Industry Insights

RSS

Informal and functional appear to be two primary components in kitchen design today, and homeowners are also searching for a relaxing, simplistic space for their baths. Many consumers are straying away from sophisticated designs and are leaning towards more minimal looks - but overall, still inspiring.

Tile manufacturers and other industry professionals from around the world gathered in Valencia, Spain, from Tuesday, February 8 to Friday, February 11 for Cevisama 2011, the Ceramic, Natural Stone and Bath Equipment Show. The exhibition, which celebrated its 29th edition, is held annually and has become a landmark industry event.

The new MK-212 series saw from MK Diamond is constructed with powder-coated, heavy-gauge sheet metal and cast aluminum components. The saw features plunge cut capability for scoring or cutting large tile, and the tilting head allows easy and precise 45-degree miter cuts. It also features a ¼-inch-thick rubber cutting surface.

This Stone of the Month supplied by Levantina, Novelda, Alicante, Spain.

Whenever I attend a major U.S. stone industry event, one of the first things I circle on my calendar is the “Fabricator Forum,” where industry members gather and present their issues to a panel of industry experts. These forums generally do not have a rigid agenda, and they sort of follow a “Town Hall” format, where people share their problems (and hopefully solutions) with their peers.

Whenever I go to a large-scale trade event, I am always impressed with the advances in stoneworking technology.

Every January, Stone World presents its annual Fabricator Market Forecast, where hundreds of stone fabrication professionals from around the country present their expectations for the coming year as well as their feelings for the long-term.

The new Litox from GMM is a full CNC bridge saw aimed at both the fabrication market for high-speed precision slab processing and the architectural workshops with their requirements for ease and speed of programming for complicated shaping and profiling work. 

This Stone of the Month supplied by Antolini Luigi & C., Sega di Cavaion, Verona, Italy. 

Now that we’re in the middle of “Trade Show Season” - with StonExpo and Coverings taking place within a span of two months - I find myself continually writing about the various seminar programs for the stone industry.