In general, the education program at stone trade shows such as Coverings will include a “Fabricator Forum,” where attendees discuss current issues with a panel of industry experts. Historically, these sessions have focused on practical concerns, such as fabrication methods and installation challenges.
Every January, Stone World presents its annual Fabricator Market Forecast, where hundreds of stone fabrication professionals from around the country present their expectations for the coming year as well as their feelings for the long-term.
For many stone fabricators in the U.S., the past few years have been the roughest on record. Not only have they been struggling to withstand an economic recession that has lingered far longer than expected, but they are also facing continued competition from low-cost competitors.
Taking place in locales across the U.S., the Marble Institute of America/Stone World “Stone Industry Education” program drew hundreds of fabricators, shop managers and business owners over the course of 2010, and it offered a diverse lineup of topics.
For several years, the Stone Fabricators Alliance (SFA) has been conducting workshops for its members and guests at fabrication shops around the country. From October 7 to 9, the SFA expanded on that model by holding its first “Mega-Workshop” in the St. Louis suburb of Collinsville, IL.
During Marmomacc, the most important stone show in the world, an equally important event took place. Leaders from many of the world’s stone associations, federations, and publications gathered to meet and discuss the development of a green certification standard for natural stone.
In this first-person account, a fabrication shop staffer details the operation’s path to becoming a leading facility in the London, Ontario, Canada, area.
In this forum, members of the Stone Fabricators Alliance offer their candid views on how the stone industry is slowly recovering from a lingering recession.
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