Check out the latest issue of ISFA's Countertops & Architectural Surfaces magazine

Check out the Latest Countertops & Architectural Surfaces Buyers' Guide issue

ISFA Industry Roundtable
Sponsored by Moraware, Neolith by Marva and Cosentino
Feb. 5-7
Raleigh, N.C

KBIS & IBS
Feb. 19-21
Las Vegas, Nev.

Coverings
April 9 - 12
Orlando, Fla.
Visit the ISFA Booth!

ISFA Solid Surface Fabrication Training
April 16-18
San Antonio, Texas

ISFA
PO Box 627 Ingomar, PA 15127

Phone
(412) 487-3207

Email
info@isfanow.org

The 2019 ISFA Annual Meeting & Conference is being held October 20 to 23 at the exclusive Mountain Shadows Resort in beautiful Scottsdale, Ariz., and event registration is now open.
Registration includes:

• Three Nights' Stay at the Mountain Shadows Resort in the Heart of Paradise Valley
• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Evening Cocktails
• Educational Sessions
• Welcome Reception
• Awards Reception
• Business Meeting
• Golf Scramble at The Short Course, Mountain Shadows

Conference Rates (Jan 1-Mar 31, 2019): $1599, Extra Guest Rate: $749
Conference Rates (Apr 1-Sept 15, 2019): $1699, Extra Guest Rate: $849
After Sept 15, 2019, room prices will be subject to availability and current resort rates.

CLICK HERE to register or learn more about  the event.

Back in late November, the U.S. government announced another round of preliminary fees on Chinese quartz imports, these ones anti-dumping duties, ranging from 242 to 314 percent. The fees may also be retroactive up to 90 days if they are "unliquidated." These are in addition to the preliminary countervailing duties set on Sept. 17, which will be 34.38 percent on most quartz products entering the United States from China and 178.45 percent on two particular companies. Additionally, President Trump has placed tariffs on numerous Chinese goods as a separate action. These tariffs, which are compounded with the new Chinese quartz anti-dumping duties and the countervailing duties are also affecting some tile, stone and stoneworking equipment, in addition to quartz. The initial tariff was 10 percent, with a potential increase to 25 percent in coming months.
In recent months, the debate on the issue has grown, with some manufacturers and fabricators believing the tariffs to be a good thing and others strongly opposed. Two groups, one in opposition and one in favor, have developed in response to the fees, which likely will not be finalized or imposed until Q2 of 2019. The Agglomerated Stone World-Wide Assoication (A.St.A), which is made up of a group of 14 international surfacing producers (Cambria, Caesarstone, Cosentino, LG Hausys, Cimstone, TechniStone, Compac, Vicostone, Santamargherita, RMC, Quartzforms, Diresco, Stone Italiana and Topzstone) issued a statement at the end of 2018 stating that it, "reaffirms its firm support of free and fair trade...particularly the preliminary measures adopted by the US Department of Commerce and the USITC as part of their investigations, to impose duties on Chinese producers to protect fair trade in the industry."
Conversely, the American Quartz Worker Coalition, which purports to represent the interests of more than 200 quartz fabrication businesses, distributors, installers and importers (most publicly MSI, Arizona Tile and Bedrosian Tile and Stone), accounting for more than 5,000 American jobs, issued a statement in opposition to the tariffs Jan. 23. The statement said the group organized to fight the anti-dumping and countervailing duty petition filed by Cambria and "is urging the ITC to consider the significant impact of such duties on American workers and the U.S. quartz market. Specifically, the Coalition warns that duties would create huge cost increases for imported quartz and remove approximately 50 percent of avialable quartz supply from the market." The statement also claims the tariffs would "limit consumer choice" and "threaten tens of thousands of quartz-related U.S. fabricating jobs."

The Coverings trade show, which will bring together more than 26,000 stone and tile professionals April 9 to 12 in Orlando, is offering free registration. The event offers fabricators and other key industry players to opportunity to network, collaborate and find the latest equipment, new suppliers and updated techniques. To register for this global tile & stone experience free of charge, CLICK HERE. You can also access negotiated Orlando hotel rates here.

ISFA is now accepting registration for its second Industry Roundtable Event of 2019, which will take place in Adairsville, Ga. (near Atlanta). The event will include tours of both the HI-MACS solid surface and Viatera quartz surfacing production facilities of LG Hausys. In addition to the tours, attendees will hear from expert presenters and take part in networking events and group discussions designed to provide insight, information and best practices for the industry. Participants will be staying at the exclusive Barnsley Resort in Adairsville, and shuttles to and from the LG facilities will be provided. To register or for more information, Click Here or email info@isfanow.org.

Jan. 1 ISFA installed its 2019 Board of Directors based on the results of its recent election. Augie Chavez of GECKO SSS in San Antonio, Texas is now ISFA President, and 2018 ISFA President Kate Dillenburg of Bisley Fabrication in Gresham, Wis., moved to serve as Immediate Past President, as well as took on the Secretary position in 2019. Paul “Max” Le Pera, of Global Surfacing Alliance in Cranbury, N.J., now serves as Vice President and Mike Langenderfer of The Countertop Shop in Monclova, Ohio, will continue to serve as the Treasurer.

Leaving the board having fulfilled their service periods are Ryan Miller of VT Industries in Holstein, Iowa, who served as ISFA President in 2017; and Jessica McNaughton of CaraGreen in Carrboro, N.C., who served as an Associate Member Representative.

New to the board are Steve Mast of Precision Countertops in Wilsonville, Ore., as Director, Austin Maxwell of Maxwell Countertops in Farmers City, Ill., as Director, Eric Tryon of Premier Surfaces in Alpharetta, Ga., as Director, and Joe Connolly of SASSO as Associate Member Representative.

Retaining their positions as Directors are Matt Kraft of Custom Marble in Millstadt, Ill.; Adam Albee of Counter Culture in Lincoln, Neb.; Kelley Montana of Humboldt Countertops in Eureka Calif.; and Steve Stoddard of Advanced Surfaces in Corry, Penn., as well as Jim Callaghan of GranQuartz, who will remain on as an Associate Member Representative. For more information or a full copy of the press release announcing the new board CLICK HERE.

In case you missed these informative articles:

• ISFA Fabricator Profile: Bond Interiors
• Offering Value and Understanding Sales

• Event Planning, Development and Execution Company Participates in ISFA On Site Training

• Sustainability in Business Includes but Goes Well Beyond "Green"

Find many more useful articles in our Online Archive.

and efficiently drill holes with the correct dimensions for use with the Keep-nut anchoring system*. Using an array of compatible bits, the machine can prepare holes in a variety of hard surfaces including granite, marble engineered stone, UHPC, porcelain, Dekton^®, glass and composites. The vacuum foot allows secure attachment to rough surfaces including unpolished granite and textured ceramics. This water-cooled, pneumatic machine requires only a single airline and a water feed to operate. Keep-Nut is a press-in threaded insert that mechanically anchors to provide permanent threads in panels or countertops made of marble, granite, composites, carbon, Corian®, HPL, glass and others solid surface materials. For more information, CLICK HERE.

The initiative provides a platform for LPI to expand beyond its core strength of laser measuring and digital templating systems. “We are excited to launch our first new product under the LPI brand that will be an invaluable tool for countertop fabricators - ClearCut,” said Rich Katzmann, president of LPI.

ClearCut is a high-resolution optical tool measuring system that quickly calibrates entire tool sets directly on the CNC machine. Regular calibration can help extend tool life on all CNC routers and improve the quality of finished edges, and the ClearCut measures tools within the actual spindle of the CNC. The way tools sit in the spindle, as well as the spindle itself, are also critical factors in proper calibration. With ClearCut measuring and calibrating directly on the machine, it will identify issues related to the tool, spindle or both. More information is available HERE.

than 5,100 different potential color matches. The glue is suitable for seaming and edging solid surface, granite, quartz, and other engineered countertops and surfaces. It provides an even, consistent cure, is easy-to-apply and achieves aesthetically pleasing seams. It is Greenguard Certified low VOC, and usually ships the same day from eight strategically-located warehouses around the United States. Color matching charts and more information is available HERE.