SAN DIEGO, CA --Ceramic Tile And Stone Consultants, Inc. (CTaSC), a national company providing marketing research and business planning services, has announced that Tom Kotel, owner of Mid-America Tile, a major distributor and importer located in Chicago, IL, is the raffle winner of a $600 Apple gift certificate that can be used towards the purchase of an iPad, iPhone or any other Apple product. Kotel was one of many participants who were part of the raffle for their participation and completion of the recent CTaSC 2013 Stone Survey.

The winner was randomly chosen from a record number of industry members that completed the 2013 Stone Survey conducted in February 2013 by CTaSC. Over 782 manufacturers, quarries, importers, distributors and fabricators were invited to take the stone survey. The survey was developed by CTaSC using progressive online technology that ensured the confidentiality of all participants by compiling data anonymously. Each person who completed the survey received a free summary of the survey results.

Participants answered a series of questions based on their business category. Importers and distributors were quizzed on the types of stone they buy and sell, slab and tile sizes, sales by type of customers, and sales by types of applications. Fabricators were asked to answer questions about their fabrication business, including equipment and tool brands, purchase and selling price of stone, annual sales, and types of finished products and stone types that are fabricated.
The 2013 Stone Survey results will be included in the upcoming Catalina 2013 Natural and Manufactured Stone Products Report prepared by Catalina Research, a prominent research firm, and Ceramic Tile and Stone Consultants (CTaSC). It will be published on approximately June 17, 2013.

The survey results will be further elaborated upon and integrated into the 2013 Natural and Manufactured Stone Product Report. This comprehensive publication, which is being updated from 2010, will provide an in-depth analysis of the U.S. and Canadian stone industry based on U.S. government statistics and market resources. Some of the topics that are covered include Trends and Forecasts for the stone industry and the current state of the economy, Sales by Type of Stone, Engineered/Quartz Stone, Manufactured Stone (made of concrete), End-use Markets Trends and Demographics, Economic Factors Effecting Demand for Stone, Imports and Exports, Installers, Retailers, Home Centers, Floor Covering Channels and Internet Sales Channels. It will also have sections on Quarries, Processing Plants, Fabricators Operation Costs and Profitability, Stone Industry Cost Structure and Competitive Environment, Industry Capital Expenditures and Machinery Costs.

Donato Pompo, President of CTaSC, underscored the importance of the information gathered from the survey by stating, "In-depth information about the stone industry is very hard to come by. It's vital for all of us to know what's going on in the market and understand how the current state of the economy will affect our business and our future opportunities." 

This is the fifth time CTaSC has conducted a stone survey (the first was in 2003). For more information and pricing on the 2013 Natural and Manufactured Stone Product Report that will be released on June 17, 2013, contact CTaSC at 866-669-1550 or visit the website at: www.CTaSC.com.