The 2017 edition of Coverings, the annual international trade fair and expo dedicated exclusively to showcasing the newest in ceramic tile and natural stone, heads back to Orlando, FL, this spring with a fresh image and under new management.

It’s been a busy first quarter and start to 2017. Showing no signs of a holiday hangover, the stone industry charged out of the gate in January with a tremendous showing at The International Surface Event (TISE) in Las Vegas, NV.

While walking through the bustling exhibit hall at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV, during The International Surface Event (TISE), it was evident business is picking up for members of the stone industry.

Once again a contingency of fabricators came together during The International Surface Event, which was held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center from January 18 to 20, 2017, to participate in a Fabricator Forum.

Jan Ligas, estimator at Wilkstone in Paterson, NJ, was the 2016 recipient of the MIA+BSI Natural Stone Scholarship.

Andrew Swinley, carving foreman at Red Leaf Stone in Abbottsford, British Columbia, has been named 2016 Craftsman of the Year.

Brenda Edwards, owner and general manager of TexaStone Quarries in Garden City, TX, is the recipient of the first ever Women in Stone Pioneer Award.

Emser Tile, a leading designer, marketer and producer of the world's finest tile and natural stone, named Floor Covering Associates the Platinum Dealer of the Year for 2016.

The Floor Covering Leadership Council (FCLC) conducted its first meeting of 2017 on January 19 in Las Vegas, NV, during The International Surfacing Event (TISE).

Scheduled from March 6 to 9, 2017 in Xiamen, China, the Xiamen International Stone Fair continues to build upon its success and strengthen its position as a leading educational and networking event for stone industry professionals.