Surfaces 2005: More For Stone

   The event, from Jan. 25-28 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, is the key show for the North American floor-covering industry –and the market is finding stone to be a more-viable option in the residential and commercial market.
   Although the main attraction is the large product expo that opens on Jan. 26, several seminars in the Surfaces conference program (sponsored by Mannington Mills) also feature stone and stone-related issues.
   Stone Trends 2005, on Jan. 26 at 8 a.m., leads off the stone coverage as Vince Marazita presents an overall view of market trends in dimensional stone. Marazita, president and owner of Marazita & Associates, an international consulting firm specializing in market research and seminars for the natural-stone industry, will cover information, sourcing, marketing and application trends in stone for the past year.
   Ceramic and Stone Tile Installation by Donoto Pompo at 4 p.m. on Jan. 26 is more than a generic presentation. The session will review the difference in installing stone tiles, preparing surfaces and developing quality methods of installation.
   Pompo, founder of Ceramic Tile and Stone Consultants (CTaSC), also offers the benefits of his 25 years of experience in the ceramic-tile and stone industry with Turning Stone Into Profit on Jan. 27 at 8 a.m. The seminar provides product knowledge and marketing skills for better retailing of stone.
   Other seminars that touch on stone include Design Possibilities for Mosaic, presented on Jan. 25 at 2 p.m. by Sonia King. A world-renowned mosaic artist, King includes stone in her palette of materials; the seminar will focus on architectural uses of mosaics, including floors, wall treatments and murals.
   Installation issues will also be covered at Surfaces in several sessions, including Diagnose & Repair Floor Moisture Problems at 9 a.m. on Jan. 25; Mold: Facts, Fiction and Prevention at 8 a.m. on Jan. 26; and Moisture Migration in Concrete at 4 p.m. on Jan 27. Fees vary for the seminars from $50-$75 each.
   The biggest draw, however, will be the exhibition floor, with more than 1,000 vendors inhabiting 500,000+ ft² of space; show hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Jan. 26-27, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Jan. 28. And, there’s the free Installation Showcase held on the show floor, including Mixing It Up With Wood And Stone at 11 a.m. on Jan. 26 and Waterproofing Showers at 1 p.m. on Jan. 28.
   The official sponsor of Surfaces is the Anaheim, Calif-based World Floor Coverings Association (WFCA), representing retailers, contractors and allied service providers throughout North America. Hanley-Wood LLC of Dallas owns the event.
  
   The following are stone-related exhibitors at Surfaces 2005, as of mid-November 2004:

A
Accu-Cut
Akdo Pacific
Alay Marble
American Olean
Aqua Mix Inc.
American Bullnose Co.
Architectural Granite and Marble Inc.
Architectural Stone Collection Inc.
Aurora Marble & Tile
Aydin Linyit Madencilik San. Ve Tic. A.S.

B
Bedrosians
Beno J. Gundlach Co
Bid Tech Inc.
Bostik Findley Inc.
Boulder Creek Stone and Brick
BTI Tile & Stone
BuffaloStone Inc.
BVH Gregg Inc.

C
CamTech Industries Inc.
Cantera Especial Inc.
Carmel Stone Imports
C-Cure
Ceramica & Stones U.S.A.
Cercan Mosaic
Cobsa USA
Cosa Marble Co.
Custom Building Products

D-E
Dal-Tile Corp.
Dalton Flooring
Davil Travertini Srl
Deluxe Granite
Dragos Marble Inc.
Eliane Ceramic Tiles
Elon Tile and Stone
Emser Tile & Natural Stone
Epic Imports LLC
Everstone

F
FBR-Travertine Marble & Tile
Felker/Target – Division of Electrolux
FILA Chemicals USA Corp.
Florida Tile Industries Inc.
Florim USA
Fritz Industries Inc.

G-H
Garden Stone by Surface Concepts
GBI Tile & Stone Inc.
Gemini Srl
Gemini Saw Co. Inc.
Glaze 'N Seal
Grand Tile Inc.
Hard Rock Minerals USA
Honor Life Medallions
Hydro-Lazer Inc.

I-J
IGE Stone and Tile LLC
Import Stone Inc.
International Masonry Institute
International Wholesale Tile
Intertile Natural Stone Surfaces

K-L
Karl Dahm
Kunzle & Tazin USA Inc.
Laser Products Industries Inc
LATICRETE International Inc.

M
M S International Inc.
Malbros Marbles and Granite Industries
Mapei Corp.
Marble Institute of America Inc.
Marble World S.A. de C.V.
Marmol Export USA
Master Tile
M-D Building Products
Medimer Marble & Granite
Midwest Padding LLC
Milestone Imports
Miracle Sealants Co.
MK Diamond Products Inc.

N-R
National Metal Shapes Inc.
The Noble Co.
Ointon International Inc.
Oshkosh Floor Designs
P.B. Marble Services
Protecto Wrap Co.
Questech
Quickstyle/Courey International USA
Rosoni Antique Marble
Rubi/Germans Boada

S
Sawmaster Diamond Tools Inc.
Schlüter Systems
Sicis
Silestone by Cosentino
Silicon Valley Granite
Source Products Group Inc.
Southern Grouts & Mortars
Spectrum Imports
Stone Business
Stone Care International
Stone Impressions
Stone Mart
Stone World
StoneTech Professional Inc.
Stoneworks of Art
Stonexpress
Stoneyard.com

T-U
TEC Specialty Products Inc .
Tecno Art Marmi/CTM
Top Focus Corp.
Tureks/Marble Systems
Tradeasia Corp.
Uni-Tile & Marble Inc.
Unique Floor Products/Sidec N.V.

V-Z
Vytek
Waterjet Wonders Ltd.
Wonderstone Ltd.
Xiamen Eastone Co. Ltd.
Xiamen Wanli Stone Slab Co. Ltd.
Xiamen Wishful International Trade & Development Co. Ltd.
Zaijian Decorative Material Co.

This article first appeared in the December 2004 print edition of Stone Business. ©2004 Western Business Media Inc.