Coverings 2009 took place at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL, from April 21 to 24.
Despite the obvious downturn in the economy, Coverings 2009 pressed on - celebrating its 20th anniversary from April 21 to 24 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago. And while attendance figures show a significant drop from years past, show organizers report that quality attendees led to a high level of sales interest and activity on the show floor.
“We theorize that the economic shift this year helped to filter out the serious shoppers from the uncommitteds,” stated Glenn Feder, president of client events for National Trade Productions (NTP), the manager and producer of the event. Final statistics confirm that attendance totaled 22,000 at this year’s exhibition, compared to the nearly 37,000 that attended when the show was held in Chicago in 2007. Last year’s edition, which was held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, drew approximately 35,000 visitors, according to statistics.
According to Feder, the end result was due to the dedication and support of the show’s co-sponsorships and involvement of industry trade associations. “Our partners were committed and aggressive in reaching out to their constituents about the value of Coverings, and their time and effort paid off,” he stated.
In addition to individual exhibitors, stone-producing nations were represented at pavilions such as this interactive exhibit by the Italian Trade Commission.
Once again, companies from Brazil carried a strong presence at Coverings, and many companies were represented in a national pavilion.
The show floor featured exhibitors from more than 50 countries and attracted distributors, retailers, fabricators, contractors and specifiers, architectural and design professionals, builders and real estate developers from all over the U.S. Throughout the exhibition, various foreign manufacturers, hailing from countries such as Brazil, India, Italy, Spain and Turkey, presented themselves as a united front in pavilions representing each of their nations.
Turkish stone producers gathered in this pavilion organized by IMMIB.
A range of equipment manufacturers were on hand at Coverings, and CNC technology was a featured piece of machinery at the event.
Manufacturers of stone and tile maintenance and installation products were also among the exhibitors at Coverings 2009. With green building on the forefront of design these days, many of these products are now being made with the environment in mind - offering the same benefits but without harsh chemicals or other non-environmental-friendly ingredients.
Among the materials on display at Coverings 2009, a range of backlit materials could be found on the show floor, including this exhibit at MSI.
Coverings 2009 also served as a valuable resource for continuing education for all categories of attendees, with informative, accredited seminars and live demonstration sessions conducted throughout the four days and all free of charge. Almost 20 top-notch educational sessions were offered specifically for stone industry professionals - addressing a wide range of topics and featuring leading business authorities as well as experts from every corner of the stone and tile world.
As usual, a Fabricators Forum took place at Coverings, and it was held on the show’s final day, April 24.
This year’s keynote address, “Radon & Radiation in Granite - Reality and Perspective,” explored the important initiatives underway to counter the most aggressive attack the natural stone industry has ever faced: the challenge to the safety of granite countertops. It also showcased the latest scientific information about granite safety, and offered advice for assuaging customer concerns.
A range of quartz surfacing was on display at Coverings 2009, including Pokarna’s new Quantra line.
Exotic materials were also on display at Coverings, including materials from Granitex.
Honoring excellence in design was also a part of Coverings 2009, as the exhibition held its annual Prism and Spectrum Awards competition - recognizing, respectively, outstanding and imaginative use of natural stone and ceramic tile. This year’s competition drew 176 entries, a record field that made the judges’ job of deciding the winners more challenging than ever before and testifies to the prestige of the awards, according to NTP. Paige Rien, designer for HGTV’s top-rated “Hidden Potential,” emceed the awards ceremony, presenting a total of $21,000 in prize money.
Three Prism award-winners were cited for their exceptional use of natural stone in design. Holzman Moss Architecture received the top prize in the Institutional category for Jefferson Hall, an USMA library and learning center at West Point (right).
In the Commercial category, Walker Zanger won for 25 Bond Street, a multi-family dwelling in Manhattan’s trendy NoHo neighborhood (left).
In the Residential category, stone and masonry experts at the Gallegos Corp. won for the Highlands Pond Residence, a custom single-family home in Aspen, CO.
In 2010, Coverings returns to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. The dates are scheduled for April 27 to 30.
Sidebar: Touring the exhibits of Coverings 2009
As always, suppliers of stone, technology, installation products and sinks relied on Coverings to showcase their latest products. The following is a look at some of what was on display in Chicago, IL:Stone Suppliers
American Slate Co. - promoted its new color collections as part of its “Adding Natural Beauty to Your World” brand positioning; the collections contain more than 60 colors and textures that connect to the natural world and are tied to some of the most beautiful locations around the globe
www.americanslate.com
Antolini Luigi & C. - the Shellstone Collection, which is created and totally realized in Mother of Pearl and produces iridescent effects that shine from green to light blue, from yellow to pink, from silver to black and the various shades and hues within those ranges
www.antolini.it
Bestview International - introduced its latest product, Mother-of-Pearl, which is available in various patterns
www.bestviewinternational.com
Bramagran - Esmerelda, which has pastel tones of dark green and maroon
www.bramagran.com.br
Carmel Stone - offered Calacatta marble - the same stone that Michelangelo used to carve the statue “David” - in a variety of shapes and sizes, including slabs, tiles, mosaics and trim pieces
www.carmelimports.com
Cold Spring Granite - promoted its Pacific finish, a combination of the company’s antique and polished finishes that creates a smooth surface - highlighting the soft waves of the antique and polished textures
www.coldspringgranite.com
Cosentino - SenSa Granite, which has been treated with the company’s “SenGuard” protection and features a 10-year warranty; the SenGuard process lowers the maintenance requirements for the granite, and protects countertops from staining
www.cosentinonorthamerica.com
Decolores - Bronzite, which is characterized by its golden bronze tone
www.decolores.com.br
Diamond Tech - introduced its travertine and glass mix, which comes in 12 mesh-mounted colors that are both frosted and glossed. Sheets are available in 1 x 1 or 12 x 12 inches
www.dtglasstiles.com
Dimpomar - displayed an array of Portuguese limestone varieties, including Crème Regina limestone that can be used for both residential and commercial applications
www.dimpomar.com
Gallos Marmoleria - Rumi travertine from Peru, which has tones of deep gold and tan
www.gallosperu.com
Gramic - Giallo Ornamental granite, which has a traditional golden color with black and brown accents
www.gramic.com.br
Gramil - Azul do Mar quartzite, which has a cool blue tone with waves of light green
www.gramil.com.br
Granite Mart - introduced River Gold, a sand-colored material with variations of golden waves, as well as Colonial Cream, a cream-colored material with specs of darker browns
www.granitemartindia.com
Granitex - Casanova, which has tones of light and dark brown, along with gray/blue accents, all of which are combined with unique patterning - available in leather and polished finishes
www.granitex.it
Granos - Arezzo quartzite, which has a light brown tone with white accent patterning
www.granos.com.br
JMS - a full line of Jura limestone from the Bavarian region of Germany, available in a variety of colors and surface finishes, including tiles and detailed architectural cut-to-size work
www.juramarble.com
La Ponte Marmi - introduced Princess White, a quartzite from Nambia that has a white background with light green and blue veins; as well as Wasabi Green, an exotic material that is green with black and brown veins
www.laponte.it
MSI - showcased its engineered stone line, “Q,” which is available in 16 colors; also featured backlit semi-precious stone slabs
www.msistone.com
Magnitos - Vogue, which has tones of deep rust and maroon and includes jasper and basalt, with natural crystallization
www.magnitos.com.br
Marble Systems - introduced several 1- x 1-inch blend mosaics for floors and walls, which come in 12- x 12-inch sheets. Some of the featured collections are Milano, Florence and Verona, which are all different blends of black, white and gray shades
www.marblesystems.com
Marbrasa - its own variety of Ubatuba/Labrador Green granite, which has a dark background with golden spots
www.marbrasa.com.br
Marcolini Marmi - Setai onyx, which has tones of honey and red, with white crystallization; Rond Noir marble, which has a rich brown tone
www.marcolini.it
Michelangelo - Crema Michelangelo marble, which has a light tan hue with darker brown accent waves
www.michelangelo.marble.com
Pemagran - Ibere Mari Blue, which has a soft black background with white veining and blue highlights
www.pemagran.com.br
Planeta Pedra - Crema Cabana marble, a yellowish material with translucent qualities; Sedna granite, which has tones of gold, rust, black and white, available in a leather finish
www.planetapedra.com
Primestone - currently creating onyx using a vacuum process that allows any fabricator to cut it, the company reports. Described as a high-end and expensive material, the onyx is processed in Italy, and Primestone reports being the source of it
www.primestoneusa.com
Tec-Tear - Black Marinace granite, which has a black background with a broad range of earth tones as accents, creating a unique pattern
www.tectear.com.br
Tracomal - Ciantus, which has shades of blue, silver and rust
www.tracomal.com.br
Vermont Quarries Corp. - promoted its Montclair Danby marble, which the company is now offering direct wholesale pricing for; Montclair Danby makes for an excellent kitchen countertop material given its low absorption rate, reports Vermont Quarries.
www.vermontquarries.com
Fabricating Equipment, Tools and Accessories
Bavelloni - Glaston North America - promoted the Egar 315-4 CNC stoneworking center, a multifunctional working center designed for any type of processing such as drilling, milling, edging, creating artistic and geometric bas-reliefs, and writing and engraving operations
www.glaston.net/stone
Beckart Environmental, Inc. - promoted its water treatment system for fabricators that have CNC equipment; the system can allow fabricators to recycle and reuse water, which can lead to a reduced water bill, the manufacturer reports
www.beckart.com
Breton - the Levibreton One for polishing the surface of granite, marble and engineered stone slabs; the machine has a single 15-kW head that travels along a mobile bridge for optimal honing/polishing performance
www.breton.it
CMS/Brembana - The Falcon, an automated 5-axis interpolated CNC bridge saw with a built-in “A.R.M.,” (Auto Robotic Manipulator), for loading/unloading of slabs and specially for the manipulation of pieces within nested slabs; the A.R.M can be programmed to separate pieces and make space for the blade to complete a cross cut
www.cmsna.com
Cemar Electro Inc. - featured its CL-800B Series bridge saw lasers, specifically designed for the stone-cutting industry; available in 10, 15 and 30 mW, the series features a bar mount, a waterproof panel mount connector, 90 to 240 volts power supply and direct-to-panel wiring
www.cemarelectro.com
Comandulli - featured its Omega 100, an automatic multi-spindle belt polishing machine, which has thicknesses from 20 to 100 mm and is able to perform calibration, straight edge, bevels, upper and lower groove, sloping cuts, quirk miters, bullnose and more
www.comandulli.it
GranQuartz - announced its partnership with Water Treatment Technologies - the manufacturer of the EnviroSystem; offered an assortment of tools and accessories, including the Diarex® Machete blade with pattern diamond and segment layering technology for faster cutting speeds on granite, engineered stone and other natural stone materials
www.granquartz.com
Laser Products - the LT-55 XL Precision Laser Templator, featuring Samsung’s Q1 Ultra TabletPC, completely rewritten software, a larger screen, digital camera, wireless Internet capabilities and a physical keyboard
www.lasersquare.com
MC Machinery Systems/Mitsubishi - the Suprema waterjet powered by Mitsubishi, which has a 5- x 10-foot worktable and runs on four axes; the unit offers advanced programming capabilities that are an ideal complement to saw cutting and routing
www.mitsubishi-world.com
Moraware - now offering customers to subscribe to its JobTracker system online, which means users can get started without installing any software; the system is a scheduling and job management software, designed for businesses that want to avoid time spent looking through paperwork
www.moraware.com
Northwood Machine Manufacturing - introduced the NW 138 Limestone CNC stoneworking center, which is a versatile machine that can do the same as the standard 138 Northwood CNC stoneworking center, but is specifically designed for cutting limestone
www.northwoodmachine.com
Marmo Meccanica - offered a range of equipment, including the LTT 621, a rectilinear continuous processing polishing machine for flat and rounded edges up to 6 cm in thickness
www.marmomeccanica.com
Park Industries - the Titan 1016 CNC Countertop Stone Center with 96- x 192-inch worktable that allows for multiple parts to be set up so that many parts (even an entire kitchen) can be processed with unattended cycle time; tool changer holds 52 pockets of tools in two magazines and allows for six different profiles and eight other tools to be stored in the machine ready for action
www.parkindustries.com
Prodim USA - featured its Proliner and Procutter Plotter, which, when combined, can simplify the CNC process, the company reports; measurements can be done with the Proliner directly at a jobsite, then converted with a CAD program and finally cut with the Procutter Plotter
www.prodimusa.com
Salem Stone - introduced the Breva 3-axis CNC sink cutout machine, which features a 15 Hp ISO 40 electro spindle, automatic tool exchange with 12 tool stations, brushless servo motors with digital drivers, pre-loaded ballscrew and precision linear bearings
www.salemdist.com/stone/index.asp
Water Treatment Technologies - the EnviroSystem, designed specifically for each facility, which can accommodate shops of varying sizes - from operations that range from one to two kitchens per day with demands as little as 7 gallons per minute to shops that demand over 500 gallons per minute, producing over 50 kitchen per day
www.watertreatmentonline.com
Stone Maintenance/Installation Products
Fila - announced its line of Green Care products that will be available in several months; products in this line will be water based and VOC free
www.filachim.com
Miracle Sealants Corp. - 511 Kleen & Reseal, a spray-and-wipe cleaner and re-sealer for ceramic and porcelain tile as well as polished or unpolished natural stone surfaces; the product is formulated to remove dirt and soil and reseal in one step, with no rinsing needed; the neutral pH is safe for all surfaces
www.miraclesealants.com
Pearl Abrasive Co. - introduced its Tuscan Leveling System, which is a two-piece system that virtually eliminates lippage during tile installation
www.pearlabrasive.com
Tenax - Epoxy Foam, a two-part epoxy that offers strength for thin slabs; Brioaction, a line of products to remove mold and dirt from exterior and interior stone; Polyfast, a new polyester glue for color-matching seams and laminated edges
www.tenaxusa.com
Sinks
AmeriSink - introduced its 18-gauge 316 sink model, which is undermount, has a brushed finish and is sized at 35.5 x 18.5 x 9.5/9.5 inches; also introduced its 18-gauge 322 and 323 models, which are both handcrafted, have a brushed finished and are sized at 33 x 22 x 10 inches - the 323 is double mounted
www.amerisink.com
Artisan Manufacturing - displayed its undermount 29-18-D10 sink that is 10 inches deep and features new advanced laser-welding technology; smooth corner welding makes the sink easier to clean and it doesn’t trap soil
www.ArtisanSinks.com
Chemcore - introduced its new “Royalty” product line of 18-gauge sinks that offers thicker sound spray insulation as well as thicker sound pads on all flat sides of the sink than the company’s Leonet product line
www.chemcore.com
Domain Industries - introduced its Lexicon granite composite sinks, which are made of 80% natural granite and are scratch, chip and heat resistance up to 535 degrees Fahrenheit; offered the Bella series as a package that includes the sink, a protective grid set, strainer basket and bamboo cutting board
www.domainindustries.com
