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Fabricators Get Up to Speed on Porcelain and Sintered Materials with ISFA’s Mineral Surfaces Training Program
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The International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA) held a Mineral Surfaces training event September 13-14 in Massillon, Ohio. Hosted by Tower Industries and sponsored by Panoramic Porcelain by Daltile, the course is designed to arm fabricators with the knowledge and skills they need to embrace these materials to meet growing customer demand.
The comprehensive, two-day training was held at Tower Countertops, a division of Tower Industries. More than 30 fabricators were in attendance, including shop owners, operators and managers. The event started with a welcome to new members, covering ISFA membership benefits, programs and more.
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Raul Amat, the national manager of Panoramic Porcelain Surfaces for Daltile North America, presented a comprehensive overview of mineral surface materials, including porcelain, sintered stone and ultra-compact surfaces. The presentation was sent to attendees after the training so they could share it with staff at their shops.
“The overview explained how the materials are made and provided a foundation of understanding that I wasn’t aware of,” said Joey Carrabetta, Bluemar Marble. “Learning how these materials differ from others was helpful, and how to handle porcelain slabs was very useful. I gained a lot, including new tools and processes I will need in my shop.”
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LAST CALL: Solid Surface Fabrication Training October 24-25 in Chicago
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This ISFA Certified Professional Solid Surface Fabrication Training program is the gold standard course for fabricating solid surface. The program is recognized by all major manufacturers and their network of certified fabricator partners.
This hands-on, two-day session provides attendees with the skills and knowledge in all facets of the fabrication process, including layout, templating, seaming, support, sanding, edges, cutouts, backsplashes, thermoforming, finishing and installation. Participants will complete a vanity application which includes an integral bowl sink, built-up edge profile, edge inlay and examples of coved as well as set-on style backsplash.
Only a few spots left! |
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Leaders from Skilled Trades Industries Unite to Combat Labor Crisis in U.S. and Canada
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NEST, the pioneers of integrated facilities management, has teamed up with leaders across the construction, retail, and skilled trades industries to create the Skilled Trades Advisory Council (STAC). Aimed to combat the crisis facing skilled labor in the U.S. and Canada, STAC’s founding advisors will leverage their resources, knowledge, and network to elevate the skilled trades as high-paying, honorable, and often heroic career paths, including electrical, plumbing, HVAC, janitorial, construction, and other essential jobs that require a rejuvenated workforce.
According to online recruiting platform Handshake, the application rate for young people seeking technical jobs dropped by 49% in 2022 compared to 2020 (source).
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Staffing firm PeopleReady estimates 40% of the 12 million people in the skilled trades workforce are over the age of 45, with nearly half of those workers over the age of 55 (source).
LEARN MORE ...
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In this episode, we’re joined by Stephen Alberts from Countertop Marketing Co. to discuss accessible and inexpensive marketing tools fabrication shops can use to glean customer insights and increase sales.
Starting with the basics, Stephen walks listeners through his recommendations with practical advice on the benefits of each tool. He’ll cover:
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software.
- Google Analytics.
- Tracking calls and web form submissions: customizing to get the actionable data.
- Other tools and metrics to keep an eye on.
Tune in to learn how to level up your marketing game in your fabrication shop and get results that bring in more revenue.
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Registration Now Open for KBIS and IBS 2024 |
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The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) opened registration for the 2024 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), which will take place February 27-29, 2024, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
KBIS is the largest North American trade expo and networking opportunity for kitchen and bath industry professionals. The 2024 show will host more than 500 exhibitors and include programming and awards across a range of categories.
The annual event is owned by NKBA and produced by Emerald Expositions.
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Design & Construction Week – The Residential Design and Construction Industry Hub
KBIS and IBS (the National Association of Home Builders’ International Builders’ Show) are pleased to continue to co-locate. Building on over a decade of collaboration, Design & Construction Week (DCW) will feature more than 1,900 combined exhibitors and 1,100,000 total net square feet for 2024.
There will be 100,000+ design and construction professionals expected to attend to see the newest products and meet with industry experts.
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SolidSurface.com Helps Fabricators Source Hard-To-Find Designs |
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Fabricators, are you looking for a discontinued design? SolidSurface.com is here to help! By using the filter tools on its website to select Overstock, you can view both full and partial sheets that are currently available. This inventory is being constantly updated as materials are regularly acquired.
SolidSurface.com is an online marketplace with the largest selection of solid surface material. Featuring both Corian and Wilsonart Outlets, industry professionals can find significant cost savings in the often-hard-to-find discontinued and overstock full and partial sheet material. Powerful search tools allow filtering by brand, color, pattern, size and price.
In addition to sheet material, you'll find a selection of accessories including color-matched adhesives, tooling and sinks.
SolidSurface.com is extending a Warehouse Special Price List to ISFA Fabricators only. Contact paul@solidsurface.com for your price list today.
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ZOLLER Automation Days Highlights Unique Solutions That Optimize and Automate Cutting Tool Processes
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ZOLLER Inc. welcomed manufacturing professionals from a range of industry verticals to its North American headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for Automation Days in August, part of a series of events it plans throughout the year.
Customers and industry leaders highlighted the unique solutions ZOLLER offers to automate cutting tool management and establish more resilient, reliable processes in the face of a labor shortage that is expected to leave 2.1 million jobs unfilled by 2030.
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“We need to automate because there is a labor shortage in the market,” said ZOLLER Inc. President Alexander Zoller. “The name of the game is how can I produce more in a short amount of time for less cost and higher quality.”
KEEP READING ...
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MSI Wins Top Workplaces Industry Award
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M S International, Inc. (MSI), a leading supplier of flooring, countertops, wall tile, and hardscaping products in North America, has earned the 2023 Top Workplaces Industry Award, being named one of the top distribution companies to work for in the United States. The Top Workplaces program has a 17-year history of surveying celebrating people-first organizations nationally and across 60 regional markets.
Top Workplaces Industry awards celebrate organizations that have built people-first workplace cultures within their sector. The award marks MSI as an employer of choice for those seeking employment in the distribution industry.
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Do you need to train your salespeople in the art of selling specifically for the surface fabrication business?
Are you struggling to find the time to provide the comprehensive training necessary to develop your team's skills?
Join Justin Shaw from Stone Fabricator Elite for or this eight-part webinar series that can help you navigate the sales process more efficiently, engage better with potential customers and close more deals.
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Planning your next industry event or fundraiser? Let us know and we'll help you get the word out! |
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