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 observer-only option is available at a reduced price for those in production adjacent 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 post-COVID,” 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.”

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 on-demand 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)

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