Surface & Panel - Q4 2021

Q4 • 2021

U N I T I N G M AT E R I A L S , T E C H N O L O GY A N D D E S I G N

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CONTENTS

Q4 • 2021

U N I T I N G M AT E R I A L S , T E C H N O L O G Y A N D D E S I G N

42

FEATURES 12 Designer Perspective You’ve got to be from the future to design a resilient workplace.

SPECIAL SECTION

16 Pediatric Paradigms Creating a sense of space for everyone.

42 Surface Design Guide 2021 A showcase of design trends and products that are shaping the industry, the guide also reflects some of the newest products that were featured at returning events such as AWFS and NeoCon.

20 Materials Essential European firm tells stories through creative designs, featuring laminates in their hospitality projects.

24 Labor and Termites and Stock, OH MY! How one plywood manufacturer is addressing the needs of a Hawaii-based cabinet maker.

28 Overcoming Capacity with Innovation Paragon Concepts has invested in some major technological advances meant to challenge ongoing industry concerns.

60

56 Quality over Quantity The successful return of AWFS Fair.

60 Design Anew NeoCon inspires in Chicago.

DEPARTMENTS 8 From the President Patrick Adams appreciates hard times for the lessons they teach and the character they can build.

ON THE COVER: MIRLUX Premium Panel is a modern panel made from #1 PET plastic with an MDF, particleboard, or plywood core. Choose from luxurious high gloss or super matte textures in seven on-trend colors.

10 From the Editor Stephanie Ornelas on the current labor shortage.

32 Human Resources Where have all the workers gone?

How to survive the labor shortages of 2021

38 Sales & Marketing How well are your salespeople serving your customers?

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64 Ad Index 66 Three Questions with Economist Chris Kuehl

P R E S I D E N T/ P U B L I S H E R

Patrick Adams PH: 714-486-2735

padams@526mediagroup.com

VICE PRESIDENT

Shelly Adams PUBLISHER EMERITUS

John Aufderhaar

Never Miss a Beat.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE SURFACE & PANEL NEWSLETTER FOR NEW STORIES EVERY WEEK

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M A N AG I N G E D I T O R

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C O N T R I B U T I N G C O LU M N I S T S

Susan Palé, Bill Esler, Scott Angus CONTRIBUTORS

Marti Konstant, Chesenia Burgos, Emma Leach, John Stein, Dave Kahle SALES

Nick Kosan PH: 714-486-2735 nkosan@526mediagroup.com

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ccasey@526mediagroup.com

GRAPHIC DESIGN

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V I R T UA L E V E N T S

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Jody Bays PH: 714-486-2735

info@526mediagroup.com

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SURFACEANDPANEL.COM/SUBSCRIBE Surface & Panel is published quarterly by 526 Media Group, 151 Kalmus Drive, Ste. E200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, telephone 714-486-2735.

Patrick Adams, President. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted 7/16/2021 ® in any form, electronic or mechanical without written permission from the publisher. Subscription policy: Individual subscriptions are available, without charge, to manufacturers who engage in panel processing, qualified service providers and suppliers. Publisher reserves the right to reject non-qualified subscribers. One year subscription to non-qualified individuals: U.S. $50, Canada/Mexico $75, all other countries $100, payable in U.S. funds. Single issues are $15, and must be prepaid. 526 Media Group does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident, or any other cause whatsoever. Printed in the U.S.A. Postmaster: Send address changes to Surface & Panel, Jody Bays, 526 Media Group, 151 Kalmus Drive, Ste. E200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Please direct all subscription questions to: Surface & Panel, 526 Media Group, 151 Kalmus Drive, Ste. E200, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 or email Jody Bays at info@526mediagroup.com.

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Newsletter 2021 - Q3.indd 1

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The Curse of Easy

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n all of history, nothing good has ever come from “easy.” It seems most of mankind is in a constant search for “easy,” but it often leads to tempting shortcuts that only derail them from actually achieving it. It’s an interesting curse that tempts us all.

Easy money, easy life, easy relationship. What could be wrong with that? I started considering that recently when—as seems to have become a source for many of my tales—a few buddies and I were talking over cigars and drinks by a fire. A friend with a long history of, let’s say, “adventures,” most of them highly confidential, remarked, “In all of history, nothing good has ever come from ‘easy.’

People should learn to embrace and celebrate hard times because nothing is a better teacher.”

In this small group I was in, there was no shortage of hard times, or the lessons from them. I thought back on my life, one that through age now has me look back on my hard times with a form of sideways gratitude, because I would not fully appreciate my life and family now had I not been through it all. As we shared examples that supported his argument, I threw a grenade into the otherwise calm dialog. “If that is true, and we can all share that we are grateful for our hardships, why do we make it so easy on our children?” I asked.

There is no right answer to this challenge, but equally we should not curse the hard times. This great industry knows better than most that the “good times” are only a moment to take a breath before the next cycle hits where you fight for every penny of margin.

The countless number of things that can impact our business and lives at a moment’s notice only goes unmentioned because it would be too depressing to discuss regularly. And yet, we persevere. We get up, fight for every inch, and if we’re lucky, get to go to bed that evening tired from our hard-fought battles.

I’ve known a few people in my life who had it “easy.” While for brief seconds I’ll admit there was a slight tinge of jealousy, very quickly I saw how hollow their lives were. There was no purpose, no drive, no goals. They never lost, but technically never won either because there was never a fight.

Now, as we look across our landscape, we hear the constant criticism of all that could be better. What could have been more efficient, more organized with less error… easier. It seems that everyone is a critic who themselves has the “perfect plan” had they been in the role. I listen to this and instead of joining in, I smile in thinking

“This great industry knows better than most that the ‘good times’ are only a moment to take a breath before the next cycle hits where you fight for every penny of margin.”

back on the endless list of hardships I’ve had, things I could have done better, and things I know now that I wish I knew then.

As our industry goes through yet another roller-coaster slide, I know many sit back and ask why four-digit prices couldn’t hold on just a bit longer. My friend’s answer is, “because hard times create hard men, and you should be thankful that you’re one of them.” And his answer to my challenge about our kids? Well, I’ll spare you the details but in general, his explanation centered on them having us as parents and whether it be now or later, they will experience tough times too!

I share in his belief that “easy” is a curse and thankfully, most of my tough times these days don’t last so long that they break my hope and gratitude for all that I have. As we prepare to celebrate 100 years of service to this great industry next year, I consider all that the publications have witnessed in that time, reported and shared with many of your elders. We have a LOT planned next year that will equip us for another 100 years of service during the easy times, and especially the tough times.

I close by wishing you all just a moment or two of “easy times” as we transition to winter. But more than anything, take pride in all that you’ve created through the tough times. In the next couple of months, I’m going to ask just a few small favors of each of you to help us prepare for some amazing things next year. Stay tuned and as always, thank you for allowing us to serve you!

Patrick Adams, President | 526 Media Group, Inc.

Send your thoughts and messages on this issue and article to Patrick at padams@526mediagroup.com

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R O T I D E T

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The Great Opportunity

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F

’ve been hearing a lot about the labor shortage. It’s something everyone’s been talking about. While it’s always important to discuss these issues, at what point

do we stop talking and start acting? And I’m not saying we should stop the dialogue completely, but there’s a lot of talk about the issue at hand, and not as much

talk about what we’re doing about it—until now.

Throughout this issue you’ll read how experts and industry professionals are

navigating through the labor shortage. Wick Rice, founder of Hawaii-based Wick Rice cabinetry, explained how he’s investing time to train new employees who may not have as much experience, but have the desire to learn and grow. And that’s

worked in his favor.

“You have to think outside the box especially right now,” Rice said. “Maybe you can’t find people who are 100% skilled in the craft when you hire them, but you can

“Maybe you can’t find people who are 100% skilled in the craft when you hire them, but you can train them to be exactly what you need... and sometimes it works out even better than you planned.”

train them to be exactly what you need. You can shape them to fit your company needs and sometimes it works out even better than you planned.”

Cabinet door manufacturer Paragon Concepts decided to invest in more technology to challenge the ongoing shortage of skilled workers. The company is nearing completion of its Winstore installation for the new Selco ROS Robot Saw, and the system is designed to be equivalent to four full-time employees. You can read about their journey on page 28.

When I was at NeoCon in Chicago this October, I was curious what attendees had to say about the labor shortage, particularly the younger ones who looked like they were just getting started in their careers. “I think a lot of it has to do with spreading awareness,” one attendee said.

“There are a lot of students who don’t know what they want to do for a career, especially in community colleges. I think we need to start there. There are so many great opportunities in our industry for young people. I’m from Arkansas and I get to be in Chicago for a week to work. I’d say that’s pretty exciting.”

I think AWFS president Angelo Gangone said it best. Maybe we should start bringing kids to shows and change how young people view the industry.

And youngsters don’t exactly want the bells and whistles employers think they do. “It’s funny. There’s this myth that millennials and Gen-Zers want trendy office features, cool break room offerings and other random perks, but that’s simply not true,” another NeoCon attendee said.

“What we want is for our opinions and ideas to be heard. We want to contribute to something bigger than ourselves. We want to work collaboratively with a team we can learn from, and we want to be valued by our employers.”

Stephanie Ornelas, Editor

STEPHANIE ORNELAS | EDITOR | SURFACE & PANEL MAGAZINE SORNELAS@525MEDIAGROUP.COM | 714-486-2735

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Designer Perspective YOU’VE GOT TO BE FROM THE FUTURE TO DESIGN A RESILIENT WORKPLACE

BY MARTI KONSTANT

Marti Konstant is a designer, artist, workplace futurist, growth analyst, author, speaker, and founder of the Agile Careerist Project. She’s led programs for Samsung Mobile, Apple, Tellabs, Platinum Technology, Clear Communications, and more.

W

hat was a role that gave you a glimpse into your future? As designers and thinkers, what you bring to the table is your experience, it’s your stories about the workplace. We’re influenced by what we’ve been through in the past. It’s our context and our content for the future. The future is designed by creatives and optimists. Today we can think about designing a future that people want before they even know it.

But before stepping into the future, it’s important to bring our past to the present. Jeanne Gang, founding principal and partner of Chicagobased Studio Gang, delivered a keynote at NeoCon 2021 and talked about the importance of bringing the past into the present of some of the buildings and refurbishing projects that she was working on.

The purpose of the past isn’t just for us to look back at the good old days, but it’s for us to really understand the importance of noticing the signals and the trends and patterns so that we can use it for future projects.

We’ve had several industrial revolutions up until this point. The workplace has changed a lot since the ʼ40s and ʼ50s. Landlines and memos were used, there was a typing pool, and it was an open office environment. Going into the ʼ60s and ʼ70s, the concept of action design was introduced to the design and space world. It was elegant and expensive, but now has morphed to what we call today the cubicle.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 ›

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‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

Going into the 2000s, we began to see more of an open office environment. Employees are starting to have more of a say of where they work. Today in 2021, we’re now seeing a lot of de-densification with the pandemic and the shift to work from home. And people are more concerned about health and wellness.

If you’ve ever been to DisneyWorld, there’s something called Spaceship Earth. It’s a ride that you can get on and answer a series of questions to better understand how you would like to build your future.

It asked questions like how you spend your spare time, what you want to drive to work, etc. When I was done, I had a flying car and a hydroponic garden. It was a magnificent thing. But life is not that easy. It’s not just a series of questions.

Whenever I deliver a keynote, I share this acronym to help my audience remember my presentation. I like to call it Challenge your DNA. D – disrupt. N – Notice. A – Act. This is what it takes to build your future.

Challenge your assumptions. Disrupt the model. Notice signals/ trends and be prepared to experiment. Then act.

A common assumption is that work is a place. But what if we thought of work as an idea? Work could be a smart workplace. And that’s something that’s been impacted by the pandemic. It’s time to reshuffle, rethink and recalibrate to design this future.

Out of all the solutions I’ve seen lately, especially at NeoCon in October, there were so many designs for satellite offices, for regular offices, for remote offices. We’re flexibly expanding what it means to support the central business district within cities. You only have to look on Google to find out that people like you are designing thousands of products that users can get online right now to make the work from home experience better, whether it’s storage solutions or adjustable desks with built in electronics.

So, if work is an idea, it might be time to untether work from a place.

Of course, it’s in a physical place, but if we take it away from a place in our minds, we might be able to imagine solutions for our workplaces.

At NeoCon I got to see the pergola that was introduced by Haworth. This is an idea that’s been coming, and not necessarily from 14

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the pandemic. It was designed during the timeframe before then, but its time has come and it’s giving employees the opportunity to have a voice and a choice of where and how people want to work.

I also noticed a large number of private spaces—office pods that people could go into for privacy. Privacy is going to be a really big thing and it has been in the last 18 months. The new work tent devised by Steelcase is something that addresses open space but still gives some privacy. Designers are now promoting neurodiversity, mobility and privacy into their solutions.

A big trend I’m noticing everyone talking about: hybrid. Research shows that 77% of workers want remote work some of the time, whether it’s a few days a week or just one. It’s the flexibility to make that decision. Research also shows that 33% will leave their jobs if remote work is no longer an option. This is an uncomfortable stat. We know that there’s a great resignation going on right now. People are moving. They’re highly mobile.

So, what will you do as designers with the certainty of hybrid? And what will it look like one year from now? Two years? It will certainly be different than it is right now. The definition will evolve. The goal is to adapt, or you will be left behind.

There’s a lot going on in technology right now and it’s so important to stay caught up. Architects are now starting to use this idea of digital twins so they could build a virtual model of what it is they’re designing. We are in a continuous learning business. It is not a one-and-done.

When I started my first job some of the knowledge lasted for several years and that’s just not the case anymore.

The most important thing to remember is that when change happens, don’t do nothing. Good change or bad change, like the pandemic, the worst thing you can do is stagnate.

Design and future thinking can defy time and space. But how does one think about the future before it happens? There’s a great branding exercise I like to use. Write a press release about what your future looks like five years into the future. I highly suggest you try this and see what ideas you’ll discover. s p

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IT ALL COMES TOGETHER

Pediatric Paradigms CREATING A SENSE OF SPACE FOR EVERYONE

T

BY CHESENIA BURGOS AND EMMA LEACH

o truly design an inclusive pediatric environment, all users and their needs must be taken into consideration and addressed.

Pediatric design has adapted a lot over the years. It’s no longer just primary colors and teddy bears. Through examples like SeraphMcSparren Pediatric Inpatient Center in Lancaster, PA., and UPMC Children's Harrisburg, Harrisburg, PA., we’ll show you how incorporating simple yet important planning strategies in the design of a space will help support family health.

ABSTRACT PATTERNS FOUND IN PARKS BEGAN TO FORM THE IMPLIED BOUNDARIES OF THE ADJOINING SPACES WITHIN THE DESIGN OF UPMC CHILDREN'S HARRISBURG, ULTIMATELY PULLING THE DESIGN VISION TOGETHER.

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RETHINK THE TRADITIONAL Traditional pediatric design applies design to architectural elements whereas contemporary design incorporates elements within the architectural-built environment. Applied childish character motifs can sometimes seem like more of an afterthought, rather than a well-thought-out experience or focal point.

Oftentimes pediatric design tends to cater more towards the younger age groups.

Childlike graphics don’t necessarily appeal to a patient who is a bit older. In a space with a wide variety of age groups, creating an inclusive environment becomes even more important.

In addition to caring for a wide range of patients, an important factor to creating inclusive environments is incorporating their family members and siblings. Instead of using childish motifs, we’ve found ourselves inspired by nature which relates to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

To better relate nature and STEM with the design of interiors, designers will present abstract images of nature and STEM, alongside photos of the built environment, showcasing their similarities such as composition,

OPPOSITE PAGE: OPEN PLAY SPACE FROM UPMC CHILDREN'S HARRISBURG, PA., DEMONSTRATES HOW OPEN PLAN SPACES ENCOURAGE FLEXIBILITY. THE SPACES ARE DESIGNATED BY THE ABSTRACTED TREE CANOPY CEILING DESIGN AS WELL AS THE MULTI-COLORED FLOOR PATTERN. THIS ALLOWS THE SPACE TO BE OPEN YET DEFINED.

structure, developed pathways, gathering points, and color palettes. For example, a photo of the dried earth might spark an idea for a circular reading nook.

Sketches and parti diagrams have further developed from the imagery collected and naturally found their way to the design of pediatric spaces. This furthers the notion to rethink traditional.

A cohesive and integrated design brings great value as it takes into consideration the diversity of its users. Therefore, traditional rooms are starting to open up into their adjoining spaces. Implied lines of separation, whether though floor patterns, ceiling design or other architectural elements, began to form the units.

While bringing open concepts to healthcare, it’s still very important to create a unified interior that not only feels welcoming to the wide age range of the patient population but takes into consideration the intricate aspects of patient care, family engagement and caregiver support—all factors that place an important role in patient healing and satisfaction.

A WELL-DESIGNED SPACE BUILDS CONFIDENCE AND EXPEDITES HEALING Space does not always have to be defined by full-height walls. In both projects we took advantage of partial-height walls, millwork elements, ceiling design and floor patterns to define spaces or activities. SeraphMcSparren featured open site lines to the play area and the family lounge, while UPMC showed visibility through the play space towards the front of the unit. Both projects maintain openness while still providing varying levels of visual privacy. The ability to feel a level of control over your environment and how you experience it is an important factor in building confidence and expediting healing.

Maintaining site lines is highly important in the pediatric environment. Therefore, implied lines of separation become especially important as individualized spaces are developed. That leaves us to discuss “A sense of place.” It’s important to identify specific areas that would draw in particular age groups, interests, or activities. In addition, solely because various space types are needed, does not mean they are required to be enclosed.

Half walls, vision panels, furniture and architectural built-in elements all promote flexible and open boundaries, offering a sense of place for all users—young children, teenagers, parents and caregivers.

Co-locating these areas also promotes socialization and interaction as users can see across the adjoining spaces. As curiosity strikes, they have the freedom to move about without feeling like they are interrupting by opening and closing doors. It also promotes flexibility and visibility, encouraging users to choose their environment by allowing the activities that reside in those areas to define the space.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 ›

Positive Distractions A variety of elements were incorporated into the wall panels ranging from playful murals to light walls and touch screens. Built-in cubbies with fiberoptic lighting that kids can crawl into and custom hexagon walls were built-in throughout both projects.

Including elements like this creates an environment that encourages both play and creativity and ultimately provides distraction from the hospital environment. Between both projects, 35 interactive distractions were integrated into the design.

BOTH PROJECTS HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF PATIENT AGES. IT WAS IMPORTANT TO CREATE A DESIGN THAT INSURED ALL USERS FELT COMFORTABLE AND FOUND THEIR SENSE OF PLACE.

SURFACE & PANEL • Q4 2021

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BOTH SPACES ACHIEVE AN OPEN FLOOR PLAN AND MAINTAIN THE NECESSARY SITE LINES FOR THE CARE TEAM.

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

FLEXIBLE FUNCTIONS: IMPLEMENTING VARIOUS TYPES OF WORKPLACES While some definition of space is still provided through design elements, the overall goal is to achieve an environment that is flexible and adaptable to all users and all activities. Part of that flexibility is encouraging kids to find their sense of place and provide a variety of options that appear welcoming and approachable, rather than separated behind the playroom door.

The key design goal of both projects was to ensure that every element of the design had dual purpose and could be used by multiple user types. From a design perspective, feeding areas and bench niches were incorporated wherever possible.

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From an accessibility perspective, we were careful to make sure kids of all ages, sizes and mobilities could have access to all the same functions. For example, the custom sink in the center encourages handwashing and was designed with multiple heights to accommodate various accessibility or ergonomic needs. And both projects use millwork to create free-flowing shapes that added to the overall colorful design aesthetic. More importantly, it added to the functional needs of designing for a variety of users.

The play area millwork and counter elements provide a range of counter-heights and depths and allow for the use of accessibility.

When the play area’s main function is to encourage play and provide a positive distraction, its dual function as a therapy space was an important factor to remember when designing the play and interactive elements.

Providing caregivers with options for how they work is just as important as providing options to patients and their families. Offering a variety of seating heights allows that flexibility. Dispersing various work surfaces across the unit also allows for multiple moments of collaboration and touchdown. In one of the projects, adjacent to such seating types are open, semi-private and private work areas, which provide caregivers with the choice of the atmosphere most appropriate for their tasks.

It’s also very important that families maintain a visual connection to the caregivers. So, open and semi-private spaces still offer that line of sight to families while maintaining implied boundaries and privacy for the caregiver zones.

With flexibility still highly valued, the design of a patient room should also reflect the diversity of its patient population. With the goal of providing higher quality outcomes and better patient and family experience, the introduction and implementation of universal patient rooms creates inclusivity of care by encouraging the flexibility of providing varying levels of treatments in one space. This allows patients to remain in a single room during their stay and reduces patient transfers due to changes in acuity level by offering the capability of shifting to an ICU level of care.

Both projects incorporated a variety of touchdown surfaces for family members, whether it’s for work or pleasure. The goal is to make the users feel right at home so they can stay with their children as long as possible.

Regardless of being within the play area, school age group, teen space or family lounge, these examples showcase this way of thinking by incorporating playful yet sophisticated color palettes in an abstract way. s p

While bringing open concepts to healthcare, it’s still very important to create a unified interior that not only feels welcoming to the wide age range of the patient population but takes into consideration the intricate aspects of patient care, family engagement and caregiver support—all factors that place an important role in patient healing and satisfaction.

Adv_USA_114x191.qxp_Layout 1 10/04/19 18:00 Pagina 1

Chesenia Burgos INTERIOR DESIGNER | STANTEC

Chesenia is a certified interior designer who has provided clients with planning, programming, research, and design services for various healthcare and education projects. Having experience in master planning, she has a well-rounded view on designing calculated and comprehensive plans that take into consideration the shifting needs of a particular space or building.

Chesenia is currently serving as the VP of Advocacy for the International Interior Design Association’s (IIDA) Pennsylvania/ New Jersey/Delaware Chapter.

NEW

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Emma Leach INTERIOR DESIGNER | STANTEC

With a focus on client-facing work, Emma is most at home during design development.

Using full scale mockups, virtual reality, and 3D renderings, she collaborates to capture the client’s needs in order to achieve the best design outcome. With a focus on healthcare design, Emma has experience in a variety of project scale types, including ground up hospitals and small-scale renovations.

As a certified interior designer, she uses her knowledge and attention to detail to transform the client’s needs into reality.

USA

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SURFACE & PANEL • Q4 2021

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Materials Essential

As European Firm Tells Stories Through Creative Designs LAMINATES OFTEN FIRST CHOICE FOR HOSPITALITY PROJECTS

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BY SCOTT W. ANGUS

hile international creative studio THDP of London and Milan specializes in interiors and architecture for hotels and restaurants, its partners think of themselves as creators more than designers.

“Interior design has become a process not just of decorating interiors but creating an experiential narrative for the hotel’s guests,” said Nicholas J. Hickson, cofounder of THDP with partner Manuela Mannino.

“This involves synthesizing both the hotel’s location and the building’s history, as well as absorbing the culture, food, arts and crafts and so many other elements into a visual tapestry which tells the story of each hotel,” he said.

Not surprisingly, materials play key roles in helping the creative team design those tapestries, and laminates are among their favorites—and not just as stand-ins.

“There have been several projects—the Hilton DoubleTree Roma Monti and the Indigo Verona Grand Hotel des Arts, for example—where laminates were a first choice and not simply a simulation of another natural finish,” Mannino said. “We much prefer to use laminates in this way—finding clever solutions in edging them or incorporating them into casegoods to make them appear seamless.”

Given their technical performance, laminates often deliver longer-lasting pieces in high traffic areas like the restaurants or the guestrooms without compromising the look and feel of the projects, she said.

THDP was founded in 2005 when Mannino and Hickson were invited to design the interiors for a resort of apartments, suites, restaurants and more that opened for the Turin Winter Olympics in Pragelato, Italy, in 2006. The company now has nine collaborators based in London and Milan. It specializes in hospitality design for major hotel brands as well as independent hotels. The company has won many international awards, and its focus since 2019 has been on luxury resorts and boutique hotels, though it still regularly designs city hotels.

Asked to expound on the role that each property’s story plays in THDP’s creative designs, Mannino said: “It’s this story that will create an enduring THDP concept, insulated from fluctuating fashions and giving the owner a commercial competitive advantage,” she said.

“Our mission is to tell this story, to take it, and to form it into a design narrative, a way for each interior and every hotel to express itself both authentically and creatively.”

THE THDP DESIGN TEAM SPECIFIES LAMINATES IN COUNTERTOPS AND TABLE TOPS, AS WELL AS CABINET FRONTS. FACING PAGE: THE BREAKFAST RESTAURANT AT THE INDIGO VERONA GRAND HOTEL DES ARTS, WHERE THDP USED FENIX LAMINATE FOR TABLE TOPS. IT IS A SUPER OPAQUE NANOTECH MATERIAL OF THE LATEST GENERATION. IT IS AN INNOVATIVE DESIGN PRODUCT FOR INTERIORS, CREATED

BY ARPA INDUSTRIALE, WHICH COMBINES ELEGANT AESTHETIC SOLUTIONS WITH VERY HIGH TECHNOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE. PHOTO BY VEERLE EVENS PHOTOGRAPHY. TOP LEFT AND ABOVE: THE LOBBY AT DOUBLETREE BY HILTON ROME MONTI, PHOTO BY JANOS GRAPOV. TOP RIGHT: MANUELA MANNINO AND NICHOLAS J. HICKSON, CO-FOUNDERS OF THDP. PHOTO BY LINDA SCUIZZATO.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 ›

SURFACE & PANEL • Q4 2021

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THIS TABLE IN A ROOM DESIGNED BY THDP AT THE TERME DI SATURNIA FEATURES LAMINATE FROM CLEAF. THE COLOR IS INTENDED TO MIRROR THE EFFECT OF WATER FROM A NATURAL SPRING THAT IS PART OF THE PROPERTY.

THDP SOURCED LOCAL FURNISHINGS AND FINISHES THAT SPOKE TO THE HOTEL’S CHARACTER, HISTORY AND LOCATION IN THE TERME DI SATURNIA NATURAL DESTINATION. PHOTO BY GIORGIO BARONI.

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“Our interiors are then not predictable empty spaces but offer engaging, consistent and unforgettable experiences for their guests,” Hickson added. “We ensure their stay is memorable, leveraging their enthusiasm by creating word-of-mouth publicity.”

The designers often start by working with the architect to improve a hotel’s flow and layout so that all of the visual elements “fall into sync with one another,” Mannino said.

One of THDP’s favorite recent projects was the remodeling of the Terme Di Saturnia Natural Destination, which was completed in August 2020. The hotel is located in the heart of Tuscany in Italy, an area rich with history and culture, and embraces a natural hot spring.

“Many of our favorite projects are in our favorite locations,” Mannino said.

The Terme Di Saturnia Natural Destination was a refurbishment, so it was rewarding for THDP to find local furnishings and finishes that spoke to the hotel’s character, history and location, Hickson said.

On its website, THDP explains that the inspiration for the concept came from the “super natural condition” that engulfs the hotel: “The earth, the air, and the water transform the elements, the light, the temperature.”

FAMILY SUITE MASTER BEDROOM AT THE TERME DI SATURNIA

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Specifying the right materials is critical to any project’s success, and the people at THDP—given their emphasis on telling meaningful stories through their creations—are understandably particular in their selections.

When THDP did the interior design for the Hilton Barcelona Diagonal Mar in 2019, for example, the last element to be completed was the lobby. The designers agreed with award-winning chef Artur Martinez to place a new bar and restaurant in the lobby and for his chefs and mixologists to perform directly in front of the guests while creating their tapas and cocktails at specially designed stations.

“The kitchen, too, was placed in the lobby, and in order to create a sense of theater, we used Neolith from The Size in order to dress the catering elements,” Mannino said, referring to the sintered stone used in the project. “Dark colors like burnt rust and black stone were used in order for the chefs to be in contrast against this set. This created a seamless yet luxury experience which after only six months was awarded a Michelin Star.”

As they were in the Hilton Milan and Hotel Indigo Verona Grand Hotel des Arts by HNH, laminates are often THDP’s first choice because of the incredible advancements in the materials in the last 10 years, Mannino and Hickson said.

“The textures and colors of laminates create a strategic and durable alternative to veneers and stone, as well as the seamless way other elements such as basins and heating elements can be incorporated into it,” Hickson said.

One of THDP’s preferred laminates is Fenix by Arpa Industriale of Italy. “The surface is soft touch, opaque and anti-fingerprint and incorporates thermal healing of micro scratches, which improves its look and feel over time,” Mannino said. “The colors available are contemporary and timeless at the same time. We use this for countertops and table tops, as well as cabinet fronts as it really resembles a lacquered material but is robust enough to use on counters or table surfaces, normally with a contrasting edge to add more detail.”

“Many companies like Cleaf, Arpa and Egger are working harder and harder in creating unique and ever- more-exciting finishes that have a unique look, texture and touch,” Mannino said.

“Using the material sympathetically within the interior has some great advantages and can very often look better both initially and for longer during the lifetime of a hotel interior.” s p

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Labor and Termites and Stock, OH MY! HOW ONE PLYWOOD MANUFACTURER IS ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF A HAWAII-BASED CABINET MAKER

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or Wick Rice, owner of 11,000-square foot Wick Rice Cabinetry, it was important to have a supplier who addressed one major problem going on in Hawaii. He found a solution with States Industries.

Now, along with his predecessor Robert Malovic, who will be taking over as CEO next year, he is combating a new industry-wide challenge: the labor shortage.

Something that many Hawaiian cabinet shops can agree on, including Rice, is that there’s a lot of money to be spent. “We’re on the big island where they have a lot of new money,” said Rice. “There are a lot of exclusive resorts and it’s really great for us. I ended up on a little island in the middle of the pacific where there’s just a ton of money.”

“Building cabinets in Hawaii is a lot different than say if you were in Iowa, for example. Of course there are areas in Iowa with a lot of money, but here you’re dealing with a lot of money everywhere. These people are hiring very good architects and they’re building some pretty impressive projects. In fact, we’re working on a house right now that has eight bedrooms, eight baths and two media rooms.″ The company does a fair amount of work off island, but it’s the on-island projects that bring on unique challenges from loading containers and measurement, to navigating a complete shutdown due to COVID. A BIG PROBLEM ON THE BIG ISLAND “There are so many risks when working on island, said shop manager and future CEO Malovic. “A mistake can be harder to fix when it’s inner island because then you find yourself flying stuff back and forth. And if you need a measurement, you can’t just drive out to the jobsite.”

Rice said that it got especially challenging during the pandemic due to his hesitance to fly at the time. “We had a job on Kauai and I wasn’t willing to get on an airplane, since no one was vaccinated. So, they had to measure the job for us. Communication was just so important.”

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But none of those challenges were as bad as one major Hawaiian issue that all cabinet shops cannot ignore: termites.

“I’ve had a relationship with AWI (Architectural Woods) for 20 years and I trust them. They got together with States Industries and convinced them to start manufacturing plywood with the termiticidetreated glue lines. They had been doing that in New Zealand and Australia for years because those areas have a huge termite problem like we do,” explained Rice.

“Termites have always been a problem here. Not just with me but with all the shops. If you use untreated maple plywood, termites will get a hold of that in a year, and it’ll be gone. States was really the first one to make this happen.”

That’s a huge reason why relationships with suppliers and manufacturers are so important to Rice. And with COVID just around the corner, he would rely on those relationships more than ever.

“Part of it has to do service,” Rice said. “You’re bidding jobs and you’re calling your distributors for quotes, so having them process that in a timely manner so you can get your bids out is very important. When we contact AWI, they have to go back to States and we’re dependent on them to turn stuff around. They do a very good job with that. We can typically get pricing back within three to four days.”

helps that we know what we’ll be doing for the next 18 months.”

Rice agreed, adding that the prices went way up on sheet goods substantially. Before 2020 and the pandemic, they were buying C2 maple sheets at around $68-70 a sheet and now it’s about $115 for that same panel.

The company goes through a good amount of States Industries C2 plywood panels. In fact, the majority of their panels are C2 maple plywood, and they do a clear finish on the interiors.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 ›

MATERIAL SHORTAGES, SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTION When the pandemic hit, there were more issues beyond termites.

According to Rice, it was constant communication with suppliers that helped them stay ahead.

“We were pretty proactive when COVID came along, and the supply chain started tightening up,” Rice said. “Our suppliers gave us a heads up. With the C2 maple, they were telling us how they have 60 sheets on the floor, but we probably won’t get another load for 60 days. And in that case, we just buy up the floor.”

“We pre-ordered a lot of material. We probably won’t start this one job we have coming up for another couple of months, but we had to stay ahead and make sure we had the materials in house, so we ordered 200 sheets of three-quarter inch peak plywood for the cabinet bodies and had them well ahead of time.”

But according to Malovic, one major issue the company is still facing is with finishes from pricing to availability. “We had a few scares with finish products,” he said. “One company told us they couldn’t predict how soon they would get more of some of the sheens we use.

Some people were saying it wouldn’t be until 2023. So, we would have to buy up a bunch. If they had 80 gallons in, we would get at least 40. It

SURFACE & PANEL • Q4 2021

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The shortage of skilled labor is so intense that it leaves shops like Wick Rice in fear of losing their best workers and scrambling to find more.

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CHALLENGING THE LABOR SHORTAGE Rice and Malovic are waiting and hoping that the curve will eventually go down, but according to Rice, glue is also a big problem.

“It’s hard to say why the price has gone up so much, but one thing that comes to mind is the labor shortage,” Rice said. “And that’s not just for panel processing. Anything in the construction industry that takes glue is experiencing this same problem. Thankfully we’ve been able to keep up. Lead times are a little longer that’s for sure. Some have even doubled.”

“We have a horrible labor shortage here. We lost a really good woodworker who went on to start his own business and we have not been able to replace him. We’ve had ads for finisher and cabinet maker on job boards now for almost seven months. The other problem in Hawaii is that housing is so expensive.″ The shortage of skilled labor is so intense that it leaves shops like Wick Rice in fear of losing their best workers and scrambling to find more.

“We had a scare about six weeks ago where we thought one of our workers was going to move back to Florida. He was a friend of ours who we brought on the team. We knew him, we trusted him, and he is really smart. We were able train him and it’s gone extremely well,” said Malovic.

“Ideally, we would have hired a seasoned cabinet maker, but we had to go with what we could find,” added Rice.

“We also brought in a younger guy who we are training, and he’s really nice but training someone to do this kind of work takes years. You don’t realize how much there is to it. But he’s doing good. He shows up every day on time. He’s intelligent and wants to learn. We already have him running our CNC machine,” Rice said.

Given their experience lately, both Rice and Malovic learned that they have to start thinking outside the box.

“We found two people who we thought were good people to have around, were able to learn fast, and we took a chance on them. Sometimes you just have to take chances and be patient,” said Malovic.

And Rice has also realized that if you’re willing to train someone, you end up with someone who operates how you trained them.

“In a shop you have procedures and ways to do stuff, so there is an advantage to hiring somewhat of a novice so you can train them to do things your way,” Rice said. “We recently had to let someone go because he was a little too set in his ways. We have very good people in our shop.

Just not enough of them.” s p

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Overcoming Capacity WITH Innovation

T

o combat the ongoing labor shortage and bring innovation to the forefront, Colorado-based Paragon Concepts has invested in some major technological advances meant to challenge ongoing industry concerns. The company is nearing completion of its Winstore installation for the new Selco ROS Robot Saw—a system that is designed to be equivalent to four full-time employees.

“We’ve been struggling the last 18 months with the demands on our factory. We’ve been running 125%, six days a week,” said founder Isaiah Rozek. “It forced us to go on a journey to see how we could overcome this. Hiring people has been almost impossible and we had to figure out how to overcome capacity. So, we chose Biesse's Selco ROS robotic saw.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30 ›

Materials Update

BY JOHN STEIN, VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, PARAGON CONCEPTS

Between our three shops, we buy a lot of melamine. Our finished work is so small that it doesn’t even register on our sales meter.

We have been touting the textured TFL & HPL horn for quite some time. Laser edge banding still hasn’t gone viral—yet.

But, we see things starting to change.

For example, we have been a big proponent of Stevens Industries and the Stevenswood line of TFL materials. Their colors are awesome, and the quality of their sheets stand out.

We have also seen a continual improvement in texture quality.

You can see that they are constantly evaluating their game.

We sell a lot of doors on their stuff.

Just recently, Stevens started stocking matching laser edge banding for their TFL library. This is a profound statement for three reasons: 1. The adoption of laser is now reaching the sheet goods manufacturer level. This will start the steam roller moving forward at an even greater pace.

2. Stevens is acutely concerned about the end product, namely boxes and door fronts. This validates the argument that laser is far superior to any glue solution, including PUR. 3. Finally, it says that organic demand has picked up enough to motivate a major TFL player to enter into the edge banding market on scale.

To the shop, this means one thing. If you are not running laser (and who is), you will be at a competitive disadvantage before long. The quality mandate continues to build as the textured materials keep improving. Pressure will soon be there, and you will find your customers asking for it.

What to do? We have more than $1 million in edge banders.

Those things are crazy expensive, and we haven’t seen economies of scale yet. Even the tape costs are high compared to glue.

The obvious answer for us (we are holding the pen) is to outsource your doors. The boxes will be glue for lots of reasons so hold onto your bander. But, the doors will adopt sooner or later. It’s totally up to you as to when. Lead or follow.

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‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

The first to bring Biesse’s robot saw in North America, the company expects more than a 40% increase in cut production. And, according to John Stein, Vice President of Business Development for Paragon Concepts, Winstore is what makes the process truly possible.

“Without Windstore, you have to feed the yellow arm manually,” Stein said.

The system allows users to stack seven piles of sheets a hundred high. Winstore knows where each color is and shuffles the deck at will to give materials for the next project cut. The saw cuts, labels and stacks each project.

“It’s the loading mechanism for the sheets that the robot cuts. You have seven piles of sheets up to 100 high that Winstore catalogues. So, when that job comes, it knows where to go get the sheet.”

The idea is that the system continuously feeds sheets to the robot who then cuts, labels and stacks the piles of cut pieces. Together, they can run non-stop (conceptually).

“It is super exciting to see our Winstore completing installation,” added Stein. “We were supposed to have the Selco ROS robot saw and Winstore operational May 1. No doubt that production has felt the impact. Lead times are not just a materials issue these days. Biesse couldn’t get visas for their team to enter the States and complete the installation.

“And, the robot and Winstore don't get COVID! After three rounds of battling that in the factory, we know that this is a big move for us,” Stein added.

“It is amazing technology. Continual production improvements are always on our mind. We know that this will have a super-positive impact on our own lead times.” s p

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Where Have All the Workers Gone?

HOW TO SURVIVE THE LABOR SHORTAGES OF 2021

I

BY SUSAN PALÉ

’m writing this on an August morning, and the monthly jobs report from the USDOL has just been issued. Last month’s report was somewhat underwhelming, so this one has been eagerly awaited.

It has lots of good news:

•

The economy added over 943,000 jobs in July, well ahead of economic forecasts. The biggest gains were in hotel, restaurant, and public school positions.

•

The US unemployment rate is now 5.4%, down from 5.9% in June.

That is a significant monthly drop.

•

Average earnings are up 4% from July, 2020.

Despite all this positive news, if you are an employer trying to hire, you are most likely not smiling. 2021 has brought a significant labor shortage that has impacted employers across industries and occupations.

In June, the Washington Post published a list of the occupations facing the most critical labor shortages. Among the top ten:

• • • •

Sawmill workers (#1) Long haul truckers Veterinarians Mental health practitioners

Not exactly a homogeneous list, is it? And while the labor shortage is certainly challenging, there are some strategies you can adopt to help you meet those challenges.

1. DON’T BLAME IT ON COVID COVID certainly knocked the rug out from under the economy, but many of the factors influencing current labor shortages existed before the pandemic. The working age population of the US has been shrinking for a while now, and the lack of affordable, available child care and parental leave has kept many parents out of the workforce.

Record stock market results and increased housing prices have influenced many older workers to re-assess their financial positions and decide to leave the workforce.

And don’t assume this will all go away when COVID is “over.” With case increases on the rise almost everywhere, “over” doesn’t seem imminent.

Extended federal unemployment benefits, scheduled to expire next month, have been widely blamed for being an incentive to stay home.

However, over half of US states have already ended this extension with no reported impact on availability of qualified workers.

2. UNDERSTAND SALARY COMPRESSION—AND TAKE STEPS TO ADDRESS IT If you haven’t heard of salary compression—or your organization hasn’t experienced it—consider yourself fortunate. It occurs when the salary relationship between two or more employees is too small to be equitable. It occurs across industries and impacts jobs at all levels, although right now the impact on low wage workers and their team leaders and first-line supervisors is particularly significant.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 ›

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2021 has brought a significant labor shortage that has impacted employers across industries and occupations. ‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 32

A common example involves a new hire that demands more than current employees performing the same work. If you really need this new hire, you pay them what they are asking and then figure out how to manage that internally.

There’s no easy, single solution to resolve this situation.

Some strategies that do help include:

•

Standardizing pay practices and eliminating out of cycle salary increases

•

Creating promotional paths and career ladders for experienced employees

•

Attracting new hires with a combination of base salary plus signing, performance, and/or attendance bonuses to minimize internal equity issues

3. OUT WITH THE OLD It’s not too early to discard some out of date pay policies that simply don’t work in the current environment. Now is the time to get rid of annual reviews of salaries and pay policies (once a year isn’t often enough), across the board pay increases of 2%-3%, and giving out of cycle increases in response to individual employee “asks.”

Instead, it’s time to think about year-end planning.

Some things to focus on now include:

•

Analysis of current pay levels to identify both external competitiveness and internal equity issues

•

Research of market competition, including new employers in the area (they frequently offer very high starting salaries to lure experienced workers), employers expanding facilities, and changes to competitors’ salary policies

•

Analysis of turnover and recruitment statistics to determine why employees leave—and where they go—and why prospective employees refuse offers

•

Progress toward achievement of 2021 business objectives, in anticipation of payout under existing incentive plans

4. RETAIN—SO YOU CAN RECRUIT LESS One of the best ways to avoid the recruiting headaches of 2021 is to keep the employees you have. That’s not an easy task—so many people have left their jobs this year that economists have dubbed this the “great resignation.”

So what can you do to retain employees? An early 2021 Prudential Pulse of the American Worker survey reports that 26% of surveyed employees plan on leaving their jobs this year.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 36 ›

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Of those, 80% cited lack of career advancement as a reason, 72% said they were rethinking their skills and careers, and an overwhelming number wanted more flexibility in scheduling and Work from Home options.

These, of course, are in addition to pay and benefit and lack of good supervision issues that always make the list of why employees leave.

5. UNDERSTAND YOUR COMPETITIVE MARKETS We’re often asked by clients to “find out” what a specific competitor in the same industry pays for a certain job. Organizations typically don’t volunteer that type of information, but even if they did, there wouldn’t be a lot of value in it. Yes, you have competitors in your industry, but you most likely have lots of other competitors as well. If you hire entry-level employees, you are competing with big box retailers. And your accounting, finance, human resources, customer service, and IT employees can pretty much pack up and go to work anywhere.

A few years ago, a regional banking client lost their ENTIRE accounting/ finance department (think CFO through accounting clerks) to a state agency that opened an accounting office in the area. It’s doubtful the bank thought of a state agency as a competitor, and that certainly was a tough lesson learned.

All of this can seem overwhelming. We at Affinity HR Group are always here to help you get started. And recognizing your employees and thanking them for their contributions is another good place to start. s p

SUSAN PALÉ, CCP Vice President for Compensation Affinity HR Group, Inc. contact@affinityhrgroup.com

Q: What deductions can we take from a non-exempt employee’s paycheck?

A: First, make any deductions required by law such as taxes, unemployment, and Social Security. This would also include garnishments required by a legal authority such as the courts or IRS. Any other deductions would need to be categorized as those for the employee’s benefit and those that are not. Those for the employee’s benefit include insurance premium payments and repayment of a wage advance or loan. Anything that does not meet this criteria would have to meet other standards before being legally deducted.

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), any deductions that are not legally-required or for the employee’s benefit must leave the non-exempt employee at least minimum wage for all hours worked and any earned overtime cannot be touched.

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In addition, there are laws in several states that restrict the reasons an employer can make a deduction. For example, some allow deductions for uniforms and tools while others prohibit this practice. Some allow and others prohibit deducting for medical exams, pay advances, damages, theft, etc. You must verify the laws in the state where the employee works (not where you operate, if different) to determine what can and cannot be deducted. In states where you cannot make these deductions, you may be allowed other legal recourse but that may prove cost-prohibitive.

To prevent any confusion leading to wage-and-hour complaints, we recommend using a comprehensive Uniform / Equipment Issue / Return Form. Have the employee sign and date the form as well as initial each item and then use the form to prove they received each item and know the possible deductions.

Please contact Affinity HR Group if you have any questions about wage deductions for exempt or nonexempt employees.

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BY DAVE K AHLE

hat’s right. Serving, not selling. I know you are concerned with sales. It’s easy to determine how well your people are selling to your customers. That’s what sales reports are for.

But your customers are more concerned with how well they are being served by your salespeople.

I have yet to meet a salesperson who did not believe that he/she provided excellent service to their customers. Every salesperson perceives that they are doing a good job. Not once has a salesperson taken me off to the side at a break in a seminar I was teaching, and confide in me, “You know, Dave, I really do a poor job of serving my customers.”

Why is that important? Because you are in it for the long run. You don’t want to just sell something to a customer, you want to build a relationship that lasts over time and results in years of sales. In one sense, your business is not really a sales business, it’s a relationship-building business.

So, on one hand, we have vague and general definitions of what it means to provide good service to the customer, and on the other, we have the often-inaccurate perceptions of the salespeople.

The result? Inconsistent service, and lots of unmet expectations on the part of the customers.

And when it comes to developing long-lasting profitable relationships, it is not how well your salespeople present features and benefits and overcome objections that counts, it is how well they serve the customers’ needs.

I recently worked with one of my clients to gain a deeper understanding of what service means by, of all things, asking the customers! We gathered six of this client’s brightest and most insightful customers together for a half-day focus group. I facilitated the videotaped discussion, and the client viewed the tape later. What did we discover?

Which brings us to a couple of questions. First, what does it mean for a salesperson to serve the customer? And second, how do you know that it is happening effectively?

SALESPEOPLE SERVING THE CUSTOMER? Clearly, you know what it means for your company to serve your customer. On-time deliveries, competitive prices, reliable service, competent CSRs, etc. But, what do your customers want from your outside salespeople? Ask each salesperson what it means to serve the customer, and you can expect to hear a variety of answers.

Some define service as picking up purchase orders, others will define it as taking inventory, some will propose that following up on back orders or short shipments is part of it, while others will say that it involves visiting the customer on a predictable basis. That’s the problem. Few companies have any consistent description of what it really means to serve the customer. Generally, salespeople are left to figure it out on their own, create their own definitions, and develop their own standards.

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HOW CUSTOMERS DEFINE GOOD SERVICE. Here’s how those customers defined “good service” from the outside sales force.

1. DON’T WASTE THEIR TIME. If there was one theme that popped up over and over throughout the day it was this: We have less time to do our job than ever before, so you better not waste any part of it. In other words, don’t come into my business unprepared. Have something of value to share or don’t come.

They need to see some value in the time they share with your salespeople, every time they see them, or they won’t see them.

Don’t waste their time with idle chit-chat, don’t take longer to do something than you need to, don’t be unprepared, and don’t waste their employees’ time. If you don’t have something important to do or something valuable to bring, don’t visit. And when you do visit, make sure you have all the answers. Know what the product does

©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/ RATTANKUN-THONGBUN

How Well Are Your Salespeople Serving Your Customers?

facilities, budgets and timetables, and take all of that into consideration before they present some product or program. “The best salespeople,” one remarked, “are like extensions of my business.”

or doesn’t do, know what the pricing and terms are, and be prepared to answer all their questions.

2. BE EMPOWERED TO HANDLE THINGS NOW. One customer talked about the salesperson as “victim.” He was referring to the salesperson who spends time explaining how the truck broke down, or the manufacturer backordered the product, or it was recalled, or whatever. All of these were seen as the salesperson saying, “It wasn’t our fault. We’re the victims of someone else’s mistakes.” These customers weren’t concerned with whose fault something was, nor were they concerned with the reasons why something wasn’t as it was supposed to be. They only wanted solutions.

“Don’t be a victim,” they said. “Bring us solutions now.” One customer remarked that the Ritz Carlton Hotel authorizes its maids to spend up to $2,000 to make a customer happy, while the salespeople who call on him cannot resolve a problem over a $50.00 can of paint without several phone calls and days of approvals. Good service to these customers meant that the salesperson could solve the problem immediately, on the spot.

3. KNOW MY BUSINESS. Don’t waste our time or insult our intelligence by presenting products or services that we can’t use.

These customers expected the sales people to know what their processes were, know who their customers were, know what their goals and strategies were, know the limitations of their

4. BRING US SOLUTIONS, NOT PROBLEMS. These customers did not want to discover after the fact that a purchase would be backordered or short-shipped. Find the problems before we experience them, and then bring us solutions. Tell us what our options are, and we’ ll decide what to do. In other words, the salesperson who says, “I’m sorry about last week’s back order, “is not serving the customer.

The salesperson who is serving the customer is the one who says, “Next week we’re going to short ship this order. If you need the balance right away, we can do any of three things to help. Here are your options….”

While these weren’t the only definitions of “good service” this group of customers volunteered, they represent a good starting point.

If you’re like most of my clients, at this point you may be feeling a little queasy in your stomach. You may be doubtful that your sales force is really serving your customers like they want to be served.

SIX INITIATIVES What to do? Here are six initiatives you can consider.

1. Make sure your salespeople are thoroughly prepared to present any new product or program. Don’t think that just because someone presented a new product in Friday afternoon’s sales meeting that the salespeople are fully equipped to thoroughly present it.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 40 ›

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Role-play a customer asking questions. Don’t stop until everybody gets it right. Think through every possible question that a customer may ask, and make sure that every salesperson has an intelligent and thoughtful answer.

business to the sales force.

Hold focus groups like the one I mentioned and show the videotapes to the salespeople.

At sales meetings, instead of only discussing your products and processes, educate the salespeople on a typical customer’s business.

Give quizzes on the new products and programs. Don’t allow anyone to present it until they have passed the quiz.

5. Teach and equip the salespeople to become proactive problem solvers.

Hold the salespeople accountable for having accurate and thorough knowledge.

Make sure they have the right information tools to proactively discover problems before they hit the customer. Train them in using them.

2. Insist that each salesperson have a plan for every sales call, and something of value to bring to the customer. Train them in this.

Use your contact manager software to spot check sales call plans and reports. When you or your sales managers are traveling in the field with salespeople, check for their preparation.

When you and your sales manager ride with them, watch to make sure they are using them effectively.

6. Finally, ask your customers. From time to time, personally visit some of your customers, and ask them how your sales force is doing relative to other salespeople, and relative to that customer’s expectations. Take a form to make sure that you are thorough. Ask your customers to rate each of the issue mentioned above. Use that input to refine your system. And then, find out how else your customer defines good service.

3. Empower the salespeople to fix problems on the spot. Create some guidelines for the level of authority the salesperson has. For example, you may decide that a salesperson can issue a credit of up to $500 on the spot to fix any problem he/she needs to fix.

Instill information systems that allow the salespeople to have on line 24/7 access to order status, inventory, pricing, etc.

4. Train and equip the sales force to “know their customer’s business.”

Do these things and you’ll begin to field a sales force that the customers view as valuable. You’ll take a huge step forward in developing the kind of relationships you’ll need to prosper in the 21st century. s p

Create detailed account profile forms (either electronic or paper) and require the sales force to use them.

From time to time, ask a customer to come in and talk about his/her

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Surface Design Guide 2021

The 2021 Surface Design Guide is a showcase of the design trends and products that are shaping the industry. Surface & Panel reached out to leading decorative surfacing companies and asked them to share their latest advances in materials, designs and services. The guide also reflects some of the newest products that were showcased at returning events such as AWFS and NeoCon, and is intended to inform fabricators and specifiers of the best possible solutions available to them. From 3D laminates to TFL and decorative surfaces with breathtaking hues, the Surface Design Guide is the industry’s go-to resource for specifiers and fabricators across the globe.

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 ARBORITE Arborite’s curated stone-inspired laminate collection features seven new designs and a new contemporary matte finish. Developed to deliver stunningly realistic looks at a fraction of the cost of natural materials, our laminate designs are non-porous, easy-toclean and stain-resistant. The new versatile collection allows you to specify cozy, nature-inspired looks for both residential and commercial spaces.

 AHLSTROM-MUNKSJÖ Ahlstrom-Munksjö offers a comprehensive range of decor papers for all surface applications, including high and low pressure lamination, print base paper and formaldehyde-free pre-impregnated finish foil papers. All papers are available in a wide range of colors with custom color-matching on demand. A source of inspiration for the laminate industry, their 2021-2022 Color Trend Book is now available. www.ahlstrom-munksjo.com

www.arborite.com

 ARCLIN Successful designs are borne of imagination and of reimagining what’s possible to meet current trends and application opportunities.

Arclin is continually reimagining our designs to fit modern environments. Today, warm, natural tones are as on trend as modern, elegant interiors. Imagine designs that can meet the market—wherever it may live. www.arclintfl.com

Bierson Corporation offers an acoustic solution that is exterior graded, fire/moisture resistant, and lightweight.

 DECOTONE Pannelli by Decotone Surfaces features a beautiful collection of Italian TFL Panels produced with a 100% recycled core, deep embossed texture designs that are 100% made in Italy and produced using the latest Italian design and technology. Perfectly matched edge banding and matching HPL are available upon request.

The company uses high octane CNC machines and 3D laminate products to bring designs to life. All made in the USA. sales@bierson.com

SURFACE DESIGN GUIDE 2021

 BIERSON CORPORATION

www.decotonesurfaces.com

 CHEMETAL Introducing Surface Mode, a new way of creating metal designs at Chemetal. The company started with its popular ALU look, aluminums finished with ambient industrial black, put them on thicker 09" thick metals and overlaid cool CNC designs. The product is ideal for interior spaces and is available in 4' x 8' panels. www.chemetal.com

 BMK BMK specializes in providing advancing surfaces to our customers.

 DVUV

Benefits can be antimicrobial properties, followed by postformable properties on difficult substrates, leading to soft-touch haptic surfaces with anti-fingerprint effects.

UVMax Defender offers added antimicrobial protection for DVUV’s entire line of UV cured powder coatings for MDF. It’s ideal for healthcare, hospitality, retail, education, consumer goods, and other applications where harmful bacteria can be prevalent. The coating offers 24/7 lifetime antimicrobial protection, and repeated cleanings do not diminish or degrade the efficacy of the coating.

www.melamine-papers.com

www.dvuv.com

 DACKOR Featuring Perfect Touch Mysterious, this new super matte design is part of Dackor’s Perfect Touch collection, smooth to the touch without leaving any traces thanks to its anti-fingerprint technology.

Perfect Touch is an impressive, super matte-durable laminate with high quality feel and superior performance ideal for the residential kitchen and custom closets markets. www.dackor.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE 44 ›

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‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 43

FORMICA Laminate Antimicrobial Collection

To meet the ever-increasing demand for antimicrobial surface protection, Formica Group is launching the Formica Laminate Antimicrobial Collection, a series of 20 well-loved laminate designs now available in the United States and Mexico with BioCote technology to guard against odor- and stain-causing microbes.

The collection uses BioCote, a silver-ion-based technology that has been used safely for more than 20 years. Embedded directly into the surface, BioCote offers protection throughout the entire product warranty for defense against odorand stain-causing microbes and is approved by the FDA for use in food manufacturing, processing and handling environments. www.formica.com

 EGGER EGGER’s Decor Match System makes life easier for fabricators, architects and designers by offering a comprehensive one-stop solution for wood-based decorative surfaces. EGGER decors are available across an integrated range of surfaces, with a complete matching line of thermally fused laminate (TFL), laminates and edgebanding, guaranteeing an ideal match in surface color and texture, from cabinets to countertops and more.

FUNDER AMERICA Funder America collaborated with industry leading designers to create the new Hudson Elme Cabrera series. The rich contrasting tones, combined with the sophisticated embossed Cabrera texture give these TFL designs an exceptional level of natural realism and style. Funder America’s synergy partnership provides matching HPL, 3D laminates and edge banding.

www.egger.com

www.funderamerica.com

Shipshaw SM2

White SM2 Morning Dew SM2

NE Dust GraySM2 Moonlight GraySM2

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Non-woven PET tiles by Genesis provide superior noise absorption while being highly resistant to mold, mildew and stains. UnVerb tiles contain over 50% recycled content, enhance the room’s appearance and are easy to install. www.geneisproductsinc.com

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 IFS Delivering first class protection and a sustainable footprint is now possible in wood finishes. IFS PureClad delivers a beautiful, sustainable and durable powder coated finish to wood and MDF/HDF. Available in a wide range of colors, gloss levels, and smooth and textured finishes, PureClad delivers excellent flexibility, and is scratch, chip and marresistant. Anti-microbial options are also available.

info@us.surteco.com

www.ifscoatings.com

MIRLUX  MIRLUX Premium Panel is an affordable, modern panel made from #1 PET plastic with an MDF, particleboard, or plywood core. Choose from luxurious high gloss or super matte textures in seven on-trend colors. Sustainable, water-resistant, hygienic, low maintenance, durable, and with a super scratch-resistant coating, MIRLUX is a sleek and stylish solution. www.mirluxpanel.com

INTERPRINT Interprint’s Jatola captivates wherever it lives: as the visual anchor for a busy lobby, as a contrasting kitchen island or countertop, or throughout a retail footprint. This Brazilian quartzite radiates strength, with its ancient geological banding, and serenity as a tamed organic material. A broad range of coloration possibilities, from light grays to modern greens, reveal further nuances of Jatola’s diverse personality. www.interprint.com

NORTHERN CONTOURS  JB CUTTING  Inspired by the divine and driven by craftsmanship, Michigan-based JB Cutting specializes in made-to-order finished MDF-core components that are complementary to store fixtures, healthcare furnishing environments, residential kitchens and baths, and home organization.

Primarily a wood fabricating operation with CNC, edge banding and membrane pressing capabilities, JB Cutting is a one stop shop to bring your next project to life. www.jbcutting.com

Northern Contours is an approved manufacturer of cabinet components in state-of-the-art FENIX, now with an expanded North American offering.

FENIX is an innovative, softtouch and matte material featuring nanotechnology and enhanced physical properties. FENIX is anti-static, offers thermal healing of scratches, and has superior heat & abrasion resistance.

Available for cabinet doors, panels, and refacing materials in 16 colors. www.northerncontours.com CONTINUED ON PAGE 47 ›

SURFACE & PANEL • Q4 2021

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No matter the application, the right decorative surface brings designs to life, transforming a functional surface into a stunning masterpiece. From super matte to high-gloss and a wide range of textured decorative surfaces, Richelieu offers a complete selection of the most innovative surfaces and panels for your next project.

BRILLANTÉ – High-gloss polyester lacquer offers durable, consistent and stunning panels.

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FINSA – Elegant designs, perfect for your next project.

Finsa boards are a new generation of TFL panels.

NATURE + – Global leader in texture and design producing the most durable thermally fused panels on the market.

MEGANITE – Highly durable, versatile, hygienic, and beautiful 100% acrylic solid surfaces.

SURFACE DESIGN GUIDE 2021

Decorative Surfaces

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45

 OLON Olon’s PÜRDECO GlossTouch laminated panels are modern, contemporary and have a mirror-like finish. The panels are beautiful on their own, or paired with other panel products such as wood, TFL woodgrains or ultra-matte specialty panels like Olon’s PÜRDECO VelourTouch. GlossTouch panels add a high-end European feel to any residential or commercial project. Perfect for vertical applications. Launched in 2021, four on trend neutral solid colors are vibrant and fresh; pictured is Warm Alpaca.

Foils Edges Printed Paper

info@us.surteco.com

www.olon.com

 PANEL PROCESSING Panel Processing now offers black Chalkboard Laminate one- and two-sided panels that will accept both traditional style chalk as well as the liquid chalk pens. The laminate panels are great for digital and silk-screened printing.

Chalkboard Laminate can be utilized as an accent wall, panel or signs to give off a fun and creative vibe. www.panel.com

 PANOLAM

 OMNOVA Matte Luxe 3D Laminates are available in 28 stock colors and feature an elegant, super matte, soft-touch finish. Highly resistant to fingerprints, OMNOVA’s Matte Luxe collection provides designers with the look of paint, but with the added performance benefits needed for enhanced durability ideal for kitchen cabinets, closets, and many other applications. www.omnova.com/laminates

Pionite is pleased to introduce the Knot Quite Menswear collection.

Drawing inspiration from the timeless textiles created by icons of the fashion industry, the collection embodies the confidence of a well-tailored suit or dress but with the playful twist of a creative bow tie or scarf. www.panolam.com

 PARAGON CONCEPTS Paragon Concepts continues its quest to manufacturer the best man-made cabinet door out there. Their fivepiece shaker, slab and three-piece doors continue to set the standard, especially when combined with the 12 lines and more than 200 colors built with laser edge banding and zero glue lines. New additions to the mix include FENIX supermatte, Rehau Terra, Rehau Noir, Roseburg and seventy Wilsonart & Formica HPL colors. To request a free sample door, call (303) 351-2594 or visit zeroedge.band. www.paragonconceptsco.com CONTINUED ON PAGE 48 ›

SURFACE & PANEL • Q4 2021

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SURFACE DESIGN GUIDE 2021 ‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 47

 RICHELIEU

PURCHEM SYSTEMS 

FormArt Sculpted Decorative Panel Collection

PurChem Systems’ elastic coatings and impregnation resin systems like DryCoat transfer films for melamine decor papers for TFL panels and flooring, patented resins, and surface technology.

Richelieu’s FormArt decorative panels are made from MDF Excel Plus panels. Carved in contemporary style, these sculpted panels can be installed sequentially for a continuous design. The panel thickness varies according to the pattern chosen and has a white melamine backing to ensure greater stability.

www.purchem.com

 RENOLIT Premier Matt products

Scratches are a thing of the past with RENOLIT Premier Matt.

Sold unfinished in 48 x 96 in. (1219 x 2438 mm), the panels are paintable and can be tinted or treated in a variety of ways to perfectly suit your project. Other creative shapes or patterns can be reproduced in a 16 x 48 in. (406 x 1219 mm) tile size. Its main application is to elevate restaurant, bar, hotel lobby and commercial space designs. www.richelieu.com

Whether it’s for 1D, 2D or 3D applications, the product’s high scratch resistance and ease of processing is impressive, simply robust, and simply beautiful.

Request your sample now. www.renolit.com/premiermatt

INVENTED IN SWEDEN

A classic face frame cabinet – minus fittings and facepalms Threespine® is a completely new and innovative way to assemble furniture — taking the hardware, heartache, and heavy-lifting out of the equation. The unique, patented Threespine® click joint means furniture can be assembled tool-and-fittings-free and up to 8–10 times faster than furniture with traditional fittings. Threespine® is a revolution for the industry, enabling a total rethink in how furniture is produced, transported, stored, and sold — it’s suitable for any manufacturer and all types of materials — from flatpack to fine furniture, to fully-fitted kitchens.

Make it effortless – Threespine® Click furniture technology

Licensed by Threespine® is a patented technology invented by Välinge Innovation AB. Any use is under license

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With our many years of experience, technical know-how and design expertise, Surteco provides more than a product; we provide a comprehensive solution.

Surteco is a leading, full-service provider of  SCHATTDECOR inspiring designs, surfaces and edges.

Rochefort Walnut is a “We create. We Innovate.” quintessential walnut design It’s not just our motto. with a dynamic grain structure and a unique appearance. The varying wide It defines us.

 RIKEN Featuring White Smoke SM2, Riken USA is proud to introduce the newest Uniboard-matched additions to our line of supermattes. Durable and smooth to the touch, our supermatte collection offers practical and attractive 3D laminate solutions. Now including colors Adobe, Shipshaw, and Celestine.

and narrow lines offer a harmonious, smooth surface, making this decor a perfect showcase for nearly all of the trend colors from Schattdecor's North American Color Capsule. The versatility of this decor enables a wide range in both color and application. It is perfectly suited for nearly every end use, especially where a smaller structured decor is desired or if you are looking to create a sense of modern elegance. www.schattdecor.com

www.riken-usa.com

SENTREL  Custom Shower Bases

Sentrel custom shower bases can be made to fit showers up to 60" x 96" with any drain location. Looking for a hard-to-find shower base size? Dealing with a difficult drain location? Sentrel can help!

SAPPI Sappi is a global renewable resource company that uses every part of the tree to make every day more sustainable. The company’s high-quality packaging, speciality, and graphic papers, pulp and biomaterials are innovative solutions that move the world forward.

www.sentrelproducts.com

www.sappi.com

SIMONA SIMONA Polygrain is a polymer sheet with a sophisticated wood-like grain and texture that inspires innovation for high-end furniture and cabinetry in heavily used outdoor living spaces. This tough, UV resistant material withstands long term exposure to intense sun, salt water, and cleaning products. Made out of HDPE, a durable, impact resistant polymer, Polygrain provides excellent protection from the effects of rigorous use and environmental exposure. www.simonapolygrain.com CONTINUED ON PAGE 50 ›

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SURFACE DESIGN GUIDE 2021

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 49

 STEVENSWOOD StevensWood is changing the world of surfaces. The company’s newest collection encompasses the most realistic wood texture with the latest color trends. The Timber Collection uses multiple sheet levels and the veneer texture creates a warm, defined wood look and feel like no other. Designed to be on trend with today’s furniture needs, this collection offers 10 attractive color options. www.stevens-wood.com

 SURTECO NORTH AMERICA Neutral hues boast a timeless quality that transcends the trend. The color grey continues to top the list of fashionable colors; whether cool, warm, light, or bold—greys of all tones and intensities provide a fresh backdrop.

French Silver is a cloudy blue gray with a soothing blue undertone. It's an incredibly versatile color with a nice balance of warm and cool tones that makes it ideal for any environment. www.surteco.com/northamerica

SYNERGY THERMAL FOILS  Design trends come and go but the popularity of oak as a favorite for furniture and cabinets endures. Synergy Thermal Foils has expanded its oak offerings with the introduction of four new designs: Highlands (shown), Carolina, Charleston, and Williamsburg. Each of these new textured oaks is a perfect match with TFL panels from Funder America. Our versatile and durable family of products can be flat-laminated, post-formed, membrane-pressed, miter-folded and profilewrapped for commercial and residential furniture, store fixtures, kitchen cabinets, closet systems and much more. www.synergythermofoils.com CONTINUED ON PAGE 52 ›

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There’s no reason to make things more than they need to be.

MAXCESS is just what you need without overdoing it. Full access undermount slides that feature higher quality and value. We’ve set out to deliver the perfect solution for the exact amount specified, and MAXCESS delivers on all points. If you are trying to stay within your limits, don’t overdo it. Instead, get it done just right. MAXCESS.

www.grassusa.com

SURFACE DESIGN GUIDE 2021 ‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 50

 TAFISA Tafisa has introduced two new collections that are meeting with strong customer acceptance. First, the Karisma collection, its 19th launch of decorative surfaces, recently became a go-to industry staple. The random mix of brush-stroked effects and matteinfused accents give it a natural, authentic look.

Tafisa is once more leading the way in fashion-forward interiors with the launch of LUMMIA, its new superior lacquered decorative panels offered on particle boards! It is a North American first for HIGH GLOSS and PERFECT MATT decorative surfaces. Lummia’s antifingerprint and scratch-resistant properties will undoubtedly catch attention. www.tafisa.ca

 TAGHLEEF SynDECOR by Taghleef Industries is a PVC-free decorative laminate designed for flat lamination, profile wrapping, and miter-folding for residential and commercial applications. This includes ceilings, flooring, cabinets, shelving, wall paneling, RTA furniture, and many more. In addition to aesthetics, factors such as indoor air quality, mold, mildew, cleanability, and sustainability are important considerations in choosing surface solutions. SynDECOR enables manufacturers to achieve ideal design and performance objectives. www.syndecor.com

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80% of all problems in wood projects are caused by moisture content issues. A quick and simple, non-damaging moisture meter reading can save you from angry customer calls, unnecessary repair time, and a bad reputation. Call today and learn why Wagner’s industry-leading Orion meters may just be the most important tool for your shop.

888-266-8073 | WagnerMeters.com 52

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 TIMBER PRODUCTS FalconPly Hardwood Panels

Same great quality with a new, striking name: meet FalconPly, the new brand for Timber Products hardwood plywood. FalconPly remains the same precise product our customers have come to rely on year after year. Available in a variety of hardwood species from Maple to Walnut to Alder and more, core options include veneer, MDF, Pro-Core and particleboard. www.timberproducts.com

Transformad presents its new avant-garde style project, the MAD hotel. For this new hotel proposal, noble materials such as wood and natural stone have been used, ideal for achieving quality finishes.

In all environments, the company has played with coverings and furniture made with the new colors of the Tmatt collection, the supermatt, antifingerprint and self-healing surface. www.transformad.com

 TOPPAN G-Effect/TACTILE is a sophisticated finish with a synchronized emboss and a pronounced, natural texture. By selecting a finish using our G-Effect technology, our pre-coated paper can simulate the look and feel of real wood while also providing technical solutions for moisture and wear resistance.

Toppan introduces Elk Oak. With its warm and natural character, this unique design embraces the blending of modern and rural aesthetics.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 54 ›

www.toppaninteramerica.com

Superior coating technology on TFL Manufactured in North America PERFECT MATT - HIGH GLOSS Outstanding anti-fingerprinting

Highly scratch resistant

Watch more online tafisa.ca

SURFACE DESIGN GUIDE 2021

 TRANSFORMAD

SURFACE DESIGN GUIDE 2021

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

 UNIBOARD Omnia, Uniboard’s newest addition to the most extensive family of exclusive textures in North America, is crafted to display a fine surface micro texture and low sheen. These two qualities lend versatility and a feeling of augmented reality to multiple décors. www.uniboard.com

 ULTRAPAN By popular demand, Ultrapan has added four new designs to its extensive collection of acrylic panels: Diamond, Gold, Titanium and Obsidian. The four new metallics are available in both 4x8 and 4x10 panels for a total lineup of 44 high gloss and super matte colors available in both 8’ and 10' lengths.

WILSONART QUARTZ

ULTRA X Acrylic High Gloss features superior surface quality, excellent gloss effect and unique depth of gloss. Ultra Matte is soft, comforting and composed. The company's PET panel is ideal for value engineering to meet a budget without sacrificing performance and style. All surfaces offer extreme durability in terms of scratch, stain and chemical resistance.

Featuring a unique mix of warm and cool tones and sophisticated asymmetry, the Wilsonart Quartz Dramatic Landscapes Collection lets you play with nature’s movements and beauty to create an aura of escape.

Featuring six stunning curated designs—including Wilsonart’s first two quartzite-inspired offerings—the new collection offers a rich source of inspiration to create interiors that reflect personal expression.

www.ultrapan.net

www.wilsonart.com/quartz

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Quality Over Quantity THE SUCCESSFUL RETURN OF AWFS FAIR

“This was my first time coming and I got exactly what I was looking for.”

DIKO KIROKIAN, DIKO KIROKIAN HOME DESIGN

“We had a good amount of leads and they were way more serious this year.”

MARK CRAIG, SCM

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ndustry professionals who attended AWFS Fair 2021 in Las Vegas might tell you that when they walked into the Convention Center this past July, they didn’t know what to expect. It turns out attendees and exhibitors alike were pleasantly surprised.

“Attendance was understandably lower than other years, but the turnout was excellent, and I think we’ve been received quite well, especially considering COVID and all that happened in 2020,” said Matthew Mance of Salice.

Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers Fair 2021 was one of the first major industry events since the return of tradeshows, and one thing many showgoers agreed on was that the overall quality of the event was much stronger and unlike previous years.

“The show certainly surpassed our expectations,” said Ken Frye from KCD. “We came in thinking the turnout might be a little low. We anticipated good attendance but not great.”

Frye explained that while the event’s smaller footprint concerned him at first, he was thrilled with the traffic and the PR response the company received. “We invested a lot in our display here and it was definitely the right time to do it.”

Many exhibitors agreed that, despite the lower attendance numbers, engagement was much more meaningful.

“It was unpredictable,” said Josue Miranda from Mockett. “The show really ramped up towards the end and we were able to get so many great leads. It definitely surpassed 2019.”

Mark Craig of SCM agreed, while adding that not only did he get a lot of leads, but they carried much more weight than previous years. “No doubt our leads are stronger this year,” said Craig. “I think the show was really good.”

In addition to a lively tradeshow, the event featured the AWFS Visionary Awards—an impressive showcase of outstanding products—displayed at the entrance lobby of the show.

“The turnout was excellent and I think we’ve been received quite well.

It’s been a really great show.”

MATTHEW MANCE, REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR FOR SALICE

“One word: Awesome. This is the highest quality of customers in the last six years.”

BETH MILETELLO, KNAPE & VOGT

The AWFS Fair Live stage offered mini sessions and events like Rapid Fire Presentations, a session that particularly focused on software, hardware, materials, and machinery. During the sessions, fast-paced 15-minute presentations were offered by exhibitors Peterman Lumber, Centurion Wood Coatings, Colonial Saw Company, Rev-A-Shelf, and CalPlant. The following day attendees got to hear from Bill’s Custom Trim, MakeSAFE Tools, DMT Holdings, Schmaltz, Peak Toolworks, and SCM. “I got so much out of those 15-minute sessions,” said attendee Jordan Hill of C.R. Onsrud. “Shows like this can get very busy and I always want to go to seminars, but I never really have the time.

These sessions were quick and got right to the point. I really hope they bring them back next year.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 58 ›

“This has been a great jumpstart back to normal.”

MIKE VANDENBERG, DAUBERT

FINISHING TECHNOLOGY FOR DEMANDING SURFACES

Venjakob North America Inc. 130 Healey Road, Unit #18 Bolton, Ontario | L7E 5B3 Andrew Scott | ascott@venjakob.com Phone: 905 951 9966 www.venjakob-na.com

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10:52 S U R F A C E & P A N12.10.21 EL • Q4 2021

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“We’re thrilled with the traffic and we’re thrilled to be able to connect with our customer base and meet some new people.

The time was right to make the investment.”

KEN FRYE, KCD

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 57

The overall response from showgoers was positive, but that didn’t keep AWFS president Angelo Gangone from keeping his eyes on some major challenges in the industry. In addition to discussing product availability and supply chain disruption with economist Chris Kuehl of Armada Intelligence, Gangone talked about the labor shortage and how it’s important to change the way young people see the industry.

“The labor shortage is not going away any time soon,” he said.

“Suppliers will find a way to catch up, but we need to change the perception of the industry when it comes to young people. It’s time to start taking kids to shows. We need to start them young. We must get involved with institutions to provide the right education and management training. And it all begins with the parents.”

AWFS Fair 2021 left industry leaders confident but cautious and overall excited for the return of industry events. And while we’re just starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel, attendees and exhibitors agreed that it was worth the investment.

“It’s about quality over quantity,” said Cami Waner of Collins.

“Conversations have been so much more meaningful this year and I think people are ready to get out again. The industry thrives on events like this.” s p

“The show definitely surpassed 2019.”

JOSUE MIRANDA, PRODUCT DEVELOPER, MOCKETT

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Design Anew: NeoCon Inspires in Chicago

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D

esigners and product managers of commercial spaces flocked to The Mart in Chicago October 4-6 for the return of NeoCon. New products and innovations were around every corner and reflected the future of office spaces and hospitality and education facilities.

“How are you going to integrate trends into your solutions?” author and keynoter Marti Konstant asked showgoers during her interactive keynote speech. Konstant talked about the importance of adapting to evolving trends to stay ahead in business.

“Spaces need to change,” she continued. “Be prepared to experiment. Architects are now starting to use this idea of digital twins so they could build a virtual model of what it is they’re designing.”

Steelcase had an impressive display, taking up an entire floor with showrooms and product demonstrations. “All of us who are in the business of creating great spaces, whether for our customers or for our own organizations, are also in the business of helping people achieve more at work,” said Sara Armbruster, Steelcase's newly-appointed CEO. “The world is looking to us to embrace the possibilities and the challenges of hybrid work to make better possible. How can we help organizations create better experiences and enable people to come together to reengage and reconnect?”

She continued, “People need the energy and momentum that comes from being together in the office to explore news ideas and innovate.”

Several new products and innovations took center stage including one that was really buzzing: office pods, which, due to the system’s popularity, was given its own category for the Best of NeoCon awards. Office pods offer the idea of providing flexible and portable workspaces for organizations with a large number of employees. Companies like Nook and SnapCab, awarded Gold, offered a unique show experience as attendees were able to go inside the pods and experience an office-like setting.

Innovation is at the forefront with these systems, allowing users to mount computer monitors, televisions, and air conditioners to panels. Most pods displayed a sound-proof feature and had the ability to display a wide variety of mixed materials.

“These are a perfect solution for the traditional, large open-space offices,” said Glenn Bostok, CEO of SnapCab. “You can also mix the materials to fit any office design. Office pods are the future.”

Another buzzing topic was hospital and medical facility design and the idea of such spaces looking more like hotel rooms rather than bare, white-walled ones. “It’s all about merging comfort with cleanliness,” said John Ayers, product manager for Symbiote. “We’re now seeing medical facilities embrace new, contemporary design features to provide a CONTINUED ON PAGE 62 ›

SURFACE & PANEL • Q4 2021

61

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 61

more pleasing and peaceful atmosphere for patients.”

There was also a lot of discussion about the coating of hospital surfaces with substances containing silver ions and how that can reduce bacterial growth.

And Formica Group showcased its Formica Laminate Antimicrobial Collection, a series of 20 well-loved laminate designs now available in the United States and Mexico. The collection was developed with BioCote technology toguard against odor- and stain-causing microbes. The company’s impressive booth was decked out in some of its most beloved product offerings.

Best of NeoCon is the official awards program that honored outstanding new products from exhibiting companies across a wide range of verticals. Product entrants were evaluated during a two-day in-person review by a diverse jury of leading architects, designers, specifiers and facility managers with expertise spanning commercial, healthcare, institutional and hospitality sectors. Gold and Silver awards were presented in 52 categories, in addition to Innovation and Sustainability awards, and the coveted Best of Competition, which was awarded to DARRAN Furniture for its Honey product.

Stylex and Haworth took home Gold awards for the Panels/Partitions/Screens/Space/Dividers category, while Steelcase took home Gold for Table Furniture. Other winners included 3form, Silver, Surfacing Materials & Finishes; Kwalu, Innovation, Surfacing Materials & Finishes; GMI Companies, Gold, Storage & Accessories; and Teknion, Silver, Case Goods. s p

See the full list of winners at www.surfaceandpanel.com/news

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Purchem 7 519.754.1678 www.purchem.com

526 Media Events

65 714.486.2735

www.526.events

Richelieu 46 800.619.5446 www.richelieu.com

CGS Oris/Metis 58 612.870.0061 www.cgsoris.com

Riken 44 248.513.3511 www.riken-usa.com

Dackor 25 407.654.5013 www.dackor.com Daubert Chemical Company, Inc. 9 866.368.3983 www.daubertchemical.com

DVUV 36 216.741.5511 www.dvuv.com

Salice 33 800.222.9652 www.saliceamerica.com Schattdecor 35 314.400.6100 www.schattdecor.com Shopbot 37 888.680.4466 www.shopbottools.com

Formica 68 800.367.6422 www.formica.com

Genesis Products 30 877.266.8292 www.genesisproductsinc.com

Giardina Group USA 19 877.631.1003 www.giardinausa.com

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31 866.501.2992

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Hettich 11 800.777.1772 www.hettich.com

www.surfaceandpanel.com/subscribe

Hexagon 26 800.461.2015 www.alphacam.com

Surface & Panel Magazine

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Surteco 45/47/49 800.992.3936 www.surteco.com/northamerica

swissQprint 2 224.802.2770 www.swissqprint.com Hexion 55 888.443.9466

Tafisa Canada www.hexion.com 53 877.882.3472

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www.hmtmfg.com Interprint 67 413.443.4733 www.interprint.com KCD Software 23 508.760.1140 www.kcdsoftware.com

Kleiberit 29 49.7244.62.0 www.kleiberit.com

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Timber Products Company

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www.timberproducts.com Trotec 34 734.720.9997 www.troteclaser.com Ultrapan 63 754.702.2632 www.ultrapan.net

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Venjakob 27 866.332.5226 57 905.951.9966 www.omnova.com

Palram Americas 5 800.999.9459 www.palram.com

Panel Processing

50 800.433.7142

www.venjakob-na.com Vortex 62 800.355.7708 www.vortextool.com

Wagner Meters

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Youngdale 66 888.446.4363 www.youngdale.com

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526 EVENTS VIRTUAL EVENTS ↘

There are two reasons you should consider using a virtual event platform. First, a virtual event platform is the perfect alternative for connecting people together over virtual sessions and customer meetings. Second, if you choose to host a live event, you can supplement it with a virtual component and maximizing your total audience for those not willing to travel. Whichever route you choose, 526 Events has

the experience and capabilities to make your virtual event smooth and successful. At 526 Events, we want to help you make your virtual event possible. Whether it is tradeshow, national sales meeting, new product launch, open house, webinar, conference, educational workshop or a company meeting – we have got you covered.

Join Us Online ↘

VIEW REAL-TIME SPEAKER PRESENTATIONS – POWERED BY ZOOM Join all of our attendees in real-time for our keynote presentation and breakout sessions.

JOIN LIVE VIDEO VENDOR ZOOM BOOTHS Drop in at designated times to our vendors live and open zoom rooms. Have a quick chat and ask questions in real-time.

NETWORKING DIRECTORY Meet other attendees and connect through various social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

VIRTUAL EXHIBITOR BOOTHS Browse through various vendors in our virtual exhibitor booths. There, you can download company literature, set up meetings with sales reps, view products and much more.

TRADESHOWS NATIONAL SALES MEETINGS OPEN HOUSES VIP CUSTOMER EVENTS INDUSTRY SUMMITS

ANNUAL CONFERENCES WORKSHOPS NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES DESIGN SYMPOSIUMS FUNDRAISERS

“It was fantastic working with the team at 526 Media Group. Initially, we approached them with a very aggressive timeline for a livestream event and they executed PERFECTLY. The communication throughout the process and the support was top notch. Best of all, their pricing was very fair. If you’ve been tasked with running a professional livestream event and don’t know where to start, I recommend you reach out to 526.”

AGENDA View an interactive schedule of events for your virtual event. You can link each agenda item to an Exhibitor profile, Zoom links and much more.

Past Events ↘

117th

- RYAN GALICK, FUZION CONTACT

AWPA

July 27-29, 2021

PADAMS@526MEDIAGROUP.COM

714.486.2735

WWW.526.EVENTS

?

WITH

Chris Kuehl

MANAGING DIRECTOR, ARMADA CORPORATE INTELLIGENCE

ECONOMIST CHRIS KUEHL SHARES SOME INDUSTRY OBSERVATIONS HE’S DEVELOPED THROUGHOUT 2021

Q. What are some issues the industry is facing right now?

Kuehl delivered this year’s keynote at AWFS Fair in Las Vegas.

Q. With this dramatic rise in demand,

Nobody expected the demand that they got at the beginning

do you see it plummeting soon?

of this year. And they haven’t really expected the demand they

Things have definitely slowed down. Our GDP numbers just came

got throughout the year. The supply chain crisis is partly due to

out we’ve gone from a 6.5% rate in the second quarter to 2% in the

inhibitions in the transportation sector and the impact of COVID,

third quarter. We knew it was going to come down but we didn’t think

but a lot of that is just being overwhelmed by demand. In the

it would come down quite that far. But it’s not catastrophic because

second quarter of this year we were growing for a period of

we normally grow around 2.5-3%, so we’re still within range of our

around 6.5%. We never grow that fast. That demand came surging

normal growth. But if you look at the rest of the world, all of these

into the market much more rapidly than we thought it would.

countries are experiencing the same thing at the same time.

Another challenge has been the whole conversation about people and workforce. There’s this narrative that people don’t want to work anymore. Everybody’s staying home, taking money from the government. Maybe that was a factor earlier this year but those programs expired in September and you still have job opportunities that are going unfilled. So, it’s gotta be more than just "people are getting government help."

Q. What are we facing as far as inflation?

There are three motivators for inflation as a rule: commodity inflation, wage inflation, and money supply. Commodities are indeed transitory. They typically do go up and down but timing is hard to figure. The more damaging part of inflation is wage inflation because once they go up they can’t go down. Most of the wage hikes we’re seeing right now are with skilled workers,

The fact of the matter is we’ve been dealing with this as a problem

people who’ve been in short supply. A lot of manufacturers have

for years. The shortage of manufacturing workers has been

been dealing with this for a long time. If you want to get the right

decades in existence and one of the key issues that people keep

person for the right job you have to pay for it. Money supply is

forgetting is that boomers are retiring. The boomer generation has

still excessive. There’s still $5 trillion in excess savings from 2020.

dominated the economy since birth. 10,000 boomers retire or reach

It used to be $7-8 trillion so it is beginning to come down. The

retirement age everyday. We will continue to lose boomers by the

challenge though with having this kind of money in circulation is it

thousands for the next four to five years. That’s lowering workforce

makes people a little more tolerant of inflation. Even though they

participation to rates we haven’t seen since the '70s.

complain about the high prices, they have money, so they’ll go ahead and spend it on the products they need. s p

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