EleMar New England Marble & Granite hosted a Stone Industry Education event at its showroom and warehouse in New Haven, CT on Thursday, October 19, 2023. The town hall-style meeting is part of a series organized by Stone World and the Natural Stone Institute to provide education and best practices to fabricators. The all-day event was presented by Tony Malisani, a third-generation owner of Malisani Inc. in Great Falls, MT.
Learning objectives included:
- Communication with Clients: Material selections and design details (seams, edges, finishes and accessories) can all be visually communicated to ensure that expectations are understood by all parties.
- Communication with Production: Review which information is most helpful in communicating with shop/production employees to ensure error-free fabrication.
- Communication with Installers: Review which information is the most helpful to installation crews to ensure that all site details are met.
- Create a plan to utilize shop drawings in an effective manner to ensure success.
Throughout the presentation, Malisani reiterated to the fabricators in attendance that it is beneficial to make friends in the industry, as everyone’s success is positive for the stone industry as a whole. “You can be confident and do great work, but everyone needs friends,” he said. “Make some friends. Do business with people you like and who like you.”
Overall, the participants at the Stone Summit were interactive – asking questions and sharing their own personal experiences.
In the afternoon, the group divided into two breakout discussions. One focused on the business/marketing end of the business, while the other one was on technical issues in the fabrication process. Topics covered included the labor shortage, employee incentive programs, social media and working with quartzite.
The final Stone Industry Education event for this year will be hosted by Triton Stone at its facility in Austin, TX, on Thursday, November 9, 2023. Presented by Blake Christensen, co-founder of Valley View Granite in Tremonton, UT, learning objectives will include:
- Review your current business practices and how they compare to others in the industry.
- Find inefficiencies in your business and learn how to overcome those challenges.
- Discuss what makes your company stand out in the marketplace.
- Create a plan for taking your business to the next level.
