For some people, social means the event of the year. For others, it’s shorthand for everyone’s favorite U.S. ID number.
Now, it’s part of the online world. Social media is beyond the buzzword stage and moving into general business strategy.
And, that’s OK for media behemoths like the New York Times and Coca-Cola. But, does it fit for us in the stone trade?
By K. Schipper
MIDDLEBROOK, Mo. – More than a billion gallons of water rushing – unexpectedly – through a state park early one winter morning is nothing short of a disaster.
And, yet, after the dam of a hydroelectric-plant reservoir broke in December 2005 and sent its load through one of Missouri’s most-popular state parks, thoughts and actions quickly turned to renewal.
By K. Schipper
ANAHEIM, Calif. – Block Tops Inc. may have a strange name, but it’s also probably one of the best-kept secrets in Southern (and now Northern) California when it comes to countertops.
Training new employees in all aspects of stone-countertop installation, or creating a continuing-education program for existing employees, might seem a bit daunting … and alien. Most of the great installers I know learned one way: on the job.
by Tom McNall
I was having an espresso with one of my best stone customers the other day, and a few funny war stories came up. Funny to us, but not so funny to those involved.
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MATERIALS
QUARTZ NATURAL STONE
National Jurassic Stone, Cedar Park, Texas, offers Urcazite®, a quartz-rich natural stone quarried in Peru. The material features wood-grain, rainbow, exotic-weave and kaleidoscopic patterns; it also ranks a 7 on the Mohs Hardness Scale and can be easily cut and shaped.
Contact: National Jurassic Stone, 512-410-1234
ORLANDO, Fla. – Coverings 2010 gets back to its Florida base and a climate much warmer than last year’s outing in a chilly Chicago.
The stone-and-tile event, from April 27-30, will feature 1,000+ exhibitors from more than 50 countries, filling the Orange County Convention Center’s North-South Hall with 300,000 ft² of goods and services.
MADRID – With the world economy still in flux, there’s a major effort here to make sure this year’s PIEDRA stone event retains its standing as one of the world’s leading industry events.
At least the year didn’t end as awful as it began with stone imports, and some countries show positive numbers in a few categories. Overall, though, shipments remain well behind December 2008 totals.
ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s a mix of old and new for educational offerings at Coverings 2010 next month.
While the program on April 27-30 at the Orange County Convention Center features perennial favorites among the 20 or so stone-specific sessions, this year’s lineup also includes new presentations on topics such as best practices and sustainability.