In recent days we have seen the continued spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) around the world and here in the U.S. as well. With the increased availability of testing, we can expect that confirmed cases of COVID-19 will continue to grow. Minimizing travel and group events is one tactic to slow the spread of the virus and protect those with weak immune systems.

GK Naquin of Stone Interiors led an engaging morning presentation at the Tampa Stone Summit on October 10, 2019. The day-long event was one of 10 Stone Industry Education sessions organized by Stone World and the Natural Stone Institute across the U.S. This particular one was sponsored by MSI and drew 64 registered attendees.

The first Stone Fabricators Alliance workshop of the year, hosted by James Donaire of Perfection Connection Marble & Granite, Inc., attracted the largest crowd in the history of the organization’s workshops. Around 200 people attended the event, which was held from June 20 to 21.

In this month’s Industry Perspective, Joey Marcella writes about when attending a trade show, workshop or other industry event, you should walk away with a “couple of good ‘nuggets’ of information.” I couldn’t agree more.

The natural stone industry is filled with companies of all sizes, but we know that most are small-to-medium size companies. When it comes to marketing and training, I often hear about limited budgets and staff resources.

While working for another company primarily doing tilework, Kurt Bartzsch was given the challenge to start the company’s fabrication shop. Bartzsch primarily learned on a trial-and-error basis before going out on his own.

In this issue, you will see that we address the subject of shop safety, which I think everyone agrees is an important topic. In a matter of seconds, one wrong move or misjudgment can lead to an accident, or even more tragic to think about – a fatality.