Slippery Rock Gazette

07/01/2024

Please contact HR for more info. 800-575-4401. https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5312/BB%20Industries%20Expands%20U.S.%20Local%20Sales%20Force/

07/01/2024

Yellowstone Rock: Made by Volcanic Hot Springs - The Yellowstone supervolcano hasn’t erupted lately, fortunately, but not too far below the ground, its persistent geothermal heat stokes iconic geysers, boiling mudpots, and colorful hot springs. https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5300/Yellowstone%20Rock%3A%20Made%20by%20Volcanic%20Hot%20Springs/

07/01/2024

MightySlab™ is Porcelain’s Newest Superhero - When the doors of Moderno Porcelain Works opened in 2019, it was 100% dedicated to bringing porcelain fabrication to the Houston, Texas area. https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5299/MightySlab%E2%84%A2%20is%20Porcelain%E2%80%99s%20Newest%20Superhero/

07/01/2024

Stone Restoration and Maintenance Corner – Accessories are Essential - We use many types of tools and equipment in the stone restoration and maintenance industry. From diamond tooling to masking materials, drive plates, adhesives, chemicals, and more, we need to be able to utilize these products to assist us with our restoration projects. https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5310/Stone%20Restoration%20and%20Maintenance%20Corner%20%E2%80%93%20Accessories%20are%20Essential/

07/01/2024

Preventing Silicosis Conference Held at UCLA - For over 20 years the NSI board of directors and safety committee have invested vast resources to support silica training and industry advocacy for silicosis awareness and prevention. https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5311/Preventing%20Silicosis%20Conference%20Held%20at%20UCLA/

06/06/2024

Las Vegas Rock: A Rainbow in the Desert. https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5274/Las%20Vegas%20Rock%3A%20A%20Rainbow%20in%20the%20Desert/

06/06/2024

True Blue Surfaces Finds Key to Growth Through Procedure and Analysis. https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5272/True%20Blue%20Surfaces%20Finds%20Key%20to%20Growth%20Through%20Procedure%20and%20Analysis/

06/06/2024

Firenza Stone: A Legacy Carved in Stone. https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5273/Firenza%20Stone%3A%20A%20Legacy%20Carved%20in%20Stone/

06/06/2024

Stone Restoration and Maintenance Corner – More Technical Tips and Tricks. https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5282/Stone%20Restoration%20and%20Maintenance%20Corner%20%E2%80%93%20More%20Technical%20Tips%20and%20Tricks/

06/06/2024

Xiamen International Stone Fair Draws Over 150,000 Attendees. https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5286/Xiamen%20International%20Stone%20Fair%20Draws%20Over%20150%2C000%20Attendees/

06/06/2024

International Surface Fabricator’s Association June Fabricator’s Forum to be Hosted in California.
https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5287/International%20Surface%20Fabricator%E2%80%99s%20Association%20June%20Fabricator%E2%80%99s%20Forum%20to%20be%20Hosted%20in%20California/

05/09/2024

Download the latest SRG!https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/file/pdf/2024_15SRG_May_URL-96.pdf

04/29/2024

ATTN Fabricators: An urgent plea for your assistance.

NSI is involved in several discussions with government officials regarding silica regulations impacting fabrication companies. We have found that additional data is needed to ensure that existing and future regulations are based on science and facts. You can help shape policy and protect our industry’s future by participating in the following data collection survey by May 1. https://yalesurvey.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eX5tvsDNElDpACq

03/29/2024

https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5201/Stone%20Restoration%20and%20Maintenance%20Corner%20%E2%80%93%20A%20Basic%20Geology%20Guide%20for%20Stone%20%26%20Tile%20Pros/

It is imperative to understand the characteristics of natural stones and how they are formed and what minerals they contain in order to restore, protect, and maintain them correctly.

03/29/2024

https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5199/The%20Best%20Worst%2DKept%20Secret%20Carved%20in%20Stone/

The Black Hills of South Dakota house many secrets… Mount Rushmore not being one of them (everyone knows about Mount Rushmore). And to be truthful, most of us probably know about the Woolly and Columbian mammoth excavation site there, and the gold rush action that happened there, as well.

03/29/2024

https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5197/Create%20These%20Pages%20on%20Your%20Shop%E2%80%99s%20Website%20to%20Get%20More%20Leads/

When a homeowner wants to redo their countertops, what do they do? They go straight to Google and start searching for granite countertops, quartz countertops, countertops near me, and many other terms. Then they will either jump on a few sites and start looking around or they will start reading re...

03/29/2024

https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5196/How%20Do%20You%20Identify%20Who%20Will%20Be%20a%20Good%20Manager%3F/

As your stone shop grows, your team grows with it. More people doing more work will eventually require you to add ‘managers’ to the business, and that should get you to wonder ‘What exactly does it mean to be a manager, and how would I know a good one if I tripped over them?’

03/29/2024

https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5195/How%20Effective%20is%20Your%20Business%20Strategy%3F/

Economic signals are all over the map. Interest rates remain high, housing starts are down, yet the stock market is setting records. Most of the prognosticators who gaze into their crystal balls for a living are still forecasting a slowdown for the rest of this year.

12/17/2023

National Tile Contractors Association NTCA Five-Star Contractor Program Angles Up with Accreditation

Since 2008, the NTCA Five-Star Contractor Program has established high standards and requirements for its elite members who demonstrate exceptional craftsmanship and business practices for tile and stone installation contractors.

Over the last couple of years, NTCA has aimed to establish accreditation for these members, demonstrating their commitment to advancing the professionalism of the tile and stone industry, and providing third-party accreditation.

“This is very important if you want to be specified in labor qualifications, and necessary if we wish to have credibility with general contractors and project owners,” said Bart Bettiga, NTCA Executive Director. “It assures the qualification if anyone questions the program, and also assures the process was fair and impartial in approval or denial.” Read more....

Since 2008, the NTCA Five-Star Contractor Program has established high standards and requirements for its elite members who demonstrate exceptional craftsmanship and business practices for tile and stone installation contractors.

12/17/2023

Exciting Opportunities Planned for the Industry at TISE 2024
Registration is now open for The International Surface Event (TISE) : SURFACES | StonExpo | Tile Expo and exciting opportunities are planned for the industry. Important to note, the 2024 event dates are January 24 – 26, making the event a Wednesday through Friday day swing. The exhibit hall is nearly sold out and is packed wall-to-wall with flooring, stone, and tile exhibitors, services, and product offerings for industry professionals. A new line-up of special education experiences include PULSE Seminars, trainings and certifications, exhibit hall demos, panel discussions, a unique new set of Favorite Finds product tours, lounges, wellness programs, networking opportunities, and more. Do not delay registering as many items have limited capacity and are booked first-come, first-served inside registration.
Register now at https://lnkd.in/gRSNBT4k
to secure your first picks of experiences at TISE 2024.

Read more....

https://lnkd.in/gEeEy638

12/17/2023

Tenax Updates Brand with New Logo and Brand Identity
https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5099/Tenax%20Updates%20Brand%20with%20New%20Logo%20and%20Brand%20Identity/

12/17/2023

MILE®stone Hosts Gauged Porcelain Installation Training

12/17/2023

Park Industries Celebrates Inaugural ParkFest, Unveils Four Innovative New Products

Park Industries, North America’s leading manufacturer of stone CNC machinery, announced the incredible success of their inaugural ParkFest event. Held on October 4th at their St. Cloud, Minnesota headquarters, the event was well-attended with over 125 fabricators and 45 vendor partner guests in attendance. ParkFest offered a diverse range of experiences for attendees, reflecting the company’s commitment to innovation, education, and community building.

Highlights of the event included Park’s industry-renowned educational session, the Digital Stoneworking Expo™, three fabricator shop tours, an exclusive tour of the Coldspring quarry, tours of Park’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, new machine reveals, a 70th-anniversary party, and more. ParkFest was the first event of its kind for the company, which focused on fostering camaraderie and collaboration within the already tight-knit industry during the planning process.

The most highly regarded portion of ParkFest was the new machine reveals, where Park announced and showcased four new machine solutions including the new JAVELIN™. This groundbreaking CNC sawjet features advanced high-production sawing while boasting the smallest two-table footprint with the largest mitering envelope in the industry. The unveiling of the JAVELIN was a grandiose production featuring a massive silk drape covering Park’s newest innovation with hundreds of guests packed into Park’s training center. A short introduction and development history of the machine from Mike Anderson, VP of Engineering, and Scott Christman, Director of Product and Growth, set the stage for the epic unveiling, set to music and lights. Upon the drape being pulled, the room quickly filled with applause and the flash of cameras as guests captured the JAVELIN™ performing its first demo.

The other machine launches included the TITAN® 4000 series featuring the TITAN® 4700 and TITAN® 4800, the fourth generation of the company’s industry-leading CNC router, and the HydroClear™ PRO 400, a high-production addition to their HydroClear™ PRO water recycling system line.

https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5096/Park%20Industries%20Celebrates%20Inaugural%20ParkFest%2C%20Unveils%20Four%20Innovative%20New%20Products/

12/17/2023

Natural Stone Institute Holds Colorado Study Tour

Over 100 members attended NSI’s annual study tour, which took place in western Colorado September 10-14. Highlights of the event included a rare glimpse inside Colorado Stone Quarries’ historic Pride of America marble quarry and fabrication facility and a trip to the Gallegos stone yard and marble shop in Gypsum. During the Gallegos visit, attendees enjoyed a fun Poker Run activity featuring their suppliers.

Gallegos CEO Gary Woodworth commented: “Gallegos Corp employees were extremely proud to welcome the NSI Study Tour to our West Campus Stone Yard and Marble & Granite Fabrication Shop. With the assistance of US Stone, Colorado Flagstone, Northern Stone, Montes Stone, and Lyons Sandstone the Poker Run was a huge success and provided the attendees an opportunity to see stone from numerous NSI member quarries as well as our own quarry and custom stone fabrication shop.”

Giuseppe Telara, General Manager at Colorado Stone Quarries echoed these comments: “Colorado Stone Quarries would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the NSI group that visited our facility and our Pride of America Mine. Your interest and presence were really appreciated, and we hope this visit created a memory that will last a lifetime!”

Read more.....

https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5095/Natural%20Stone%20Institute%20Holds%20Colorado%20Study%20Tour/

12/17/2023

Stone Restoration and Maintenance Corner –Going from Polished to Honed
Bob Murrell
M3 Technologies
Photos by Bob Murrell
In recent articles I discussed re-honing countertops, vanities, and even floors. These surfaces do need periodic re-honing to remove any bad etching and scratching that has become too obvious from regular wear and tear. Even honed surfaces will ultimately show these wear issues, albeit much less than a polished surface.

But what about existing polished surfaces? Can they be transformed from a polished surface to a honed surface? There are obvious reasons for doing this, especially in a functional or heavy wear setting, such as a kitchen or flooring surface.

The easy answer is yes, of course they can be honed. However, there can be some problematic issues with this polished to honed operation. What do you do for all of the tight spots, like around the faucets, stove tops, sinks, and against the backsplash or other vertical surfaces? Ideally, all of the hardware should be removed, as this would remedy most of these issues except for the transition lines between the counters and vertical surfaces.
Read more.....

https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5093/Stone%20Restoration%20and%20Maintenance%20Corner%20%E2%80%93Going%20from%20Polished%20to%20Honed/

12/17/2023

Try Something Different This Year,
Sharon Koehler
Stone Industry Consultant

Forgive me for pointing out the obvious but… the holidays are here. Ready or not, here they are. Halloween has come and gone, and we are staring into the face of the Thanksgiving/Hanukkah/ Christmas/Kwanza season. Throw in a couple of birthdays, maybe a bowl game or two plus maybe a New Year’s p...

12/11/2023

Fabricators get Up to Speed on Porcelain and Sintered Materials with ISFA’s Mineral Surfaces Program
International Surface Fabricators Association-
The International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA) held a Mineral Surfaces training event September 13-14 in Massillon, Ohio. Hosted by Tower Industries and sponsored by Panoramic Porcelain by Daltile, the course is designed to arm fabricators with the knowledge and skills they need to embrace these materials to meet growing customer demand.

Fabricators Get Up to Speed on Porcelain and Sintered Materials with ISFA’s Mineral Surfaces Program

The comprehensive, two-day training was held at Tower Countertops, a division of Tower Industries. More than 30 fabricators were in attendance, including shop owners, operators and managers. The event started with a welcome to new members, covering ISFA membership benefits, programs and more.

Raul Amat, the national manager of Panoramic Porcelain Surfaces for Daltile North America, presented a comprehensive overview of mineral surface materials, including porcelain, sintered stone and ultracompact surfaces. The presentation was sent to attendees after the training so they could share it with staff at their shops.

“The overview explained how the materials are made and provided a foundation of understanding that I wasn’t aware of,” said Joey Carrabetta, Bluemar Marble. “Learning how these materials differ from others was helpful, and how to handle porcelain slabs was very useful. I gained a lot, including new tools and processes I will need in my shop.”
Read more.....
https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5091/Fabricators%20get%20Up%20to%20Speed%20on%20Porcelain%20and%20Sintered%20Materials%20with%20ISFA%E2%80%99s%20Mineral%20Surfaces%20Program/

12/11/2023

Do You Know Your Salary Cap?
Rick Phelps
Synchronous Software Solutions
Just like a professional baseball team, your fabrication business has a salary cap. And like in baseball, the league sets your salary cap!

That’s right, the league you want to play in sets your salary cap. If you want to play in the minor leagues, then ignore the salary cap and earn single digit returns – there are lots of players in the minors…

If you want to play in the big leagues and earn 15%, 20%, or even more fabricating countertops, then read on!
@
The math is simple, but to calculate your salary cap you will need to understand Throughput Accounting and how to calculate Throughput Dollars ($T) and your $T Ratio – the percentage of revenue that your $T represent.

You will also need to understand your Income Statement (P&L) and Balance Sheet. Read more....

Just like a professional baseball team, your fabrication business has a salary cap. And like in baseball, the league sets your salary cap!

12/11/2023

Mastering Lead Generation
Stephen Alberts
Countertop Marketing Co.
In the highly competitive world of countertop shops, finding and converting potential customers into loyal customers is a top priority for most shops I talk with. The key to success lies in implementing an effective lead-generation strategy that not only attracts potential customers but also nurtures them through the sales funnel. In this article, we’ll explore the best lead generation strategy a countertop shop should follow to thrive in today’s market.

Read more....
https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5089/Mastering%20Lead%20Generation/

12/11/2023

Finding Growth Opportunities in an Uncertain Economy
Ed Young Fabricator’s Business Coach
Finding Growth Opportunities in an Uncertain Economy

Economic signals are all over the map. Depending on who you ask, we are in for either a good old-fashioned recession or something called a ‘soft landing’ or maybe no change at all. This makes it really tough for a shop owner to confidently plan for the next 12 to 24 months.

The good news is this uncertainty is also creating opportunities for shop owners who recognize them and are prepared to take advantage of them.

Increase Market Share

In uncertain economic times, it is common for shops to start cutting costs. An early victim is usually the marketing budget. It’s common when times get slow for shop owners to think they can’t afford to support their social media ad spend or their traditional advertising costs.

However, this can create opportunities for shops that are prepared to go against the norm. A shop that continues to advertise can maintain its sales level during slow times. If most of your competition has stopped advertising, this approach can even increase your share of the market - as the available market shrinks, you are able to pick up a larger percentage. Better yet, when the market eventually turns around, as they always do, the shop that increased its market share will grow much more quickly than those who stopped advertising.

Read more.....
https://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm/pageId/5088/Finding%20Growth%20Opportunities%20in%20an%20Uncertain%20Economy/