 12 Business Axioms November 18 Austin, Texas www.naturalstone institute.org (440) 250-9222

The International Contemporary Furniture Fair November 14-15 New York, N.Y. www.icff.com

North Carolina Stone Summit: Stone Shop Management December 9 Raleigh, N.C. www.naturalstone institute.org (440) 250-9222

Submit your event for consideration in Calendar of Events by emailing Editor Sarah Peiper, Sarah@ISFAnow.org.

AEC Daily Announces Strategic Partnership with Material Bank

AEC Daily, North America’s leading continuing education provider for construction, architectural, interior design and engineering communities, and Material Bank, the world’s largest material marketplace, have announced a strategic partnership. The two companies will collaborate to connect product sample ordering on Material Bank, directly within AEC Daily’s Continuing Education Unit (CEU) platform.

“Education is the cornerstone of the construction and design industry, and CEUs are a common entry point to brand and material discovery,” said Jeff Rice, president of AEC Daily. “This partnership with Material Bank will allow design professionals more efficient access to sample ordering.”

AEC Daily offers complimentary continuing education courses 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In an industry where technologies are constantly advancing, design professionals rely on AEC Daily to maintain their accreditation and keep them updated with new products and innovations.

With close to 400 brands and thousands of

The Construction Industry Round Table (CIRT), a national business trade association comprised exclusively of approximately 120 chief executives from the leading design and construction companies doing business in the United States and globally, has elected Greg Cosko, president & CEO of Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company, 2021-2022 chair of the organization. He succeeds Wassim Selman, president of Infrastructure at Arcadis. Cosko was elected during CIRT’s Annual Spring Conference

unique product SKUs on a single site, Material Bank facilitates smart, sustainable sampling. The platform is committed to working with AEC Daily to close loops and advance automated methods to support all aspects of the material selection and specification process.

“The easier we can make it for design professionals to discover, search and sample materials, the more we can streamline workflows for our brand partners, members, and the industry as a whole,” said Adam I. Sandow, founder and CEO, Material Bank. “We are proud to partner with AEC Daily to create greater efficiencies in the sampling process.”

“Brands represented by AEC Daily and Material Bank will be able to leverage their investments in both tools by increasing exposure and access to their CEUs and their samples on multiple platforms,” said Rice. “This is truly a symbiotic partnership, which will benefit countless stakeholders in the architecture and design community.”

in Washington, D.C., which also welcomed new directors.

In welcoming the new Chairman, CIRT President Mark A. Casso, Esq., National Academy of Construction (NAC) noted, “Again this year CIRT is fortunate to be able to tap into the knowledge, skills and passions of another outstanding leader from the design and construction industry, such as Greg Cosko. Greg brings a unique perspective to the issues facing our community that make CIRT such a special organization.”

The Construction Industry Round Table Elects New

IN THE INDUSTRY

U.S. Chamber Launches Nationwide Initiative to Address National Worker Shortage Crisis

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has launched America Works, a new nationwide initiative mobilizing industry and government to swiftly address America’s deepening worker shortage crisis.

“As we stand on the cusp of what could be a great American resurgence, a worker shortage is holding back job creators across the country,” U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne Clark said. “Together, we can and we must address our nation’s workforce challenges. When you lead the world in talent, you lead the world in solutions. With a highly skilled workforce, there’s nothing business cannot achieve and nothing we as a nation cannot do.”

Through the initiative, the U.S. Chamber is advocating for — and rallying the business community to push for — federal and state policy changes that will help train more Americans for in-demand jobs, remove barriers to work, and double the number of visas available for legal immigrants. And the U.S. Chamber Foundation is expanding its most impactful employer-led workforce and job training programs and launching new efforts to connect employers to undiscovered talent.

“This is Operation Warp Speed for Jobs,” Clark said. “We’re helping our members address the worker shortage by bringing the full strength of the Chamber’s advocacy muscle to this urgent crisis, expanding the Chamber Foundation’s most successful workforce programs, and mobilizing our nationwide federation of association and chamber partners to drive solutions that make America more competitive.

“The worker shortage is real — and it’s getting worse by the day,” Clark continued. “American businesses of every size, across every industry, in every state are reporting unprecedented challenges filling open jobs. The worker shortage is a national economic emergency, and it poses an imminent threat to our fragile recovery and America’s great resurgence.”

As part of the America Works Initiative, the Chamber is bringing the full strength of its unmatched advocacy muscle to this urgent challenge, introducing

the America Works Agenda: a suite of legislative and regulatory solutions at the federal and state level that would eliminate barriers to work for

Americans, invest in skills and job training, and reform America’s broken, outdated immigration system.

Through the America Works Agenda, the U.S. Chamber is calling for:

• Doubling the cap on employment-based visas, doubling the quota on H-1B and H-2B visas, and implementing other reforms to the legal immigration system to help employers meet demand for high-demand jobs in laborstrapped sectors.

• Growing federal investments in employer-led job education and training programs.

• Expanding access to child care for working parents.

“We must arm workers with the skills they need, we must remove barriers that are keeping too many Americans on the sidelines, and we must recruit the very best from around the world to help fill highdemand jobs,” Clark said. “One solution or the other will not get the job done: Only by addressing all three challenges can we address our nation’s workforce challenges.”

In June, the Chamber convened with thousands of business leaders representing every state to examine the workforce challenge, share solutions, rally support for the America Works Agenda, and flood inboxes and phone lines on Capitol Hill with calls for immediate legislative action.

View the full America Works Agenda at www.uschamber.com/america-works-policyrecommendations-address-the-jobs-gap.

Caesarstone Launches New CEU to Educate on Biophilic Design with Quartz Surfacing

In response to the increased demand for outdoor design and living, Caesarstone introduced a new Hanley Wood University CEU course: “Responding to the Increased Demand for Outdoor Living Spaces with Innovative Outdoor Quartz Surfaces” to train architects, designers, landscapers and other industry professionals on how to use quartz in biophilic designs. It is available for free through Hanley Wood University, the trusted online continuing education powerhouse where thousands of architects, builders, contractors, designers, remodelers and other construction professionals go to fulfill their continuing education and professional training requirements. Additionally, many professional associations — including the American Institute of Architects (AIA), American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC), Interior Designers of Canada (IDC) and International Interior Designers Association (IIDA) – have approved it for members to receive continuing education credit upon completion.

“The trend towards outdoor living and designing in residential spaces was already on the rise before the COVID pandemic,” said Elizabeth Margles, vice president of marketing for Caesarstone North

MYCON General Contractors, Inc.

announced the appointment of Malynda Dickinson, CPA, CCIFP as the company’s new chief financial officer (CFO), according to Charles R. Myers, MYCON’s president and chief executive officer.

“We are very excited to have Dickinson on board to lead us,” said Myers. “Dickinson’s success and experience as a CFO, her financial expertise, and her outstanding leadership qualities will be an invaluable addition to the MYCON team.”

Dickinson comes to MYCON with 15 years of financial and executive leadership experience. As MYCON’s CFO, Dickinson will be

America. “And, as one of the first manufacturers to offer outdoor quartz surfacing products, we recognized the need to teach the industry how and why to use quartz over other materials.”

The course explores why outdoor living spaces have become more popular over the past decade, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, and explores different design considerations for outdoor living spaces while showing how quartz can be used. It evaluates the sustainability properties and design options of outdoor quartz and provides a case study as an example. Upon completion, architects and designers will also understand performance measures, installation and maintenance guidelines for quartz surfaces in outdoor environments.

“As required for all CEUs, the course doesn’t mention the Caesarstone brand or products specifically, but rather addresses how and why professionals can and should use the material in outdoor projects,” Margles added. “What they’ll learn is that it’s perfect for any surface including countertops and backsplashes in an outdoor kitchen, outdoor dining furniture, poolside bars, decorative water features and so much more.”

To register and complete the course, visit www.hanleywooduniversity.com.

responsible for the firm’s financial management and accounting functions and directing the activities of the human resources department and information technology department. Additionally, Dickinson will manage the firm’s surety and insurance programs and provide guidance and direction for the company’s risk management program.

Dickinson earned two master’s degrees (accounting and business administration) from The University of Arizona. She holds a professional certification as a CCIFP (Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional) and CPA (Certified Public Accountant).

MYCON General Contractors, Inc. Names Malynda Dickinson, CPA, CCIFP, as Chief Financial Officer

New Service Predicts Resin Usage to Optimize Plant Operations

Predicting resin usage in a specific plant can be time consuming, difficult and inaccurate. A technology solution from Georgia-Pacific Chemicals (GPC), Customer Inventory Tracking (CIT), now tracks resin inventory and displays it via a web-based dashboard. The data is then used by GPC customers to optimize order profiles. Based on previous two-week or 24-hour usage, the system can suggest canceling, moving or placing additional orders as needed for optimal efficiency.

CIT works by utilizing the mill’s current digital level monitoring of its resin tanks. Data from the system is sent to Georgia-Pacific Chemicals where the data is transformed, based on that mill’s unique operations, into a dashboard that can be accessed on either desktop or mobile devices and only by designated personnel.

The system even allows scheduling upcoming downtime so orders can be adjusted accordingly far

in advance of the downtime. The Customer Inventory Tracking service, using data as recently as the last hour, can predict further out than the standard 12 days shown on the dashboard.

Optional features of the Customer Inventory Tracking System from GPC include email alerts for order cancellation, tank cycling, projected inventory going below minimum or to zero, or a bad tank sensor. The service can help a plant to reduce working capital, downtime, quality issues related to tank rotation, and costs related to rushed and/or canceled orders.

“The Customer Inventory Tracking service can be managed collaboratively or solely by Georgia-Pacific Chemicals,” said Jason Halmo, project manager. “Some customers might want us to handle the process entirely so they can concentrate on making product and growing their business.” For more information on customer inventory tracking, visit www.gp-chemicals .com/trucking.

Improve Workplace Safety and Productivity with Overhead Cranes

By Paul Hershberger

When most people think of a crane, they think of the giant cranes used to build skyscrapers or other tall structures. But have you considered that cranes can help lift heavy objects inside a building? These types of cranes are called overhead cranes. They’re used in many industries to move heavy loads safely and efficiently.

Many manufacturers and fabricators have a workspace that is holding back production. Overhead cranes can transform any workspace by improving efficiency and reducing worker fatigue. While there is an initial investment upfront, an overhead crane will help your company save costs in the long run and increase profitability.

So how do overhead cranes promote workplace safety without hindering productivity?

Overhead cranes are an efficient way of moving heavy objects from one area in a workplace to another. They are made up of a bridge that spans the work area, and a hoist that travels the length of

the bridge. This hoist is the muscle and does all the heavy lifting. Overhead cranes can often lift .25 to 2 tons, so you’ll be able to move heavy loads with ease. For fabricators, it means they can easily move slabs and other heavy materials.

Moving heavy material in the shop takes a lot of manpower. It’s manual labor that adds to worker fatigue and downtime in production. Workers’ safety is put at risk by having to carry loads by hand or use a forklift, and forklift accidents are all too common. Regardless, a forklift doesn’t carry loads as steadily and safely as an overhead crane, and it can take a lot of time to navigate a forklift from one area to another in a busy shop. It often takes two men and a forklift to do the work of a single workstation crane.

Overhead cranes require one operator, thus reducing the required manpower. Cranes can be operated remotely with a wireless radio control, making it easy to lift a heavy load with the push of a button. Workers won’t have to hunt down a forklift;

Stair Supplies uses this workstation crane in their glass plant.

they can just pick up a radio and get to work. While only powered cranes can be controlled with a radio, most overhead crane manufacturers have this option.

Many fabricators see the value in the investment of an overhead crane. Most overhead cranes are more affordable than you might think. It is an upfront investment that will save you costs down the road. A 10-by-15-foot, half-ton workstation crane costs less than $8,000 while a new forklift could cost two to three times more. While a forklift will need to be replaced after 10,000 to 12,000 hours, an overhead crane will not need to be replaced if proper inspections and maintenance are performed. Annual inspections for some cranes can cost as little as $200 per year.

“Our operators love the ease of use [of a workstation crane] and the enclosed festoon system is pretty great as well,” says Paul Jochim, a plant manager for a piping solution company. “The columns are very substantial compared to other systems that we’ve bought.”

Overhead cranes come in several different types so you will be able to get the appropriate one for your workspace. Motorized cranes are more expensive than manually operated cranes and depending on the workspace, the manual crane may be the better option.

1. Bridge cranes: These are the most typical overhead cranes for material handling needs. They consist of a bridge that is supported by a runway.

2. Workstation cranes: These are the most

EDUCATION CONNECTION

J.R.’s Metal uses a workstation crane for a specific process. This process is using a vacuum lifter to lift and move metal sheets onto a machine to be cut.

lightweight and economical option and can be installed in any workspace. These types usually handle fast, lightweight materials.

3. Jib cranes: This option makes it easy to hand off materials from one workstation to another because they rotate 360 degrees.

4. Gantry cranes: This type of crane is smaller and usually moves on wheels. It allows you to physically move the crane to different work areas.

Overhead cranes can cover a single workstation or several workstations, allowing loads to easily move from one area to another. You can add multiple bridges or hoists, so your workspace will be configured to maximize productivity. There are specific attachments that can be added to customize based on the task. One crane attachment, the horizontal slab lifter, has two jaws that clamp down on a slab. The attachment allows for easy lifting of a slab so fabricators can move it to the next production area.

You can also get a crane system as an assembly kit that you can install yourself, and you can be up and running in as little as two days’ time. A typical assembly kit includes four column posts, two runway beams, a rolling bridge, a hoist, a trolley, and electrical components (if motorized). Cranes are typically mounted onto a concrete floor. A crane manufacturer will work with you to provide drawings to ensure that your crane will fit in your space.

When it comes to looking at efficiencies and profitability, an overhead crane could be just the thing that takes your shop to the next level. C

Paul Hershberger is the Vice President of Sales for PWI. PWI has over 40 years of experience building overhead cranes that promote workplace safety and efficiency. For more information on how PWI can help you employ overhead cranes in your workflow, contact info@pwiworks.com or visit pwiworks.com.

If you’ve been keeping up in the news lately, you may have noticed an alarming trend in cyberattacks. Malicious groups that used to target large corporations like Target, Experian, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Honda and others are now turning their focus to small businesses. In early July, hackers targeted hundreds of businesses around the world who had one thing in common: They were all connected to a remote management software tool called VSA. Requesting over $70 million in bitcoin in exchange for a decryption tool, hackers brought networks of over 1,000 businesses — restaurants, dentist offices, small accounting firms — to their knees.

And in case you’re not convinced it could happen to you, in late June, McDermott Top Shop, a fabricator in Wisconsin, was the target of such an attack. It crept in through their IT support network and crippled most of their operating systems. It was able to lock up their servers and get to all of their onsite backups. They couldn’t fabricate for a week. Eventually they were able to restore their systems using offsite backups, but it didn’t happen overnight and not without a lot of stress, lawyers and cyber insurance coverage.

We caught up with Bill Moore, an expert in information technology, for a look at what’s happening and how you can protect your business from ransomware and cyberattacks.

C&AS: What is ransomware and how does it affect systems?

Bill: Ransomware is a specific type of malware

RANSOMWARE AND CYBERATTACKS: Get Your Business Out of the Crosshairs EDUCATION CONNECTION

By Sarah Peiper & Bill Moore

that encrypts the victim’s data or prevents access to IT infrastructure. Victims receive a decryption key after paying a ransom, which restores access to impacted data. Unfortunately, once a victim is infected with ransomware, it’s often impossible to restore access without a decryption key unless there is an error in the malware code. There were more than 65,000 successful ransomware attacks last year, and there is a new attack every eight minutes, making ransomware a real problem for companies of every size in every sector.

C&AS: What are the impacts of an attack?

Bill: While ransomware isn’t a new phenomenon — the first ransomware attack took place in 1989 — the cost and consequences of an attack have increased considerably, especially in the past several years. In 2018, the average ransom payment was just $7,000. The next year it reached $41,000. Today, companies can expect to pay at least $200,000 to restore critical systems, and, as a veteran ransom negotiator recently explained, “The numbers in 2020 were really bad, but, at the end of 2020, everyone looked around and said, 2021 is going to be even worse.”

To be sure, the FBI and many cybersecurity professionals discourage companies from paying a ransom, noting that it essentially serves as venture capital for threat actors, and it incentivizes continued bad behavior. However, rebuilding IT infrastructure from scratch can be even more expensive, putting victims in an impossible situation.

EDUCATION CONNECTION

Most threat actors operate with a financial motivation, meaning they don’t discriminate between targeting major corporations, small businesses, or even nonprofits and aid organizations.

At the same time, ransomware attacks come with significant opportunity costs that add to the expense. For starters, one survey found that 25% of consumers will stop doing business with a company after a cyberattack. The long-term reputation damage and brand erosion are difficult to quantify, but as consumers become increasingly concerned with data security, it’s a meaningful metric.

And on a localized level, some companies are unable to work for days or weeks, diminishing productivity in ways that are impossible to recoup even after the systems are restored.

C&AS: Why would hackers target small businesses?

Bill: Most threat actors operate with a financial motivation, meaning they don’t discriminate between targeting major corporations, small businesses, or even nonprofits and aid organizations. Recently, Colonial Pipeline and JBS, a prominent oil and meat supplier respectively, were impacted by costly ransomware attacks. However, nearly three-quarters of ransomware attacks impact small and mediumsized businesses or local utilities, schools and health care facilities. Small businesses often can’t commit the same level of financial resources as their corporate counterparts, creating potential vulnerabilities that threat actors are ready to exploit. These organizations are also less likely to invest in nontechnical measures, like employee awareness training, that can mitigate the risk of an effective ransomware attack.

C&AS: What are some outdated practices that businesses are using that put them at risk?

Bill: Perhaps the most outdated practice is perspective. Many small businesses assume that they are too small to be the victim of a ransomware attack, which leads them to be

apathetic about their defense strategies. More practically, some companies still install antivirus software and assume that they’ve secured their company against cyber threats. This “install it and leave it” approach will not keep a company secure.

C&AS: What are some solutions that you should have in place to protect your digital investment and your business?

Bill: Today’s companies face an expansive threat landscape that’s even more complicated by remote workers and hybrid teams. In response, all businesses have several effective strategies to guard against a ransomware attack. A zero-trust framework operates under the assumption that organizations should not trust anything inside or outside their on-site security perimeter. Zerotrust prioritizes authentication and granular system authorization, ensuring that the right people are accessing company applications at the right time and in the right way. Adopting this framework puts businesses on a firm defensive foundation, but there are other steps they can and should take.

Notably, phishing scams increased considerably during the pandemic, and these malicious messages are a prominent entry point for ransomware attacks. While spam filters and cybersecurity software can help detect phishing scams, businesses need to train their employees to identify and respond to these messages effectively, as some phishing scams will undoubtedly make their way into employees’ inboxes.

In addition, several low-tech best practices can minimize the risk of a ransomware attack. Good digital hygiene is the right place to start. Ensure that software updates are installed as soon as possible. Outdated software can contain coding errors or vulnerabilities that threat actors are ready to exploit. In addition, enabling two-factor authentication not only keeps account credentials secure, but it also may be the single best measure

EDUCATION CONNECTION

to significantly reduce the risk of a data breach. Taken together, businesses can develop layers of protection against a ransomware attack, decreasing the likelihood of a costly cybersecurity incident.

C&AS: It sounds like this is an ongoing development. How do businesses mitigate risk and stay ahead of it?

Bill: Cybersecurity in general and ransomware in particular are gaining a lot of attention right now. This is a good thing, and it will hopefully encourage more companies to take meaningful steps to secure their digital environment. However, businesses need to be mindful that an effective cybersecurity strategy isn’t a one-time decision. It’s an ongoing

priority that requires ongoing investment and vigilance to stay ahead of continually evolving threat trends.

Cybersecurity can be a complicated and discouraging topic, and it often feels irrelevant until it’s too late. Businesses should know that they have the power to significantly enhance their defensive posture without making unfathomable financial investments. Cybersecurity and ransomware defense isn’t something that any company should leave up to chance, but it’s also not a problem too big to solve. Follow the steps above to begin the process, and seek support from trusted third parties when needed.

Bill Moore is the CEO and founder, XONA, providers of a unique “zero trust” user access platform especially tailored for remote Operational Technology (OT) sites. Bill is currently working with global power generation and distribution customers to reduce their remote operations costs and cyber risks. Bill brings more than 20 years’ experience in security and the high-tech industry, including positions in sales, marketing, engineering and operations.

In today’s marketplace, if you’re looking to grow your business or even establish one, you can’t overlook the online opportunity. Your website is an online showroom, open 24/7, and you must treat digital marketing with as much priority as the tools and equipment in your workshop. The internet is a busy place, riddled with queries and questions and potential customers. Every day, there are more than 63,000 searches per second on Google, five billion YouTube videos viewed, 95 million Instagram photos posted, and more than two-thirds of the population access the internet on a mobile device.

The fact of the matter is, your potential customers are shopping online first, investing their time to research materials, designs, installers and more. If you’re not investing in digital marketing, you may be missing out on that powerful digital connection — the conversation starter that brings customers to your door. Your competitors are likely investing in digital marketing and showing up first online when customers are searching. See for yourself; search “granite installer” or “quartz installer,” and what you’ll see in the search results will give you an indication of whether you’re ahead of or behind the competition.

You’re an expert in countertop installation and growing your business with traditional methods, but you don’t need to be an expert at digital marketing to take your business online. There are agencies and freelance digital marketers specializing in your industry, and it’s not as expensive as you might think. In fact, you’ll likely realize a return on investment relatively quickly. Here are a few pointers to get you heading in the right direction.

For starters, if your website hasn’t been redesigned in more than three years, it’s outdated and overdue for a facelift. Your digital presence says a lot about you, and an outdated website could be turning off your customers. Is your website responsive,

EDUCATION CONNECTION

DIGITAL MARKETING 101: Capture Your Customers Online

By Frank Sciarrino

meaning does it dish a good user experience when users are on a mobile device? Remember, more than 60% of your traffic comes from users on mobile. Web developers are continually improving technologies and design, so it’s imperative your website is up to date to ensure a rich user experience by your potential customers. It’s all about making a good impression. Spend the time to find out what it is that’s most important to them. Content is king, and a good website should include various surfaces you provide, images of recent installations, stories about helping customers realize their dream project, and, of course, reviews.

And with a well-planned website comes a robust digital marketing plan. When you’re seeking an agency or expert to build your site, be sure comprehensive digital marketing is among the requirements. Here are some tactics to consider including in a digital marketing plan:

• SEO – Search Engine Optimization. It’s one thing to build a website, but it’s an entirely different endeavor to ensure potential customers find you when they’re searching online. Search engines use bots to scan pages on the web, going from site to site, collecting information, and creating an index. Then algorithms analyze the index, taking into account hundreds of ranking factors or signals, to determine the order pages should appear in the search results for a given query. How your website resonates within this index is the key to ensuring your site is a top result when someone searches for a business like yours.

• SEM – Search Engine Marketing. Augmenting. Augmenting SEO is paid search advertising based on specific search terms, like “best granite installer” or “quartz countertop installer near me.” SEM is essential in getting your business on the front page of google while you are using SEO to

Frank is a third-generation stone fabricator with over 20 years’ experience in the stone industry.

Currently, Frank is a managing partner of Quote Countertops and president of Granite Gold Services, Inc. He regularly advises fabricators and marketing companies across the nation to help drive more sales through digital marketing strategy and technology.

EDUCATION CONNECTION

organically rank. It’s the quickest way to get consumers to find your business when they are shopping for countertops online.

• Content. This might sound out of reach, but it is so much easier than you think. Content is pretty much telling stories about your business and expertise, whether in the form of blogs, pictures, videos, or all three — all using powerful keywords and frequent search terms. This content helps to convey the level of service you will provide to new customers. In addition to this content living on your website, it’s tied to your SEO strategy. Remember the scanning bots? The more relevant content you give them to scan — the keywords and search terms — the better you will index.

• Customer reviews. You’re proud of the quality of your work, so ask customers to post reviews on your site or third-party sites like Yelp. Additionally, it’ll pay dividends to monitor review sites regularly and engage with customers on those platforms. Comment back and thank them for being great customers. It’s a feel-good opportunity that others will appreciate. And sure, some reviews may not be as positive as you’d like, but how you respond publicly to those can help you win new customers. It’s all about creating integrity in how you do business, that you are customer-focused, in good times and bad. Remember, customers are searching first online before making purchase decisions, and that includes checking out reviews. They want to know the character of the company they plan to welcome into their homes.

• Mobile marketing. Mobile marketing is the promotion of products or services via mobile devices. Some examples include mobile advertising through text messages or advertising in apps. However, a comprehensive mobile marketing approach

also includes optimizing websites, landing pages, emails and content for an optimal experience. Is your website responsive? Remember, the majority of your customers are searching for you on a mobile device. If the user experience is clunky, they’re likely to move along to the next search result.

• Social media marketing. Social media marketing is a key component of digital marketing. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, LinkedIn and even YouTube are great ways to reach your customers and build integrity for your business. Campaigns often combine organic efforts with sponsored content and paid advertising promotions.

• Email marketing. Email marketing is an effective approach for sending personalized messages that target customers’ needs and interests. It’s a great way to stay top of mind with your consumers and keep them updated on any new products, services or special promotions.

• Web analytics. Analytics allow you to track user activity. Capturing and analyzing this data is important because it gives you insights into online customer behavior and their preferences. Where did they come from? How did they find you? Which pages did they click on? How much time did they spend on your site? Where did they go after visiting your site? It’s powerful information that can help you understand what is working and what isn’t. The most widely used tool for analyzing website traffic is Google Analytics. Digital marketing isn’t a daunting task, but it’s a must-have tool in your arsenal to grow your business. If you’re not investing in digital marketing, you’re already losing out to your competitors.

Get in the Fast Lane with a Digital Templating Solution

By Dan Peter, edited by Sarah Peiper

Whether it’s the labor shortage, supply chain ramifications, capacity or operational costs, businesses face all kinds of uphill battles when it comes to creating growth opportunities or even just keeping up with demand. With advancements in technology, there are certainly a few ways you can make your operations more efficient, increase profitability and up your capacity by allowing you to complete more jobs per week or even expand your services. The emergence of digital templating and fabrication offers a host of solutions that can keep you ahead of the game.

Increase Productivity

The average kitchen (60 square feet) can take an hour or more to template by hand depending on the complexity of the job. With a digital templating system, you can template the same kitchen in about half the time. Create cut-ready digital files in the field, email them back to the shop and move on to your next job. Slick, right? Productivity soars and you’ve just solved for at least some of the labor shortage you may be facing. No need for ladders or scaffolding to access hard-to-reach areas. Point-andclick templating from a single location reduces operator fatigue and risk of injury, too.

Reduce Consumables

There’s also a cost savings to be had. Manual templating requires an ongoing budget on materials such as luan, coraplast, glue, staples and more. A digital solution will help you template, fabricate and install correctly the first time (no remakes!) without the need for a lot of these materials. And let’s not forget the sustainability we’re all looking to achieve — this means less waste for the landfill, too. You can reduce gas consumption, emissions and your overall carbon footprint with the use of smaller, more fuel-efficient cars due to the compact design of digital templating systems and the elimination of cumbersome physical templates.

Tackle Complex Jobs with Ease

With a digital templating solution, you can let the software solve complex problems for you. It makes it easy to template curves, arches and other complicated designs, as well as capture imperfections and contours of walls for accurate measurements and installs. Select from several DXF files of sinks, outlets and more to add to your template. You can even add new DXF files to build your library. If there is no DXF file available, template it digitally — no problem.

Expand your business beyond countertops. Now you can template vertical or complex applications such as full-height backsplashes, fireplaces, windows, showers, balustrades, stairs and more.

Streamline Your Workflow

A lot of solutions will include the ability to create estimates, shop sheets, customer signoffs, contracts, saw pages, slab layouts and jobsite photos into one complete package that keeps all job information together. Eliminate paperwork, filing systems and other outdated processes and stay on top of the job with one comprehensive dashboard.

Making the Leap to Digital

You’re interested, but where do you start? Digital templating is the first step in the transition to becoming a fully digital shop, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating. While there is an investment to be made when going digital, the increased revenue and operational cost savings provide a quick return on investment. Often providers will offer flexible financing options, so the investment can be affordable.

There’s an entry point to a digital workflow for every kind of

EDUCATION CONNECTION

countertop template. Need to do a full height backsplash? Switch to a vertical plane and template the walls, no problem.

• Sinks and seams are a no-brainer. Remember the centerlines you added? Select the sink from a drop-in library or include a custom sink. Tap on those centerlines to add them. You can also add and identify seam locations.

• Separate seams made easy. Begin file prep for fabrication by separating the sections that will need to be fabricated. Sections will be separated by seam location along with the sections that were templated individually.

shop. All it takes is a first step: an open mind on how you might do things differently and the promise of how your business can benefit from the transition. Because once you have a digital templating system in place, you’ll wonder why you didn’t make the leap sooner.

The good news is you don’t have to make an entire sweep of change all at once. You can transition to digital at your own pace. For example, you can start by combining with a vinyl plotter as a first step to becoming more efficient and profitable at templating before going fully digital. Some software will allow you to import your templated file into the plotter and print out a vinyl template to arrange on a slab for manual fabrication. Mastering this part of the process makes the transition to a full digital process with a CNC easier.

What does the digital templating process look like? Here are some points of interest that just might convince you to make the transition:

• Existing cabinets or countertops do not have to be cleared or removed. Just set up your laser, select your line color, then point and shoot the cabinets. Use the auto-fillet feature to automatically connect corners as you shoot.

• Switch your line color to template walls and centerlines. Scribe walls to capture imperfections or intricate wall designs for accurate installation. Add centerline locations for sinks and other items, too.

• Calculate for overhangs, edge profiles and backsplashes with ease. What edge profile and how much overhang does the customer want? What height does the backsplash need to be? Enter the information into the program, including multiple profiles, and simply tap the corresponding sides to add to the

• Slab layout is a snap. With the separated sections, you can use the slab layout function to lay out and move each piece on a virtual slab for optimal slab usage. Just enter the slab size into the program and lay out the sections.

• Shop sheet and dimensions at the touch of a button. Easily pull up dimensions and square footage (segmented by type) for reference and estimates.

• Cross-functionality with CNC saws, yes please. If you have a CNC or are looking to purchase one, create a saw page that can output fabrication-ready files. With a fully digital operation, you can import your templated file into your CNC and let it do the rest.

• Generate estimates on the fly. Since it’s all customizable, estimates are based on your pricing structure, so everything is automatically calculated as you template.

• Go paperless. Estimates, photos, signoffs and email are at your fingertips. Take job site photos and include them with the template files, estimates and customer signoffs in one comprehensive file and email it back to the shop for fabrication.

Going digital doesn’t have to be a daunting move, from both a technical and fiscal perspective. The same fundamentals and experience from manual templating still apply with digital; they’re just executed in a different and more efficient way.

With continued labor challenges, rising material costs, and high level of construction and remodeling activity, the evolution of your company to digital can help you grow and sustain your business now and down the road.

Dan Peter is a senior marketing manager for Laser Products Industries, and he can be reached at dpeter@laserproductsus.com.

For more information on how you can make the switch to digital, visit www.laserproductsus.com.

SOFTWARE,TEMPLATING & TECHNOLOGY SPOTLIGHT

CounterGo by Moraware

Moraware is a SaaS company that designs and supports industry-leading software for countertop fabricators. CounterGo is a straightforward drawing and estimating solution that allows fabricators to become more efficient, accurate and professional. Systemize, our scheduling and job management solution, gives countertop fabricators the tools to streamline and organize job information. Since 2002, Moraware has helped countertop fabricators take their ineffective, multistep processes and streamline them so that selling, scheduling and communication are fast and easy. Today, Moraware has over 14,000 users in more than 2000 shops creating over 30,000 quotes and 30,000 jobs a week. Learn more about taking your countertop shop to the next level at www.moraware.com.

Countertop Marketing Company

Formerly known as Hey Remodelers, the Countertop Marketing Co. has helped countertop companies land more jobs from Google, Facebook, Instagram and anywhere your potential customers might find you online. It all starts with your website. Your countertop company needs a solid online

presence in order to turn website visitors into customers. Not a digital marketing expert? No worries. It’s a lot of work and it can be overwhelming. Countertop Marketing Co. has extensive marketing plans that handle everything so you don’t have to. They’ll communicate with you each week to provide progress updates and more. It’s an in-house marketing team feel that will help you grow your business, leaving you to focus on your customers. For more information, visit www.countertopmarketingco.com.

ETemplate Systems Featuring ELaser Xpress Templating

ETemplate Systems, the experts in digital measuring, are the makers of the ELaser Xpress Templating System. Powered by award-winning ETemplate Measure Manager software, templates are faster and easier, and the software provides seamless compatibility with all CNC machinery. The ELaser Xpress system features auto-start software, an industry-best, three-year warranty, enhanced speed averaging one second per point, accuracy of 1mm for a standard-size space, horizontal and vertical fine adjustment knobs, digital leveling, hand-held remote, rechargeable batteries with charger, and compact design with rugged case coming in at a very portable 13 lbs.!

These enhancements, along with automated countertop functions and new manual design updates within Measure Manager allow the user to create templates much faster than ever before. Set up, shoot your points, press enter and you’re done! For more information, visit www.etemplatesystem.com.

Hot Sauce Selling Software

Every day, you are introduced to upgrades and options, whether you are being asked to supersize your meal, get a wheel shine with your car wash or purchase the extended warranty on your TV. These offerings, called “Hot Sauce,” can enhance your purchase. The same holds true for countertops. Hot Sauce will dramatically improve your profitability with the most immediate earnings boost you can do for your company. The Hot Sauce selling software provides content, pictures and pricing so that every customer-facing employee will now become a salesperson. And, yes, it is that easy. In fact, field measurers will sell 50% of the Hot Sauce to your customers. Visit www.hotsauceyourtops.com to learn more about this powerful selling tool and why over 500 users are making more money every day.

LT-2D3D Laser Templator by LPI

The LT-2D3D Laser Templator is designed to be extremely intuitive — CAD experience is not required. The same fundamentals and experience from manual templating still apply in a digital approach, but they’re executed in a different and more efficient way allowing you to complete more jobs per week or even expand your services. Quickly shoot any horizontal and vertical job, and then finish your file with overhangs, edge and corner profiles, sink and appliance cutouts, backsplashes and much more all on-site. Send job site photos, estimates, customer signoffs and even CNC-ready files back to the shop directly from the job site to expedite the process. For more information, visit www.laserproductsus.com.

PHOTOTOP

5 by Fabricator’s Choice

PHOTOTOP 5 from Fabricator’s Choice just keeps getting better with added power capabilities. Functionalities include Auto-Create Miter Strips, Auto-Create Lamination, Auto Dimension On PDF Output and more. PHOTOTOP makes templating fast, accurate and the program is easy to use. Professional training and online support are available. Digitally integrate templating with office inventory and job management systems, as well as shop equipment. Additional software licenses are not required to expand PHOTOTOP 5 to additional templaters. Simply order additional ORGANIZE Field Kits, which include a laptop, camera and markers. The exclusive Organize On-site Tool provides immediate on-site confirmation and file delivery of the most highly detailed digital templates in the business. PHOTOTOP users enjoy constant upgrade options due to our ongoing R&D developments. For more information, visit www.fabchoice.com.

Proliner by Prodim

Countertops, backsplashes, bathrooms, stairs and more. All these beautiful things begin with an accurate measurement. With the Proliner measuring tool you create accurate, detailed digital templates in a matter of minutes. Measurements can be reviewed and changed on-site and exported as ready-to-use production files for CNC machines. Specialized Prodim Factory

software enables stone shops to manage, digitize and improve their daily business processes. The latest improvements enable users to design their projects while making use of views in 2D and 3D. The software will help prevent mistakes beforehand by alerting the operator when problems occur, like the collision of solids. This allows for eliminating all uncertainty before installment. Measurements can be reviewed and changed on-site and exported as ready-to-use production files for CNC machines. Specialized software packages enable stone shops to manage, digitize and improve their daily business processes. Connect field, office and production using only one platform. For more information, visit www.prodim-systems.com.

QuickQuote by Crystallyne

QuickQuote Countertop Software from Crystallyne makes quoting, drawing, scheduling and laying out countertops easier and faster than ever. It features a uniquely intuitive interface that creates a fully-labeled scale drawing side by side with every quote. Its flexible pricing system offers multiple pricing methods so virtually any material can be quoted, and it provides the option to customize items and services to fit a particular business.

Quotes can be printed alongside the drawings on a single page, exported to a number of different formats such as PDF, and transferred directly to QuickBooks. The built-in schedule provides a place to keep track of everything from fabrication to installation, and the internal slab inventory lets users lay out the parts on the slabs for more accurate material counts. For more information and a free trial of QuickQuote, visit quickquotecountertops.com.

Quote Countertops

Quote Countertops is a web-based visualization and instant quoting software that reshapes how consumers shop and buy kitchen and bathroom renovation projects. This sales and marketing software generates and captures consumer leads and transforms a company’s online presence into a 24/7 e-commerce platform by putting the power of design, visualization, online shopping and instant quoting into the hands of consumers. The software can also transform the current sales process to reduce time and increase efficiency. The software is fully customizable, with nothing to download or install. It is accessible by all devices and screens, and is easily integrated into traditional and digital marketing promotions and social media platforms. For more information, visit www.quotecountertops.com/landing-quoting-tool.

SIDE-SHOT by Park Industries

The SIDE-SHOT Digital Slab Station by Park Industries provides fabricators the tool to capture slab images right at the machine with an extremely small footprint requirement. The SIDE-SHOT incorporates Slabsmith Lite software for vein matching and 3D rendering. The equipment allows the user to capture high dimensional accuracy of digital slabs, view a veinmatched project preview before cutting the material (up to two slabs), and uses common line cutting to optimize material yield with the ability to communicate with multiple cameras (great for

twin table machines). An upgrade to the full Slabsmith Basic Bundle is available at any time. For more information, visit www.parkindustries.com.

Slabsmith

Slabsmith produces digitized slabs that are highly accurate and detailed through proprietary calibration techniques. The digital slabs are true to life in both color and dimension, and they contain all of the relevant properties of the original slab that was photographed. The digital slabs are inventoried and are used to create 3D visual layouts for customers. When a digital slab is created it is immediately saved into Slabsmith’s SQL database. It provides the ability for anyone in a company to easily locate and view the slabs in inventory based on any of the properties of the slab. Layout tools allow for easy optimization for aesthetics or yield. The Perfect Match layout module provides tools that are customized for the specific needs of users to efficiently lay out countertops. For more information, visit www.slabsmith.com.

SPEEDlabel

Since 2017, SPEEDlabel has changed the way many fabricators label their jobs. It can be used with hand drawings or CAD files, and it works automatically with most countertop software. The labels are waterproof and tearproof, and they come off easily at install. There are customized label designs to choose from including top, bottom and edge formats. SPEEDlabel eliminates the need to handwrite on your pieces and ensures no parts are left behind. SPEEDlabel provides a quick understanding of the status of every part in the shop and helps ensure entire jobs are kept together. It can even help you become paperless in the shop as all you really need are the labels. It takes about one hour to implement the process. SPEEDlabel is developed by fabricators to help other fabricators streamline processes. For more information, visit www.speedlabel.net.

By Katherine Gifford

We’ve learned over the years that fabricators are some of the most creative and resourceful people, and they’re definitely no strangers to hard work and quick thinking. However, the only way to manage growth and reduce the overwhelming stress that comes with fabricating fragile materials is to work smarter, not harder. Any successful fabricator will tell you that you need trackable processes in your shop for all parts of your business. This is the only way you can truly look at your business, see where improvements can be made, and get better results.

The best place to start is at the beginning of your customer’s experience with you. The way you quote a job sets the tone. A seamless and professional experience will lead to a happy customer, which in turn leads to more sales, referrals and repeat business. Plus, it will naturally reduce those expensive mistakes that can happen as a result of disorganization. It means more money in your pocket all around!

Increase Your Professionalism

I’m sure you’ve heard that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Before you roll your eyes, admit that it’s true! Homeowners are most likely shopping around for their new countertops. If your competitors have a professional quoting process in place, and you are sending them a text message with just an amount, it’s almost a guarantee that the customer will choose your competitor even if they cost more. At least, the type of customers that you want will make that choice. Customers who choose based on the lowest price will never bring you the profit and growth that lead to financial freedom.

The Road to Profitability is Paved With Software

Your first impression can be your website, social media, a phone call or your showroom. Your team should be trained in customer service, pricing, ongoing promotions and materials. If a homeowner visits your website and then calls in, would the information being provided be consistent no matter who they talk to? Buying countertops is expensive and can be nervewracking for your customers because they aren’t the experts. But you are! Educate the customer throughout every channel to help them understand what to expect during their purchase. This kind of consistency and transparent communication leads to trust, which leads to higher sales.

An easy way to increase your professionalism is to update the way you deliver quotes. Whether you use a Word template or professional software, make sure it has your logo and company information at the top. You’ll want to include just enough of a breakdown of your pricing to help your customer understand the cost, but not too much that they can take it to your competitors. Including some sort of visualization of the countertop never fails to impress as well.

Empower Your Sales Team

Give your employees the tools they need to do a great job. In this case, making sure you provide team members a way to sell countertops independently is the key to better sales. If all the pricing is in your head, then you are the bottleneck to your own growth.

Documenting a process for estimating a job might seem like more work upfront, but it will save you an incredible amount of time in the long run. Taking all the knowledge that lives in your head and making it into a repeatable process will stop everyone

from tracking you down for answers. Aren’t you tired of being pulled in a hundred directions?

Once you create a consistent pricing structure, you’ll be able to focus your time on other areas of your business that need improvement. It’ll be easy to trust your team to produce consistent, accurate and professional quotes because you established a repeatable process that works without you.

The number one reason why fabricators seek estimating software is usually about saving time. And that requires having more than one person do the quotes. Having one central place for pricing, customer information and quote templates will make it easy to train any new staff and get them up and running quickly.

Prevent Expensive Mistakes

When you’ve got a lot of bid requests coming in, it’s a blessing and a curse. On one hand, how exciting! More jobs, more money, more growth. On the other hand, there is more room for error when everything is rushed, and everyone is scrambling. Things start falling through the cracks and that is costing you too much money.

Implementing software in your shop reduces those costly mistakes. Within your estimating process, software establishes your pricing, and it automatically calculates pricing as you draw the

project. Also, it should enable you to lay out your drawing onto slabs. This will help you correctly estimate how much material you will need. It will also work as a selling tool to educate your customer on veining and the need for a certain number of slabs. Basically, having your process customized in estimating software leaves no room for human error which means fewer mistakes and greater profits.

Keep Improving Profitability

Creating a sales process allows you to track success. Take the time to think about which data is going to be important. Then, you can create reports that give insights into what is working and what isn’t. By having this understanding of your business, you’ll know which levers to pull to increase your profits. That might mean keeping track of which material is selling the most or how much square feet you are selling every week. This will keep expectations realistic and error-free.

For sales, it’s important to remember that it’s more than just tracking won or lost bids. It also matters who won or lost those bids and why. You can reward salespeople who are excelling, and you can help those who are struggling. Or, if sales are down across the board, then the right data will help you understand why and what needs to change.

Lastly, we love hearing how successful shops implement marketing strategies into their sales process. By tracking your outreach efforts, you’ll have fun seeing which promotion or channel is bringing you the most business. Many find social media or referral programs the best and easiest way to bring in more business. Just don’t forget to track the success of these efforts or else you’ll be spending unnecessary time on tactics that aren’t working. If you know what is working and what is not, you’ll be able to focus your energy on the right marketing moves instead of guessing. C

Katherine Gifford is a marketing coordinator for Moraware, one of the industry’s leading digital solutions for fabricators. Curious about whether or not software would benefit your shop? Check out Moraware’s free countertop quoting software ROI calculator at www.moraware.com/ QuotingSoftwareROI to get a quick estimate on how much time and money you could save. For more information about Moraware, visit www.moraware.com.

FABRICATOR PROFILE

McDermott Top Shop

By Sarah Peiper

McDermott Top Shop, located about an hour west of Milwaukee in Jefferson, Wisconsin, was founded in 1995 by Ron McDermott. Ron was working in cabinetry and countertops when he noticed a need for countertops in the area, as most customers had to travel between Milwaukee or Madison to source a fabricator. Identifying the opportunity was the first step toward what is now a bustling 65,000-square-foot operation with an additional service location in Appleton.

Completed in 2019, the McDermott Top Shop facility is a 65,000-square-foot fully customized fabrication outfit.

Ron started small, together with a couple of employees, doing laminate and Corian solid surface. It was a tiny facility in comparison to what he has now — a mere 1500 square feet. “It was exciting. As with starting any new business, there is always a level of uncertainty, but we believed in the opportunity,” recalled Ron. “Things moved quickly, and it has always been fast-paced and a lot of fun.”

In 2019, McDermott Top Shop moved to a fully customized state-of-the-art facility that most only dream of. Alongside his son Travis McDermott, who serves as operations manager, and a host of longtime employees, they built a new facility with safety, efficiency, comfort and future growth in mind. “It was our chance to get things right — to build the shop of our dreams,” said Travis. “And when you’re trying to coordinate running an efficient production line with a great customer experience, there are all kinds of factors to keep in mind.”

The new shop features additional crane operations that limit the need for forklifts, a fully climate-controlled environment that keeps materials and production lines protected from Wisconsin’s harsh winters, a full sprinkler system for safety, an integrated dust collection system, water containment, and an improved system flow for incoming material to fabrication to installation — a real streamlined

This apartment complex common area includes a custom club room kitchen featuring Haida Quartz by Wilsonart.

65 units in the Landmark apartment complex feature Babylon Gray Quartz from MSI.

FABRICATOR PROFILE

operation. And that’s just the fabrication side. The facility also includes a full kitchen for hosting events and parties, a beautiful showroom, training and meeting spaces as well as a large office area.

The McDermotts focus is on residential work, which makes up about 90% of their business. As a wholesaler, the majority of their customers come through K&B, builders and box stores. They cover all of Wisconsin and parts of Iowa, Illinois and Michigan. Primarily working in granite, quartz, stone and solid surface, they value the ability to provide customers with all kinds of options for their projects. Working with a variety of materials enables them to go the extra mile with their customers — to offer solutions that their customers might not be aware of.

McDermott Top Shop also offers plumbing solutions, custom brackets, removal services, sinks and more. The drawback, of course, is having the space to stock all that material and making sure they get the most yield. The new space was definitely built with this in mind; there is plenty of room to grow.

On the stone production line, McDermott runs a state-of-the-art dual table BACA Robo SawJet, dual table Fusion by Park Industries, three Titan CNC Routers by Park Industries, a BACA Miter Saw, and a Zoller by GranQuartz. They also use a Komo CNC router on the solid surface line, and an LT55 laser measuring system across all projects. “Technology is critical to our processes and how we do business on a daily basis,” said Travis. “Investing in technology throughout our business has allowed us

to be more efficient and deliver a higher quality product to our customers.”

Since many customers don’t realize all the capabilities of a fabricator, McDermott Top Shop finds it imperative to review all the options early in the planning stage, so they don’t reach the end of a project and realize they missed an opportunity. “We’ve always offered our customers upselling items like brackets, sinks, plumbing, upgraded edges and more,” clarified Travis. “It is a great way to add to the bottom line, while getting the customers what they truly want. It’s a great way to showcase everything we can do. We’ve just recently started working with the Hot Sauce app to offer new upgrades and help track these upgrades, and we are really excited to get it in full operation to improve our upselling game.”

As with most fabricators, sustainability is important to McDermott Top Shop. They are always looking to make the most of every slab, and they find new ways to use remnants. For example, they’ve partnered with a local quarry to recycle granite, quartz, and solid surface offal into road base material. They have a 100% closed loop water recycling system for the stone line, too.

The stone fabricators pride themselves in their clean, organized workspace.

The McDermotts didn’t miss any details when it came to planning their production lines.

Travis McDermott (far left) and Ron McDermott (fourth from the right) stand alongside some of McDermott Top Shop’s office staff in their company kitchen, which they use to host events and parties.

FABRICATOR PROFILE

When they built the new facility, they worked with Focus on Energy, and they received grants to implement higher-efficiency lighting as well as other energy-saving systems.

McDermott proudly supports over 75 employees and runs eight installation crews. “Our employees set us apart more than anything else,” said Ron. “We have a group of dedicated, hard working folks who all share common values and understand what we are working toward. Their dedication to our customers is what really sets us apart.”

The McDermotts attribute their success to their Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), which incorporates six key components as drivers. The company adheres to their vision, and they strive to make sure everyone is clear on the goals and how to get there. Their employees are a huge part of this, and they actively invest in their company culture to ensure openness and honesty. It’s an environment where everyone is inspired to do great work, feels valued in their opinions and understands that they are the keys to success.

Certainly, in a production environment, processes are critical, and the McDermotts have gone to great lengths to develop best practices for everything they do. With that comes a reflective piece where they look at data to understand the good and the bad — because you can’t improve that which you don’t measure, says Travis. They encourage everyone to bring issues to the forefront, and they spend a lot of time doing root cause analysis to identify opportunities for improvement.

And finally, traction is a priority. “It’s about staying

McDermott Top Shop’s installation team stands on the loading dock, which is directly adjacent to the production lines and fully enclosed from the elements.

on the pulse of what is happening in your business and in the industry,” said Ron. “You can stay where you are … and there you are. But if you aren’t looking for what’s ahead of you, you’ll waste a lot of time trying to catch up to it.”

The McDermott team prides itself in its detailoriented and streamlined process that focuses on a high-touch customer experience. This paired with their state-of-the-art facility differentiates them from any competition. Outside the shop, the McDermotts value industry connections through groups such as the International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA) and the Rockheads.

“ISFA is a great community full of fabricators and vendors willing to pour out all kinds of information to help others,” said Travis. “ISFA’s Mixers have been a lot of fun and helped us get through the pandemic! It has been tough not being able to get in person with these groups, and we are really looking forward to getting back together.”

The McDermotts feel these groups are well worth the investment of time and money, likening it to investing in a mentor or a consultant. By doing so they gain knowledge and ideas that may have taken years (if ever) to come across on their own. “It enables us to achieve levels of growth we may have not realized otherwise,” said Travis.

Find out more about McDermott Top Shop at www.mcdermotttopshop.com. C

Together with other McDermott staffers, Travis McDermott smiles next to Ron McDermott as he cuts the ribbon at the open house.

by Ted Janusz

Do you do a great job managing your people? I bet you do! In my experience, managers who have outstanding technical knowledge and skill often mistakenly believe they are also gifted at guiding and motivating their employees. These managers forgo the possibility of new ideas. At the same time, they wonder why their organization is plagued with a high turnover of both employees and customers.

If you’re a manager, identify how many of these four statements describe your approach.

1. As a manager, I like to make my employees feel important.

The number one desire of most people is the need to feel that their lives matter, and that the world is a different and better place because they are in it. How often do you remind your employees that each of them is valuable to you and to your organization?

As an example, our family had just moved to town and our oldest daughter, Allison, was just starting high school. The school was both new to us and new to the town. To become involved in the community, and because I have a face for radio, I had volunteered to be the public address announcer for the high school football games.

This particular evening, I was wandering down the school’s hallway during the meet-the-teachers night when suddenly I heard a voice ring out from behind me, “Ted Janusz!”

I thought to myself, who would know me in our new town, let alone at the new high school?

I turned around to see someone who was smiling from ear to ear. He extended his hand to me and said, “Ted Janusz, voice of the Hilliard Darby Panthers, how in the heck are you?”

He then introduced himself as Jeff, the principal of the new school. Stunned, I shook his hand.

That encounter lasted twenty seconds and occurred over twenty years ago. But when I think of it, I can easily recall my emotions. In that moment, as a parent in a new town and in a new school, Jeff made me feel as tall as the Empire State Building!

I later learned that Jeff took the time to personally get to know as many people in the school community as he could. When he

Four Qualities of an Excellent Manager

transferred from his old school to our new school, most of his staff came along with him. Why? Because he uniquely made people feel important.

More recently, early this past Sunday morning, I was out for my daily run. My iPhone rang. I wondered who would be calling me from a different time zone so early in the morning. I didn’t recognize the phone number and so I let the call roll over to voicemail.

I had recently published a book and had quoted a famous speaker in the book, so I sent him a copy of my book. It was this speaker who was calling. In his voicemail, he expressed that, in a moment of reflection, he was wondering if his words were making any kind of an impact. He went on to say that today, by reading his words in my book, he had received that assurance.

You would think that this famous speaker, who flies only first class, would know that his words were important. But that exchange convinced me that we all sometimes need to be reminded.

2. As a manager, I strive to make my employees feel appreciated.

In taking worker satisfaction surveys over the last 75 years, employees’ number one complaint is neither wages nor benefits, but a lack of appreciation.

In my last corporate position, I had a co-worker, Amy, who always did a good job. But one particular time Amy went above and beyond what she needed to do. I wanted to recognize Amy’s efforts but times were tough, and I wasn’t in a position to give her a raise or promotion. Instead, I went to the Hallmark store and designed a postcard that said at the top, “The Top 10 Reasons Why You Are Marvelous” and I then filled it in.

When I gave the postcard to her, Amy looked at the card, then looked up at me. There were tears in her eyes. Apparently, no one had ever shown her appreciation like that before — a simple gesture, really.

Average managers say, “My employees are getting paid. That should be enough!” Excellent managers regularly demonstrate how glad they are to have their employees on the team.

Ted Janusz is a certified speaking professional and a certified virtual presenter. He has facilitated over 1,100 workshops (over 6,500 total hours) in 49 of the 50 United States, Canada, Australia, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Janusz’s work has appeared on BusinessWeek. com, MSNBC.com, and he has been invited to appear on the Fox News Channel. He is a member of the National Speakers Association and earned his MBA in marketing from the University of Pittsburgh. Learn more at www.januspresentations.com.

3. As a manager, I like to get to know my employees as people.

Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers said, “Nothing is more unequal than the equal treatment of unequals.”

Translating the coach-speak: Even though your employees may be equal, to motivate them properly, you can’t treat them all the same way. For instance, one of your employees is interested in taking on additional responsibilities so they can be promoted into management; another employee desires to buy a house, so they want an opportunity to make more money; yet another employee treasures time off, so they can spend that time with children or grandchildren.

The key to successful motivation is to reward your people the way that they want to be rewarded, not necessarily the way that you or I would like to be rewarded.

Unlike my daughter Allison, who is a loud, aggressive go-getter, my youngest daughter, Heidi, is quiet, shy and sensitive. As middle schooler, Heidi was about to get her first experience on a competitive sports team. With the wrong kind of coach (one that would primarily bark or yell at her), Heidi might last only days or even hours on the softball team.

I watched from the stands as Heidi’s coach, instead, worked his magic like a skilled craftsman. He learned exactly what to do to individually motivate each player on the team.

The coach understood when someone misplayed a ball, for example, it might be a verbal kick in the pants or a literal pat on the back to get that player back in the game. He also knew exactly how to motivate Heidi, who, as a result, went on to become an outstanding catcher.

Realize that Bob or Alice, who work for you, are more than “just” a bookkeeper or a fabricator. They have a family and plans and dreams just as you do. How much do you know about Bob or Alice? Their favorite sports team? Where they like to go out to eat? What they like to do on their free time?

Get to know your employees as people, and not just as “cogs in your machine.” Realize that people don’t work for companies; they work for (or leave) their bosses.

4. As a manager, I am a role model for the organization.

I recently took the car through the local car wash. The operator, as he took my money said, “You are driving your wife’s car today. And you are not riding your bike like you always do, either.”

I had no idea who this person was, but they certainly gathered a few things by observing me! People are watching you, too!

As a speaker, I watch others in my industry. It makes me feel good when my role models act appropriately, and it disappoints me when they don’t. Similarly, whether you realize it or not, your employees are constantly watching you. They want to be sure that:

• You don’t play favorites among your employees.

• You enforce the rules fairly.

• You have technical knowledge. They know they can always come to you to help solve a complex issue.

• You have emotional intelligence and people skills. They know that you will help them through a challenge they may have with a customer or even with a fellow employee.

• No matter what happens, you will always have their back.

• You maintain an even keel, no matter how the economy or other external forces impact the business.

• Most importantly, you are in charge, and that knowledge frees them to do their jobs.

Your employees want to belong to something that is bigger than themselves. They want to look forward to coming to their job every day, to enjoy working with you and their fellow employees. Your employees want to feel proud when they tell people in the community that they work at your organization. As an excellent manager, you realize that you make all of that possible.

It’s Been a Year, Hasn’t It?

By Nancy Busch, ISFA Executive Director

It’s hard to believe it has been one year since my journey with the International Surface Fabricators Association began. While the year flew by, at the same time, so much has happened.

Last fall, we hosted the first-of-its-kind virtual Modern Surfaces training. Using a training platform, we trained over two dozen fabricators. Fast forward to May of this year when Amy Kyriazis, ISFA’s web data coordinator, created a landing page and registration portal to eliminate the need for the training platform for this year’s sessions. The savings from Amy’s efforts meant we could reduce attendance costs and reach over 140 fabricators thanks to our series sponsors, GranQuartz and Moraware.

Samantha Winslow, our member experience coordinator, has worked diligently behind the scenes to ensure all technical systems function properly at our online events. As a result, last spring, over 145 participants learned proper fabrication specific to seven manufacturers’ materials — entirely virtually.

Speaking of Modern Surfaces, recently ISFA made the decision that Mineral Surfaces would best describe the category. A special thanks to Paul “Max” LePera for his steadfast support of ISFA by leading the effort to address this category and his work as a U.S. Tag Delegate for the ANSI/ISO Global Engineered Stone Standard effort. For more information, you can check out the full announcement about Mineral Surfaces at www.isfanow.org/mineral-surfaces-training.

In February, we began the ISFA Mixer series, which occurs on the last Thursday of every month. With the help of the Events Committee, Samantha makes sure each one goes off without a hitch. At these mixers, we’ve shared ideas about supply chain issues, the labor shortage, managing lead times, and some laughs along the way. We even play a few games, and let me tell you:

it turns out Geoffrey Gran might be a little competitive. If you haven’t joined us yet, we’d love to have you. We’ve changed the time to 4 p.m. EST to accommodate your schedules.

Also, last fall, we held our first virtual Annual Conference. Carol Wilhite, director of operations, stepped up to create nearly one hundred meeting engagement kits and sent them to every participant. She took such care in considering ways to make everyone feel connected. This fall, we are excited to host a live event again. We chose Rancho de Los Caballeros, a luxury dude ranch in sunny Arizona, as the destination — a fun setting where our members can reconnect with each other.

At TISE in June, it was clear that our industry is eager to do just that. Thanks to Augie Chavez, our immediate past president, for taking time out of his schedule to introduce me to so many familiar faces I’ve been blessed to work with this year.

Our team has changed this year, too, and one of them is carefully editing my words. Sarah Peiper, ISFA’s content manager and editor, is another eager soul who has jumped all-in this year. Just a few weeks in, she cranked out the Q2 edition of this magazine, and we didn’t miss a beat. Sarah has also been a critical driver for brand and marketing strategies at ISFA.

And most recently, ISFA welcomed a new administrator, Kanani Camacho, who hit the ground running, too. She manages to keep us all organized and performing like the well-oiled machine we are.

Team building is only as good as the mission, and the mission here at ISFA gets this team fired up! We’re here to champion this industry, and that means you. Whether it is finding the answer to a problem you’re facing, connecting our members and building the power of community, or developing informational and educational programs, we are here for you. For me, one year in, that’s everything.

Learn From the Best with ISFA’s Solid Surface Training Program

Whether you’re a new shop just starting out or an established operation looking to grow, ISFA’s Certified Professional Solid Surface Fabrication Training programs are a terrific way to make sure your staff has the skills they need to fabricate all kinds of solid surfaces. The training is open to anyone interested, and it is discounted for ISFA members.

Coursework includes product orientation, safety, tooling, best practices in shop layout, fabrication, installation and more. More advanced instruction includes specific manufacturers’ fabrication and installation requirements. ISFA’s training programs are approved by all major solid surface manufacturers. An observeronly option is available at a reduced price for those in productionadjacent roles such as sales, office management, and other nonfabricators interested in the knowledge who don’t need the hands-on training.

ISFA offers two options for solid surface training. General Solid Surface Training is held in San Antonio, Texas, up to five times per year. Training sessions last two to three days and include both classroom and hands-on learning. Interested participants can sign up at any time, and they will be folded into the next available session that aligns with schedules.

On-site training is also available. Our expert facilitator, Chris Pappenfort, will travel to your shop to provide training to your staff over two to three days, depending on your needs.

“Now more than ever, ISFA’s goal to help progress the use

of solid surfaces is meaningful because demand for sanitary, monolithic countertops and surfaces continues to grow postCOVID,” said Pappenfort. “Consumers don’t want seams, rims under sinks, or anything that might sustain bacteria. If you’re not up to date on solid surface fabrication, you’re missing a huge piece of the market.”

All attendees (except observers) will complete the coursework and earn ISFA’s Solid Surface Fabrication Certification, which is accepted by all major manufacturers.

Interested in learning about a specific material or product? Customized coursework is available.

“ISFA is for fabricators and by fabricators, and the power of the association reveals itself when we share common challenges and solutions within the industry,” said Pappenfort. “I like helping companies become successful in solid surface fabrication and ISFA. By providing fabrication training, we further the awareness around premium decorative surfaces.”

Recently the staff at Lone Star Surface, LLC, a budding startup, traveled to an ISFA Training Session in San Antonio, Texas. Previously a truck driver, owner Mervin Smith was looking for a new career path that would keep him home with his growing family. Together with his wife Crystal, they kept an open mind about their options when opportunity knocked. They bought an established surfacing business in Colorado and transferred it to Texas. It’s been a huge learning curve for the Smiths, who had almost no solid surface fabrication experience previously. They needed to start from the ground up — everything from bidding jobs, stocking materials, project lead times, shop setup — not to mention fabrication processes and best practices.

“It’s meant to be a family business,” added Crystal Smith. “We hope we can keep growing and hand this legacy down to our children. The coursework ISFA provided was instrumental in helping us get established. We are grateful to Chris and everyone at ISFA for everything they do to support new businesses like ours.”

For more information on how you can take advantage of ISFA’s solid surface training programs, visit www.isfanow.org/solid-surface-fabrication.

ISFA NEWS

MEET OUR SOLID SURFACE TRAINER:

Chris Pappenfort

Chris has over 35 years in the premium decorative surfaces industry. He worked for a midwestern DuPont Surfaces distributor for 25 years serving as a technical services manager covering 10 states. During that tenure, Chris obtained instructor certifications for DuPont Corian Solid Surfaces, DuPont Corian Quartz Surfaces (Zodiaq), Soterra Natural Granite Systems and LuminOre Metal Surfaces Systems.

Chris attended The DuPont School for Industrial Fabrication and worked as the national technical adviser for Corian military sales. He served on many residential and commercial task forces to upgrade DuPont’s fabrication and technical manuals. He also participated in many project teams for DuPont, launching several initiatives that helped fabricators’ businesses flourish. He continues to consult on fabrication and technical manuals.

In 2012, Chris founded Surface Menders, a company which specializes in repairs and restorations of solid surface, quartz surface and natural stone in the Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas areas. Dealing with manufacturers’ warranty claims and private individual issues has given him special insight into fabrication and installation errors, their causes and remedies.

Chris has been an ISFA accredited instructor since 2014. He conducts training at the ISFA training center and in the field for ISFA’s ondemand program.

Originally from Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City, Chris lives near Branson, Missouri, where he enjoys boating, fishing, golf and helping his wife spoil their 13 grandchildren.

Thank You and Welcome ISFA Members (In Alphabetical Order)

NEW FABRICATOR MEMBERS

Advanced Interiors, Inc. Jennison, Mich.

Alpha Countertops Russellville, Ark.

American Stone & Marble Garfield, N.J.

Deer Mountain Cabinetry Ramsay, Mont.

RENEWING FABRICATOR MEMBERS

Accent Countertops

Murray, Utah

Alpha Granite

Austin, Texas

American Epoxy Scientific Mountain Home, Ark.

Artistry Stone Surfaces, Inc. Indio, Calif.

Atlanta Kitchen, Inc.

Decatur, Ga.

Bella Casa Countertops and Stone Littleton, Colo.

Carpenters International Training Fund Las Vegas, Nev.

Classy Closets Etc., Inc.

Chandler, Ariz.

Counter Fitters, LLC Savannah, Ga.

Countertop Source Hurricane, Utah

Countertops of Memphis, LLC Memphis, Tenn.

Craftmark Solid Surfaces, Inc.

Norcross, Ga.

Deer Mountain Cabinetry Ramsay, Mont.

Eastern Surfaces Allentown, Pa.

Great In Counters

Providence, R.I.

Hard Rock Stone Works Sterling Heights, Mich.

Fernando F Machado Marlborough, Mass.

Floor Diva Georgetown, ON

Granite Mountain Countertops Bozeman, Mont.

KLC Supreme Homes, LLC Baltimore, Md.

NMG Workspace Solutions Houston, Texas

Hartson-Kennedy Cabinet Top Co., Inc. Marion, Ind.

Henry H. Ross & Son, Inc. Lititz, Pa.

INDEKO, Inc. Henderson, Nev.

Italstone Marble & Granite Yakima, Wash.

Jaynes Structures

Albuquerque, N.M.

King County Library System Issaqua, Wash.

Kramer’s Fabrications, Inc. Bernville, Pa.

Laminated Tops of Central Indiana, Inc. Bloomington, Ind.

Legacy Granite and Marble Houston, Texas

Marble Works South Elgin, Ill.

Marvic Corp. Union, N.J.

Maxwell Counters, Inc. Farmer City, Ill.

Mill-Rite Woodworking Company Pinellas Park, Fla.

Modern Home Distributing Nunda, N.Y.

Natural Stone Countertops Huntsville, Ala.

New Age Surfaces Romeoville, Ill.

Plastic Specialties, Inc. Salt Lake City, Utah

Rock Bottom Granite Garden City, Idaho

Stone Interiors Gaston, S.C.

Unique Countertops Buda, Texas

Solid Surface Creations, Inc.

Villa Grove, Ill.

Spaulding Fabricators, Inc.

Brick, N.J.

Stonecrafters Lakemoor, Ill.

The Countertop Factory Midwest Addison, Ill.

The Granite & Marble Depot, Inc. Aurora, Ill.

The Granite Place Inc. Burllington, Mass.

The Pinske Edge Plato, Minn.

Top Priority, Inc. Waipahu, Hawaii

Valley View Granite Tremonton, Utah

W.R. Watson, Inc. Stafford, Texas

White House Stone Lake Park, Fla.

ISFA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Steve Mast, President Precision Countertops (503) 660-3023

Steve.m@precisioncountertops.com www.precisioncountertops.com

Augie Chavez, Immediate Past President GECKO SSS augie@geckosss www.geckosss.com

Joe Duszka, Vice President Carolina Custom Surfaces (336) 215-5518 Joe@carolinacustomsurfaces.com www.carolinacustomsurfaces.com

Ted Sherritt, Treasurer FLOFORM Countertops (204) 474-2334

tsherritt@floform.com www.floform.com

Mike Langenderfer, Co-Treasurer

The Countertop Shop (419) 868-9101 mike@countertopshop.net www.countertopshop.net

Austin Maxwell, Secretary Maxwell Countertops (309) 928-2848 austin@maxwellcounters.com www.maxwellcounters.com

Kelley Montana, Director Humboldt Countertops & Surfacing (707) 442-5918 kmontana@humtop.com www.humtop.com

ISFA CONTACTS

ISFA

P.O. Box 627 Ingomar, PA 15127 (888) 599-ISFA www.ISFAnow.org

Executive Director

Nancy Busch (253) 691-0169 nancy@ISFAnow.org

Content Manager | Editor

Sarah Peiper (913) 449-2280

Sarah@ISFAnow.org

Paul “Max” Le Pera, Director Global Surfacing Alliance (908) 358-5252 pmlp33@gmail.com

Laura Grandlienard, Director ROCKin’teriors (919) 577-0207 laura@rockinteriors.com

Rodrigo Velazquez, Director INDEKO 52 331-028-7863 rodrigo@weareindeko.com

Eric Tryon, Director Founding Member of Rockheads Group (678) 614-7111 tryonea@gmail.com www.rockheadsusa.com

Kimberly Homs, Director Great in Counters (401) 233-0666 kimberly@greatincounters.com www.greatincounters.com

Jim Callaghan, Associate Member Representative and Executive Committee Member GranQuartz (248) 660-3291 jcallaghan@granquartz.com www.granquartz.com

Joe Connolly, Associate Member Representative SASSO7 (224) 200-8004 Jconnollysassousa@gmail.com www.sassousa.com

Operations Manager

Carol Wilhite (412) 487-3207 Carol@ISFAnow.org Member Experience Coordinator

Samantha Winslow (888) 599-ISFA Samantha@ISFAnow.org Web/Database Administrator

Amy Kyriazis (412) 487-3207 Amy@ISFAnow.org

Administrative Assistant

Kanani Camacho (888) 599-ISFA ext. 6 Kanani@ISFAnow.org

Solid Surface Fabrication Trainer

Chris Pappenfort (417) 598-2390 Chris@ISFAnow.org

Quartz/Stone Fabrication Trainer

Fred Hueston (321) 514-6845 Fred@ISFAnow.org

ISFA Booster Club

The ISFA Booster Club is a program comprised of ISFA members committed to growing ISFA membership, benefits and programs. Each club member makes a financial contribution and participates in a quarterly conference call led by Executive Director Nancy Busch and President Steve Mast. During the calls new ideas for projects and programs to benefit ISFA members and the industry are discussed, as well as timelines for implementation. Those interested in joining can contact Nancy@ ISFAnow.org for more information.

ISFA ASSOCIATE MEMBER DIRECTORY

AAA Adhesive

1226 79th St. S. St. Petersburg, FL 33707-2719 520-954-0534

ACS International 4775 S. 3rd Ave. Tucson, AZ 85714 520-889-1933 www.acstone.com

Aetna Plywood Inc. 1401 St. Charles Rd. Maywood, IL 60153 708-343-1515 www.aetnaplywood.com

Akrilika Svobody Str., 29 Moscow 125362 Russian Federation 79119451961 www.akrilika.com

Al-Badaha Company for Modern Industries P.O. Box 126444 Jeddah 23643 Saudi Arabia 966920002964 www.albadaha.com

Alf Noon for Modern Kitchen Co. P.O. Box 54210

Al Raboua, Sari Street Jeddah 21514 Saudi Arabia 966 12 275 2309

Andres O'Neil & Lowe

212 N. Defiance St. Archbold, OH 43502 419-636-5050 www.andresoneilandlowe.com

Aristech Surfaces 7350 Empire Dr. Florence, KY 41042 859-283-1501 www.aristechsurfaces.com

BACA Systems

101 Premier Dr. Orion Township, MI 48359 248-791-3060 www.bacasystems.com

BB Industries, LLC

4100 Appalachian Way Knoxville, TN 37918 800-575-4401 www.bbindustriesllc.com

Bill Barton

6131 Long Meadow Rd. McLean, VA 22101 703-624-1191

BNP Media

210 Rte. 4 E. Ste. 203 Paramus, NJ 07652 201-291-9001 www.bnpmedia.com

Breton S.p.A. Via Garibaldi 27 Castello di Godego 31030 Italy 3904237691 www.breton.it

Caesarstone US 1401 W. Morehead St. Charlotte, NC 28208 818-378-2667 www.caesarstoneus.com

Cambria USA 31496 Cambria Ave. Le Sueur, MN 56058 507-665-5003 www.cambriausa.com

CaraGreen, Inc. 1406 Transport Dr. Raleigh, NC 27603 919-929-3009 www.caragreen.com

CH Briggs Co. 2047 Kutztown Rd. Reading, PA 19605 800-355-1000 www.chbriggs.com

Chemcore Industries, Inc. 5311 Fleming Ct. Austin, TX 78744 512-243-6823 or 866-243-6267 www.chemcore.com

Chemical Concepts, Inc. 410 Pike Rd. Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 800-220-1966 www.chemical-concepts.com

Chintan Corp.

901, Mauryansh Elanza, Nr. Parekh Hospital Shaymal Cross Rds., Satelite Rd. Ahmedabad 380 015 India 9825023859 www.neonnex.in

Chuck Sawyer 4802 Au Sable Dr. Gibsonia, PA 15044 412-213-0370

Colonial Saw 122 Pembroke St. Kingston, MA 2364 781-585-4364 www.csaw.com

Cosentino USA 355 Alhambra Cir. 10th Floor Coral Gables, FL 33134 786-812-0509 www.cosentino.com

Countertop Marketing Co. (formerly Hey Remodelers) 402 Pequot Ave. #772 Southport, CT 06890 203-993-6676 www.countertop marketingco.com

Covia Corp 9930 Kincey Ave, Ste. 200 Huntersville, NC 28078 800-243-9004 www.coviacorp.com

Crossville Inc. 349 Sweeney Dr. Crossville, TN 38555 931-456-2110 www.crossvilleinc.com

Dafanie Financial Group, LLC 850 Pacific St., Ste. 1162 Stamford, CT 06902 203-666-5560 www.bestburialins.com

Dal-Tile Corp. 7834 CF Hawn Frwy. Dallas, TX 75217 214-309-3162 www.daltile.com

Dixie Plywood & Lumber P.O. Box 2328 Savannah, GA 31402 912-447-7000 www.dixieply.com

Dongguan Kongder Industrial Materials Co. Room 3006-3007, G1 Building, Hongtu Rd. Nacheng District, Dongguan Guangdong 523071 China 8613925574811 www.dgkongder.com

Duda Consulting 3601 S.W. River Pkwy. Portland, OR 97239 503-949-7738

DuPont 200 Powder Mill Rd. Wilmington, DE 19803 314-941-5179 www.dupont.com

Durasein USA 7030 Quad Ave. Ste. 3 Rosedale, MD 21237 877-771-7712 www.durasein.com

Durcon 206 Allison Dr. Taylor, TX 76574 512-595-8000 www.durcon.com

Dwyer Marble & Stone Supply 23177 Commerce Dr. Farmington Hills, MI 48335 248-476-4944 www.dwyermarble.com

Dwyer Marble & Stone Supply 5300 Broadmoor Ave. S.E. Ste. E Grand Rapids, MI 49512 616-583-7025 www.dwyermarble.com

Etemplate Systems, Div of Tri-Tech 106 Wind Chime Ct. Raleigh, NC 27615 919-676-2244 www.etemplatesystem.com

Evans Midwest 11441 E. Lakewood Blvd. Holland, MI 49424 616-546-8225 www.evansmidwest.com

Evolv Surfaces 1313 Armstrong Ave. San Francisco, CA 94124 415-767-4600 www.evolvsurfaces.com

Federal Brace 710 E. Catawba St. Ste. A Belmont, NC 28012 877-353-8899 www.federalbrace.com

GEM Industries 5030 N. Hiatus Rd. Sunrise, FL 33351 954-749-1228

www.gem-industries.com

Gemstone 2040 Industrial Pkwy. Elkhart, IN 46516-5411 574-294-8899

www.gemstonesinks.com

ISFA ASSOCIATE MEMBER DIRECTORY

Gluewarehouse.com

455 W. Victoria St. Compton, CA 90220 www.gluewarehouse.com

Granite Gold Inc.

12780 Danielson Ct. Ste. A Poway, CA 92064

858-499-8934

www.granitegold.com

GranQuartz

3950 Steve Reynolds Blvd. Norcross, GA 30093

800-458-6222 granquartz.com

Groves Inc.

818 Trakk Ln. Woodstock, IL 60098

815-337-9780 www.groves.com

Hallmark Building Supplies

901 Northview Rd., Ste. 100 Waukesha, WI 53188 800-642-2246 www.hllmark.com

Hyundai L&C USA

2839 Paces Ferry Rd. Ste. 1100 Atlanta, GA 30339

888-426-9421 www.hyundailncusa.com

IceStone LLC

63 Flushing Ave. Unit 283 Building 12 Brooklyn, NY 11205

718-624-4900 www.icestoneusa.com

Ignite Consulting Group 450 N. Addison Ave. Elmhurst, IL 60126 630-606-8055 www.hotsauceyourtops.com

INEOS Composites

5200 Blazer Pkwy. Dublin, OH 43017 614-790-2078 www.ashland.com

Infinity, a division of Mirage Granito Ceramico s.p.a. Via Giardini Nord 225 Pavullo Nel Frignano Modena 41026 Italy 390536329322 www.infinitysurfaces.it

IPS Adhesives LLC

455 W. Victoria St. Compton, CA 90220

604-850-1321 www.integra-adhesives.com

Jaeckle Distributors

4101 Owl Creek Dr. Madison, WI 53718 608-838-5400 www.jaeckledistributors.com

Karran USA - Plexicor USA P.O. Box 667 1291 East Ramsey Rd. Vincennes, IN 47591 410-975-0128 www.karran.com

Kohler Co. P.O. Box 899 Kohler, WI 50344 920-457-4441 www.kohler.com

Krion Solid Surface SA CTRA Villarreal-Puebla De Arenoso Km 1 Villarreal 12540 Spain 34964506464 www.krion.com

Laminam

156 State St. Boston, MA 02109 289-924-0394 www.laminamusa.com

Lapitec Via Bassanese 6 Vedelago 310503 Italy www.lapitec.com

Laser Products Industries, Inc. 1344 Enterprise Dr. Romeoville, IL 60446 630-755-5402 www.laserproductsus.com

LOTTE Chemical 6 Centerpointe Ste. 100 La Palma, CA 90623 714-443-0964 www.lottechem.com

LX Hausys America Inc. 900 Circle 75 Pkwy. Ste. 1500 Atlanta, GA 30339 678-535-4113 us.lghausys.com

Meganite, Inc. 1461 S. Balboa Ave. Ontario, CA 91761 909-391-8886 meganite.com

Mirage Granito Ceramico s.p.a. DBA Infinity Via Giardini Nord 225 Pavullo Nel Frignano Modena 41026 Italy 390536329322 www.infinitysurfaces.it

Moksh Tech #1204, Pushpak Landmark Bldg., Near Titanium City Center, Anand Nagar Rd.

Prahlad Nagar Ahmedabad - 380 015 India 3012522673 www.mokshcad.com

Moraware Inc. 13125 Welcome Way Reno, NV 89511 866-312-9273

www.moraware.com

MSI Surfaces 2095 N. Batavia St. Orange, CA 92865 www.msisurfaces.com

Natural Stone Institute 380 E. Lorain St. Oberlin, OH 44074 440-250-9222 naturalstoneinstitute.org

Ollin Stone 301 E. Ball Rd. Anaheim, CA 92805 714-535-0800 www.ollinstone.com

Pacific Shore Stones 10220 Metropolitian Dr. Ste. A Austin, TX 78758 512-568-0649 www.pacificshorestones.com

Park Industries P.O. Box 188 St. Cloud, MN 56302 320-251-5077 www.parkindustries.com

InnoChem/Akemi

160 Candlewyck Dr. Avondale, PA 19311 www.akemi.com

Marble & Granite, Inc. 270 University Ave. Westwood, MA 02090 781-915-1250 www.marbleandgranite.com

Parson Adhesives Inc. 3345 Auburn Rd. Ste. 107 Rochester Hills, MI 48309 248-299-5585 www.chromalok.com

Plastiglas de Mexico SA. De CV. Frente a la Estacion del Ferrocarril FFCC

Maciovio Herrera S/N Ocoyoacac 52740 Mexico www.piedmontplastics.com/ suppliers/plastiglas-de-mexico

Princeton Chemical Company 7030 Quad Ave. Ste. 3 Rosedale, MD 21237 877-778-6878

www.princetonchemical.com

Pure Surfaces/Basix

Surfaces West 16411 Carmenita Rd. Cerritos, CA 90703 704-702-0441 www.pure-surfaces.com

PWI

7930 W. 1000 N. Nappanee, IN 46550 574-646-2015 www.pwiworks.com

Quote Countertops

11811 N. Tatum Blvd. #3078 Phoenix, AZ 85028 619-726-7660

www.quotecountertops.com

Regent Stone Products 2656 Quality Ct. Virginia Beach, VA 23454 800-624-8210

www.regentstoneproducts.com

Relang International, LLC, Durasein USA

7030 Quad Ave. Ste. 3 Rosedale, MD 21237 877-771-7712 www.durasein.com

RouterBitsNow

1226 79th St. S. St. Petersburg, FL 33707-2719 520-954-0534

www.routerbitsnow.com

Sasso USA

220 N. Smith St. Ste. 414 Palatine, IL 60067 224-200-8004

www.sassousa.com

www.saferocks.com Companies

Schechner Lifson Corp. 4 Chatham Rd. Summit, NJ 07901 908-598-7813

ISFA ASSOCIATE MEMBER DIRECTORY

Schultz Forming Products

2796 Loker Ave. W. Ste. 105 Carlsbad, CA 92010

800-822-2875 www.schultzform.com

Siom Marble & Granite Factory LLC

Sector 5, Emirates Industrial City P.O. Box 22149 Sharjah 22149 United Arab Emirates 97165422240 www.siommarble.com

SolidSurface.com

6641 N. Cibola Ave. Tucson, AZ 85718 520-247-3304 www.solidsurface.com

Stone Cloud 125 Walnut Dr. Tenafly, NJ 07670 201-776-6478 www.stonecloud.us

Stone Services Group

10308 S. Keeler Ave. Oak Lawn, IL 60453

815-210-1006

www.stoneservicesgroup.com

Swan Surfaces

200 Swan Ave. Centralia, IL 62801

800-325-7008 www.swanstone.com

Synchronous Solutions

3405 Rainbow Dr. Waxhaw, NC 28173 704-560-1536 www.synchronoussolutions.com

The Stone Collection 11935 N. Stemmons Fwy. #100 Dallas, TX 75206 972-488-5700 www.thestonecollection.com

TotalHousehold Pro 65A Walnut Hill Rd. Bethel, CT 06801 203-733-1276 www.pro.totalhousehold.com

US Surfaces

4601 Spicewood Springs Rd. Building 1 Ste. 100 Austin TX 78759 512-454-2229 www.ussurfaces.com

Vicostone USA 11620 Goodnight Ln. Ste. 100 Dallas, TX 75229 972-243-2325 www.us.vicostone.com

Water Treatment Solutions

6 Merrill Industrial Dr. Hampton, NH 03842 603-758-1900 www.watertreatmentonline.com

Welnest 350 South St. McSherrystown, PA 17344 844-935-6378 www.welnest.net

Willis 1149 Pioneer Rd. Burlington, ON L7M 1K5 Canada 289-775-5814 www.4willis.com

Wilsonart 2501 Wilsonart Dr. P.O. Box 6110 Temple, TX 76503-6110 800-433-3222 www.wilsonart.com

Wood Stock Supply Inc. 4705 S. I-90 Service Rd. Rapid City, SD 57703 605-341-6900 www.woodstocksupply.com

ZOLLER Inc.

3900 Research Park Dr. Ann Arbor, MI 48108 734-332-4851 www.zoller.info/us/home

Corian Design, a division of DuPont

Corian Design, a division of DuPont Water & Protection, is a USA headquartered, global organization that creates, manufactures and markets advanced surfacing materials, products and solutions for interior and exterior commercial and residential applications. Marketed under the Corian brand and the Make Your Space tagline, its materials, products and solutions meet the most demanding requirements in terms of beauty, functionality and durability. The Corian Design global portfolio is continuously evolving, and it currently includes Corian Solid Surface, Corian Quartz and Corian Endura.

The company strives to make surface aspirations a reality with innovative designs and an enduring color palette. With availability in multiple thicknesses and sheet sizes, as well as finishes, it’s easier than ever to provide custom fabricated, seamless, thermoformed designs that achieve horizontal and vertical application requirements.

In addition, the nonporous nature of Corian Solid Surfaces,

Corian Quartz and Corian Endura creates superb hygienic surfaces that need no sealing and stop stains from settling into the surface. Corian can’t delaminate, fluids can’t penetrate it, and it provides inconspicuous joints for a remarkably seamless look and function.

Fabricators can confidently create environments that are sustainable and support the health and well-being of their customers. Corian Solid Surface is LBC Red List and Greenguard Gold certified, emits low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and contributes to healthy indoor air quality. Installing Corian Solid Surface can help buildings achieve Green Building certification.

Corian Design will be adding exciting new colors to its Solid Surface and Quartz portfolios in Fall 2021. Making “Everyday Extraordinary” is Corian Design’s ambition with aesthetics that move beyond mere surfaces to create a sense of place, experience and captivating style.

To learn more about Corian Design, visit www.corian.com.

PRODUCT NEWS

GEM Orbital Sander

The GEM Orbital Sander features an 11inch drive pad which reduces labor by at least 50% over traditional 5-inch or 6-inch rotary tools. And as opposed to high speed rotary sanders, the 100% orbital action of the GEM sander eliminates the possibility of swirl marks, leaving a totally consistent and uniform finish. The weight of the machine does all the work. It comes with or without a shroud attachment for dust collection, and it is available in 220 volts. This is the ideal tool for sanding large flat surfaces for both the solid surface and woodworking industries. This sander can be used on concrete and metal surfaces. For more information, visit www.gemindustries.com

Meganite launches collection of Terrazzo

With seven new colors now available in this stunning line, True Terrazzo is inspired by acrylic solid surface design. It captures the classic true look of natural terrazzo into modern design that reveals an extraordinary aesthetic potential and unprecedented versatility in daily use.

Suitable to be installed in tough environments from health care to food service to residential spaces, Meganite’s key advantages are its nonporous and seamless functionalities. These hygienic performances limit bacteria or mildew growth which enables the surface to be stain-resistant and is easy to clean. For more information, visit www.meganite.com.

Better Vacuum Cups

The Rooted Collection by Durasein

The Rooted Collection is Durasein’s latest development of solid surface materials, a merger of nature and technology. These sustainabilityminded surfaces were painstakingly created to mimic the warmth and visual texture of wood.

Available in Hickory, Cherrywood and Barnwood, the freedom and flexibility offered by this solid surface line is perfect for any environment. It’s as richly textured as the real thing, but lowmaintenance, easy to clean, and resistant to stains and chemicals. From health care to hospitality, entertainment to residential, Durasein is resistant to scratches, impact and heat. For more information, visit https://durasein.com/us/woods/

Durat - Baltic Sea and Avant Terra

It’s hip to be square! Or is it?! Once again, the stone fabricators spoke and Better Vacuum Cups was listening. So here is the all-new 200 mm round cup from BVC. This cup comes in three heights of 105 mm, 150 mm and 200 mm for all new double-stacked tooling. As with all SS cups from BVC, this SSR200 is half the weight, and many customers are reporting double holding power for faster setup times. For more information, check out all the BVC videos at www.GREENBVC.com.

Durat Recycled Solid Surface is a unique solid surface material that can be used to create seamless surfaces for any custom project including countertops, desks, tables, integrated sinks, bathtubs, shower trays and more. All Durat surfaces are made with up to 28% recycled hard plastics. Durat’s most recent debut is a new pattern inspired by the Baltic Sea. With deep blue speckles on a foam-white base, this color introduces a cheerful marine look. Ten percent of all sales of this new Durat color will go to the John Nurminen Foundation to support their efforts to protect the Baltic Sea. For more information visit www.caragreen.com/products/ detail/durat-sheets.

PRODUCT NEWS

Madreperola Quartz by Vicostone

Advanced technology and premium manufacturing capture the most striking traits of Brazilian Taj Mahal and Madreperola quartzite in a unique and elegant design. Vicostone Madreperola quartz is a cool-taupe engineered stone with smooth brown veins and crystalline accents. It evokes the soft beauty of natural pearl and offers true depth that is difficult to replicate in quartz surfaces. Madreperola comes in a polished finish and is available in 3 cm and 2 cm jumbo slabs. For more information, visit www.us.vicostone.com.

Keeper Combat Ratchet Tie Down Straps Launch at The Home Depot

Keeper, the innovative cargo control brand from Hampton Products International Corp, has announced that its Keeper Combat Ratchet Tie Downs are now available at The Home Depot. Keeper Combat Ratchets feature a stealthy and strong steel ratchet with “No Slip Grip” handles and vinyl-coated S-hooks to prevent scratching and marring. Leading the family of products is the 16-ft. Combat Ratchet Tie Down, which has durable 1.25-inch webbing to absorb shock and resist cut, rot and abrasion with a half-ton working limit. Keeper’s webbing design adds 67% more abrasion-resistance and 30% more cut-resistance than regular webbing, which enables Keeper Combat Ratchet Tie Downs to hold up and stay stronger for rugged outdoor use. Each strap also features a sewn-in, soft tie to lock down lighter loads. Keeper Combat Ratchet Tie Downs are available at The Home Depot store locations and online in two-pack and four-pack quantities ranging from $19.98 to $47.98. For more information on Keeper Products, visit www.keeperproducts.com.

STILE porcelain from MSI

Now available in 2 cm-thick, 128-inch by 64-inch slabs, these large format Italian porcelain slabs are the ideal solution for creating eye-catching countertops, floors, backsplashes and accent walls. Replicating marble and offered in three beautiful colorways — Calacatta Isla Polished, Calacatta Marbella Polished and Marquina Noir Matte — STILE is durable, easy to clean and to maintain. GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified and impervious to germs and bacteria, the STILE line is helping provide healthier spaces to residential and commercial building occupants. To learn more, visit www.msisurfaces.com/stile/porcelain-slabs.

Laminam launches Ardesia a Spacco

Ardesia a Spacco is a surface inspired by “Pietra di Lavagna,” a natural slate that has been used for 2500 years and was widely used in Italian medieval and Renaissance urban architecture. Ardesia a Spacco (quarry-split slate), combines different levels of depth in the finish, creating a beautiful surface that preserves the craftsmanship of the original stone allied with the superior technical performance of Laminam. Extremely durable, hygienic and easy to maintain, Ardesia a Spacco comes in the classic Bianco and Nero colors, and it is excellent to use as kitchen countertops, floor and wall coverings and façade cladding applications. For more information, please visit www.laminam.com.

PRODUCT NEWS

QUATRUS R15 Medium Apron Front Sink

BLANCO embraces small-space living by adding the QUATRUS R15 Medium Apron to their stainless steel apron front sink collection. The QUATRUS R15 brings a whole new level of design versatility to space-challenged kitchens, even fitting compact 27-inch cabinets.

The new QUATRUS R15 Apron Front sink is an ultra-compact 25-inch-wide farmhouse design with a generous 9-inch bowl depth. It features soft, rounded outside corners and easy-to-clean 15 mm-radius inside corners. The result is a sink with a fresh, modern look that will solve many of the challenges faced in compact kitchens. The QUATRUS R15 Medium is made of durable, 18-gauge stainless steel with 18/10 chromenickel content for exceptional luster and strength. For more information, visit www.blanco.com.

Micro Fence Guide System

Micro Fence is a precision guide system for the handheld router. The Micro Fence system includes micrometer-adjusted edge guides, circle and ellipse jigs, vacuum holddowns, and plunge bases for laminate trimmers and rotary tools. The system provides unprecedented accuracy and efficiency (measuring in thousandths of an inch) for all router setups and operations. The edge guide, circle jig and award-winning plunge bases are particularly well suited for one-off custom work, a wide variety of inlay requirements and architectural detailing.

Made to fit virtually any router on the market, Micro Fence tools are available with either imperial or metric scales which provide the same kind of measurement accuracy found on CNC equipment. Learn more at www.microfence.com.

Scottsdale Faucet from Karran

Karran’s new Scottsdale faucet comes in five beautiful finishes with gunmetal grey shown here, proving to be a prevalent choice with consumers. This pull-down, commercial-style faucet features a ceramic cartridge, a durable PVD finish and a practical dual-function spray head. Simple to install with its single-hole design, this new model is part of a collection of six new faucets introduced by Karran this year. For more information, visit www.karran.com.

New Staron Colors

Inspired by nature and modern design trends, the new Staron colors introduce a variety of stylish options in solid surface. Terrazzo and Supreme collections continue to lead the palette, with more than 10 colors in addition to classic options as well, from rich and uniform tones to grain and chip particles. In response to recent high demand for ultra-hygienic material, a new addition to Staron’s Evermoin Collection, Angel White, provides a fresh option engineered for environments such as health care facilities, retail and high-traffic offices. The Staron line’s new colors deliver the outstanding performance for which the company is famous: nonporous construction for exceptionally easy cleanup, dimensional flexibility for use in wide-ranging commercial and residential applications, unparalleled durability, and low maintenance requirements. For more information, visit https://www.staron.com/staron/us/colors/colors.do.

Are you prepared for the worst?

According to the U.S. Federal Reserve, “Many adults are not prepared to withstand even small financial disruptions when dealing with unexpected expenses.” A death in the family can create a short-term financial crisis as funeral expenses can range from $5,000 to $15,000 or more. Unfortunately, most life insurance policies do not provide funds for several weeks, and money in an estate may not be immediately available. Many families resort to credit cards or borrowing from friends — an emotionally draining process. There are affordable, nonmedical-exam insurance policies designed to bypass probate and provide money to beneficiaries within a few days after the loss. Are you prepared for the unexpected? For more information, visit www.bestburialins.com.

Making Hay While the Sun Shines

By Steve Mast, ISFA President

Anyone tired yet? If you are in the countertop industry right now, chances are you are running at capacity, facing challenges around finding and retaining staff, and feeling like you need five extra hours a day just to keep up. And maybe your revenue has dramatically increased, but perhaps your profitability isn’t where it should be. You aren’t alone. As we are trying to put out fires and get countertops out the door in a reasonable timeframe, sometimes money is slipping away in areas we don’t know about or have the bandwidth to fix.

My grandfather was a fifth-generation farmer in the Sacramento Valley. He always said, “Make hay while the sun shines.” (He was a tomato and wheat farmer, but the saying still goes.) The point is, he knew how to take advantage of opportunities when they presented themselves. We find ourselves in this phenomenal market, so how can we make hay when we feel like our tanks are running on empty?

You probably have as much work as you can uncomfortably handle. It doesn’t seem like that long ago when the recession was upon us, and we were all waiting for the phone to ring. In this current boom, we mustn’t waste any of the profits during the chaos.

It’s hard to make improvements or changes, especially when we are busy just keeping our heads above water. Pick just one area of improvement each month and commit to focusing on it. By focusing on just one thing at a time, not only will you and the team be able to accomplish the goal, over time, you will see significant improvements. For some shops, this means going from manual to digital. I remember

when we were growing, and we decided to move from physical templates to digital. I’ll tell you it wasn’t easy. But, if we hadn’t made the transition, it would have been tough to grow. We wouldn’t be anywhere near where we are now without this technology that enabled us to do more in less time. (More hay!)

Create a defined process for the entire life cycle of an order and then document it. Make sure it’s written clearly, and it’s easy for new people to understand. It’ll make it easier for new hires to get up to speed. Record some simple videos of your processes. We use a software called Snagit. It’s affordable (a one-time purchase of $49,) and it lets you record your screen so you can create tutorials of your digital processes. We post the videos where everyone can access them, and they can refer to them whenever they need to. Even without a solution like Snagit, your cellphone will take great videos so you can record people doing various tasks around the shop.

Another way to increase profitability is to sell more to the same customer. Adding a little more to the sale is much easier than getting a whole new sale. Just like us, our customers are extremely busy. Sometimes they don’t know all the options, or they don’t know they want the thing until you explain the benefits. Offer profitable add-ons like tear-out services, plumbing reconnects, or even tile backsplashes. You already have a relationship with the customer, now just offer them more solutions to their problems. It builds trust, and you’ll see that customer come back or refer you to other customers because you went the extra mile. (More hay!)

The good news is all of the investments we make now will serve us well for the long term. Like all successful farmers, my grandfather knew to take advantage of the sun’s bounty so he could invest in his operations to bolster him through the darker times. Make hay while the sun shines. Words to live by, to be sure.