One of the industry's most pressing challenges is creating a proactive stance to position natural stone as the premier product in its category of quality construction materials. Imitation engineered products are being aggressively promoted with large advertising budgets by their manufacturers, production capacity is increasing, and national branding programs are building consumer awareness and demand for these products. While their product is not natural stone, they do have the ability to market it to the general public, creating a perception that it is superior or at least equal to natural stone.
The Natural Stone Council (NSC) was formed to design and implement solutions to this challenge, now and for the future. Made up of a diverse group of stone industry businesses and trade associations, the Council's mission is to raise the level of awareness and education of natural stone in the North American market. By pooling resources in the Natural Stone Council, the stone industry collectively can make a difference in promoting its products to consumers and decision-makers in the design community.