Coverings 2012 offers innovation

Coverings 2012 took place from April 17 to 20 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, and it included suppliers of stone and technology.

In addition to the large-scale exhibition, a full slate of education programs were offered free to attendees — including a specific track for fabrication.

As usual, the Marble Institute of America (MIA) drew a strong crowd for its post-show party.

At the MIA event, Manu Shah, founder of MSI of Orange, CA, spoke about the major new documentary that memorializes the global historic relationship between mankind and natural stone. The documentary, which is being funded by MSI and produced by the MIA and Bill Levy Productions, Inc., will debut at StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas in January 2013.

Stone could be found in all formats at Coverings, including tiles, slabs, mosaics and more.

International exhibitors came from all corners of the globe.

Delegations of exhibitors from countries such as Brazil and Italy were arranged in national pavilions.

Advancements in stoneworking machinery could be found at Coverings. Among them, Salem Stone showcased the Montesor Luna 740 L, which features a saw that can do V-cuts for mitered edges.

In a positive development, some of the stoneworking equipment on display at Coverings were fitted with “SOLD” signs.

Suppliers of tooling and accessories saw solid traffic during the event.

The Stone Fabricators Alliance (SFA) offered tooling demos and instruction in its hands-on fabrication area dubbed “The Cage,” which was located on the show floor.

To view the Products from Coverings 2012, click here.

For years, Coverings has served as a forum for suppliers of stone and technology to introduce their latest products to the marketplace, and this year’s event was no exception. The event, was held from April 17 to 20 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.

According to show management, attendance at Coverings 2012 was up by 19% over last year’s show, with registration totaling over 22,000. Helping to hit this year’s increased number was a large jump in attendance among architects and designers, reported to have climbed 84%. Organizers also cited growth in other sectors, with attendance among fabricators up 69% from last year and distributor attendance up 16%.

“No way has the dust fully settled from the economic turmoil, but there are decided improvements in business, with building projects re-booted and remodeling on the upswing — all good signs for anyone involved in this product category,” said Karen Fendrich, Show Director of Coverings.

The exhibition floor showcased stone suppliers from around the world, including delegations of exhibitors from countries such as Brazil and Italy that were arranged in national pavilions.

These stone suppliers offered a broad range of material, which included traditional stone materials as well as an increasing range of exotic stone materials in formats including slabs, tiles, architectural pieces, mosaics and more. Also, suppliers of quartz surfacing were showcasing products in new colors and finishes.

The exhibition floor was filled with a host of fabrication equipment — from products such as CNC bridge saws and stoneworking centers to tools and accessories. Technology such as laser templating equipment was also available for attendees to view. Manufacturers of stone and tile maintenance and installation products were also among the exhibitors on hand, and there were many new items being offered in this sector as well.

In addition to the large-scale exhibition, a full slate of education programs were offered free to attendees — including a specific track for fabrication. This included an in-depth Fabricator Forum, where a range of topics were addressed. (Look for a transcript of this forum in a future issue of Stone World).

Coverings 2013 is set for April 29 to May 2 at Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA. For more information visit www.coverings.com.