The opening day of The International Surface Event (TISE), including StonExpo/Marmomac, drew a countless amount of visitors who eagerly waited in a seemingly endless line to register for the stone, tile and flooring exhibition.

I don’t care if you are a one-man shop or you are producing 4,000 square feet a day.

I don’t care that you are fully digital and automated, or 100% manual.

What you and I all face is exactly the same, only different; and they are OUR problems.

Everyone likes to win, and most don’t enjoy failing. This becomes magnified in one’s professional life. People don’t show up to work each day and tell themselves, “I can’t wait to fail today.” Their struggle to find success may very likely be a consequence of working in a role that doesn’t fit their skillsets. I recently read a news publication claiming 72% of employed people are unhappy with their jobs. WOW! 72 out of 100 people are working in jobs they dislike. Why?

We can never talk too much about shop safety and the proper procedures that are necessary for handling slabs. Unfortunately, from time to time, we hear about a tragic fatality that most likely could have been prevented if more attention was paid to the handling process. Because safety should be considered with the upmost importance, Stone World makes it a focal point once a year. But for those working with slabs, safety should be a daily reminder.

MAPEI’s Tile & Stone Installation Systems now include Keraflex™ Super, a new highly versatile mortar with polymers designed for installing large and heavy tile on floors, walls and countertops. The new mortar features the outstanding trait of providing a high transfer of material to the backs of tiles while retaining impressive non-sag/non-slump properties.

My favorite thing to say about us is: ‘We are not the best stone company in Chicago because we are the oldest. We are the oldest, because we are the best,’” said Tom Van Etten, when speaking about his family owned business Galloy & Van Etten, which was started in 1899.

OSHA and NIOSH have identified exposure to silica as a health hazard to workers involved in finishing and installing natural and manufactured stone countertop products, both in fabrication shops and during in-home finishing/installation.

The first Stone Fabricators Alliance workshop of the year, hosted by James Donaire of Perfection Connection Marble & Granite, Inc., attracted the largest crowd in the history of the organization’s workshops. Around 200 people attended the event, which was held from June 20 to 21.

If you’ve been in this industry for any length of time, chances are you’ve been to more than a few trade shows and seminars. Looking back at all that invested time, what do you really remember? How much of that information have you used to improve your business?

The Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle is located on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean above San Simeon, CA, this iconic marble pool was inspired by the stunning location and equals the extravagant architecture of the castle itself.