Each year, at the beginning of December, I receive the results of the annual "Fabricator Market Forecast," a survey conducted by BNP Media (Stone World's parent company) that is sent to thousands of fabricators across the U.S. Up until five years ago, this survey was more or less a reaffirmation that our industry was kicking some serious tail. Fabricators eagerly reported their success of the previous year, and they outlined all of the investmentsthey planned to make in the coming year. As someone who depends on the success of the stone industry to make a living, these surveys were truly a joy to cover.
And then everything stopped. We already know what happened, and how long it has lasted, so I don't need to get into the details. For several years, the surveys confirmed what was apparently obvious -- business for stone fabricators was dropping at an incredible rate, and with some exceptions, most companies weren't doing any major investing in equipment. At the end of 2011, however, that trend appeared to be changing, as more than half of the fabricators polled said they would be investing in equipment in 2012. A