Coverings 2005: Education

   The annual stone and tile event, set for May 3-6 at the Orange County Convention center here, intends to make its mark in offering plenty of education with 15 seminars in four days.
   And, in case that’s not enough, there’s another set of general seminars with ties to the stone trade.
   National Trade Productions (NTP), the Alexandria, Va.-based show-management company for Coverings 2005, worked closely with the Marble Institute of America (MIA), a Coverings co-sponsor, to develop a conference track specifically for stone.
   “We know that the stone industry regards Coverings as the premier show for purchasing, trend spotting and networking,” says Tamara Christian, Coverings’ show director and NTP president.
   Gary Distelhorst, MIA executive vice president, adds that, “We strive to present educational sessions for fabricators, architects, and contractors that speak directly to what they need to build their businesses. With that in mind, we’ve partnered with such leading authorities as James Dion and Chuck Muehlbauer to present information on productivity measures for increasing profits as well as stone selection, engineering considerations and other topics of critical importance to this audience.
   “We’re confident that our partnership with Coverings 2005 will further position the show as a premier forum for the stone industry.”
  
JUST FOR STONE
   Joseph Tramuta from New England Stone Inc. will lead off the stone-education track on May 3 with Interior Stone Presentation. He’ll also outline the differences between granite, marble, limestone and onyx, and discuss the various applications of stone as used in vanities, kitchens, bathroom-tub surrounds and fireplaces.
   On May 4, Rich Booms from Booms Stone Co. and Scott Lardner from Rocky Mountain Stone Co. present Advanced Countertop Fabrication, including the safest-vs.-fastest methods to template a project; the value of shop drawings in custom fabrication; how to maximize saw productivity in a granite shop; right time to buy an automatic edging machine; and if a CNC can fix all of a shops’s problems.
   Floorings, Finishes & Friction, also on May 4, features Chuck Muehlbauer, MIA technical director, focusing on basic stone types and installation methods commonly found in the industry along with applied surface finishes. And, he’ll also note the measurement techniques used for evaluating material friction and its influence on pedestrian safety.
   MIA Education Director Vince Marazita of Marazita & Associates discusses the boom in use of natural stone in the United States, from countertops to skyscrapers. in his seventh annual “State of the Industry” presentation on May 4. Attendees get a bird’s-eye view of the U.S. dimensional-stone market, covering information, sourcing, marketing and application trends – and examples of award-winning projects recognized for natural-stone use.
   Fabricators Forum: Residential Projects will give fabricators the opportunity on May 4 to get answers to questions or problems with residential fabrication and/or installation. The open forum, led by a panel of MIA industry members, includes Booms, Lardner and Jose Rodriguez of Total Design on Marble and Granite.
   Marc Rosenkrantz of the Schechner Lifson Corp. offers Stone Shop Safety & Insurance Dos & Don’ts on May 4, discussing general liability, workers’ compensation, property valuation, loss-control techniques and pitfalls of property/casualty insurance. This seminar also offers a preview of the Basics of Stone Shop Safety video produced by the MIA through a grant from Coverings.
   At Working With Interior Designers Can Be Great Revenue! on May 4, Lisa McCauley of McCauley Designs – Kitchens, Tile & Stone discredits the perception that interior designers are difficult to work with, claiming that they can prove to be a great source of continuous business. She’ll also address frequently asked questions including:
   • “What is a ‘designer’s discount?’"
   • “Do you sell to the designer or his or her client?”
   • “What prices do you quote to a designer’s client?”
   • “How do you build confidence between you and a designer?” and
   • “How do you keep a designer from shopping your prices?”
   Be Ready When OSHA Comes Knocking at Your Door with Kevin Padden of KM Padden Consulting on May 5 helps prepare business owners for inspections, including the evaluation of operations for EPA and OSHA compliance; the importance of taking OSHA seriously; and methods of preparing for and maintaining compliance. A "must attend" for natural stone fabricators.
   MIA’s Muehlbauer returns on May 5 with Introduction to Stone Design. This "Stone 101" course is specially designed for architects and members of the design community.  Discussions include: stone selection, engineering considerations; ASTM testing; aesthetic considerations; horizontal substrates; designing for wet areas; stair treads; and vertical cladding.  There’s also a "Tips and Techniques" section in stone sourcing and design.
   James Dion of Dionco Inc. presents Five Key Productivity Measures That Will Increase Your Sales And Profits Now! on May 5. This fast-paced session touches on the five most-important productivity measures – Turnover, Average Transaction, Items Per Ticket, Conversion Rate and Gross Margin Return on Inventory Investment (GMROII) – and how to use them to increase sales and profitability immediately.
   Padden also takes on Water Systems for Your Fabrication Shop on May 5, with an objective review of the various water-recycling systems appropriate for different sizes of shops with different levels of water demand. Learn how to plan for future water needs and support current equipment as well as future investments.
   Countertop Fabrication on May 5 is a presentación en español, with Total Design’s Rodriguez covering fabrication methods, transport, installation techniques, maintenance procedures and follow-up. It will also address frequently asked questions such as how to make a seam invisible, and what is the best way to polish an ogee edge.
   Architects create unique structures and suitable environments for their clients, and have a tremendous amount of control and impact on what products are used with their designs. On May 6, Mark Fernandes from Luck Stone Corp. will discusses the best ways to sell stone products to architects in Selling Stone Products to Architects – An Industry Opportunity.
   On May 6, Dr. Claude Rust from California State University/Fresno offers his two-part Put a Bit of Science in Your Business: Understanding Stone from Formation to Façade and Beyond. The geologist’s seminar includes rudimentary geologic background on stone formation, stone categories and the most common mineral components. Participants will receive an updated kit of mineral samples, a loop and essential testing materials. (This session will be limited to 75 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.)
   Joe Salvo of Miracle Sealants presents Natural Stone Characteristics: Origin, Extraction, Installation Challenges, Protection, Maintenance and Restoration on May 6. This seminar illustrates techniques, theories and products used for quarrying, processing, protecting, maintaining and restoring natural stone. There’s also information on impregnators/penetrating sealers, recrystalization, polishing powders and pastes and diamond abrasives.
  
STONE AND TILE
   In addition to the stone-specific seminars, Coverings also takes on issues of common interest to the ceramic-tile and stone industries, including New Generations of Polymer Mortars on May 3 with Otto Laszlo of Southern Grouts and Mortars. With the varied formats of porcelain tiles and natural stone, mortars are being formulated to accommodate this ever-changing technology.
   On May 4, Donato Pompo of Ceramic Tile and Stone Consultants (CTASC) presents How to Avoid Ceramic Tile and Stone Installation Failures, with information on products to use for installations, how to prevent mold issues, and dealing with other problems leading to failures. He’ll review the differences between installing ceramic and various stone tiles, discuss how to properly prepare surfaces for tile, and note the various quality methods of installing each.
   Waterproofing for Ceramic Tile and Stone from Jim Caron of The Noble Company on May 4 recommends methods of success for waterproofing your ceramic tile and stone – including construction methods using direct-bond, indirect-bond, and composite-sheet membranes. The different types and physical characteristics of waterproof membranes, along with proper design criteria, details and typical installation of waterproofing, will also be addressed..
   The CTASC’s Pompo returns on May 4 with Training the Ceramic Tile and Stone Industry Online, detailing the advantages of online education through an actual course demonstration.
   Dale Kempster of the Terrazzo, Tile, and Marble Association of Canada (TTMAC) presents Ten Ways to Avoid Common Tile and Stone Installation Problems on May 5, based on data accumulated by the association on the ten most-common reasons why problems may occur in tile or stone installations. He’ll also address how anyone can prevent them from impacting a quality installation.
   Installation of Large Format Wall Tile: Challenges and Solutions by Tom Plaskota of TEC Specialty Products on May 5 addresses the key considerations of the process, including installation- and service-environment issues; installation references; substrate conditions and challenges; tile and setting material selection and performance; and potential service-environment challenges, including mold and mildew.
   With Proper Specifications to Ensure Successful Tile and Stone Installation on May 5, Howard Pryor of Conestoga Tile focuses on proper specifications to avoid installation failures, including the specification of expansion/control joints and cleavage membranes. Problematic substrates like post tension, lightweight suspended slabs and radiant heated floors are also addressed, along with proper trowel size for larger tiles and specifying to meet ADA ASTM_C1028 requirements.
   Nigel Howard of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and Leadership in Energy and Enviormental Design (LEED) and Rich Dooley of the National Association of Home Builders Research Council (NAHBRC) offer Greenbuilding Movement: What Is It and How Will It Affect the Ceramic Tile and Stone Industry? on May 5, with information on the ever-growing Greenbuilding Movement and how it could affect your company’s outlook.
   On May 6, the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) highlights exemplary work with Best In Show…A Celebration of Great Tile and Stone Installations. Not only will the session feature some of the top tile and stone installations around the country; many of the installers will be on hand to explain the installation process, and how they overcame challenges and obstacles.
   Mold: Its Growing Impact on the Industry by Tim McDonald of Merkrete Systems on May 6 targets mold issues and how they are impacting the flooring and construction industry, both in terms of risk management and profitability. The presentation includes brief insights about the growing challenges that the industry faces, and how to turn this challenge into opportunity and profit for your business.
   An industry panel tackles What Are Architects Looking for When Considering Ceramic Tile and Stone? on May 6 to provide insight to distributors/dealers on the selection process for tile and stone in projects.
   Many of the sessions will offer ASID, AIA or State of Florida Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
   Organizations sponsoring Covering 2005 include NTCA, Assopiastrelle (Association of Italian Ceramic Tile and Refractories Manufacturers), ASCER (Spain’s Ceramic Tile Manufacturers Association), TCA (Tile Council of North America) and CTDA (Ceramic Tile Distributors Association).
   Coverings is also co-sponsored by the MIA, TTMAC, American Institute of Architects (AIA-Orlando Chapter), American Society of Interior Designers (ASID-Florida North, Florida South and Florida West Coast), International Interior Design Association (IIDA-Florida Chapter), the National Association of Floor Covering Distributors (NAFCD), Tile Contractors’ Association of America (TCAA) and the Tile Heritage Foundation.
   For more information on education at Coverings, please visit www.coverings.com or contact NTP at 703-683-8500.

This article first appeared in the March 2005 print edition of Stone Business. ©2005 Western Business Media Inc.