Considered to be the leading trade exhibition for floor covering professionals, Surfaces 2008 took place at the Sands Expo & Convention Center from January 30 to February 1. And while suppliers of stone and related materials are minority players at the event, they have maintained a steady presence over the years, with new introductions being released on the show floor.

Included were displays of stone in tile and slab format, as well as a broad range of stone mosaics. Stone could also be found in a variety of finishes, including honed and polished surfaces as well as textured designs. Additionally, Surfaces 2008 included suppliers of stone care, maintenance and installation products. Many of these companies offered hands-on displays on the show floor to demonstrate the effectiveness and use of these products.

The event draws retailers, installers, distributors, architects and designers from across the country.

A “New Product Pavilion” was established to provide exhibiting companies an opportunity to promote their newest products. This pavilion was prominently located at the entrance of Hall G.

Hanley Wood, the organizer of the event, estimates that the crowd in attendance at Surfaces 2008 approached the previous year’s total of more than 38,000, and more than 1,000 exhibiting companies took part.

In addition to the exhibits and demonstrations on the show floor, Surfaces 2008 included a full conference program. Sessions included:

• Peter Craig - “Understanding, Avoiding & Correcting Moisture-Related Flooring Problems” (three-hour workshop)

• Rod Sigman and Danny McNair - “The Facts About Natural Stone” (three-hour workshop)

• Sam Allman - “How to Survive and Thrive During a Slowing Economy”

• Bart Basi, Ph.D. - “Your Money, Your Business – Financial Management for the Business Owner”

• Vincent Marazita, CSI - “Stone Trends”

• Gregory Mowat - “Selling Natural Stone Tile - What Makes it Different Than Ceramic?”

The official sponsor of Surfaces is the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA), the floor covering industry’s largest advocacy organization representing floor covering retailers, contractors and allied service providers throughout North America.

The next edition of Surfaces will take place from February 3 to 5, 2009 (conference), with the exhibition held from February 2 to 5. The event will once again be housed at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas.