Briefs – August 2005

• The Marble Institute of America (MIA) offers a totally re-designed Website with a member’s forum, secure online publication ordering system, information on educational sessions, the association’s latest news, pinpoint searching techniques for MIA member locations and streaming-video presentations for consumers.
• Cosentino USA selected five winners in its Plain to Spain contest for purchasers of Silestone® natural-quartz surfacing at Home Depot or EXPO Design Centers. Winners, who competed in five design categories, will be able to take a guest to Spain on an expense-paid trip from the Stafford, Texas-based natural-quartz supplier.
• Affinity Stone moved its operations from Dallas to a 30,000 ft² facility in Nashville, Tenn., according to the Nashville City Paper. Current production capacity is 15 kitchens per day, with the company producing Zodiaq® natural-quartz countertops for Lowes and Home Depot stores, as well as individual retail customers.
• Z. Bavelloni S.p.A. of Bregnano, Italy, achieved ISO 9001:2000 quality certification on May 31 for its Machines Division by meeting ISO standards on, “design, manufacturing, installation and service of machines and lines for glass and stone processing.”
• LATICRETE International Inc. received the 2005 “Supplier of the Year” award from TileAmerica!, a multi-location tile and stone retailer/wholesaler headquartered in New Haven, Conn. The award recognizes the Bethany, Conn., manufacturer of tile- and stone-installation systems and solutions as providing “outstanding support and superior service throughout the year.”
• Q.E.P. Co. Inc. (Nasdaq: QEPC) is ranked #66 on the Fifth Annual Fortune Small Business 100 list of the 100 fastest-growing small companies in America. The Boca Raton, Fla.-based company made the list after financial-research firm Zacks screened annual reports for public companies with annual revenue of less than $200 million and a stock price of more than $1; company rankings are based on the past three years’ earnings growth, revenue growth, and stock performance.
• IWT Tesoro Corp. reports 1Q 2005 revenues of $13.6 million, up 43.1-percent from the same time last year. The parent company of Palm City, Fla.’s International Wholesale Tile also shows total 2004 revenues of $44.9 million, a 37.3 –percent increase from 2003.
• Lauren Anderson of Builders’ Resource Center in Grass Valley, Calif., won CaesarStone USA’s drawing at K/BIS exhibition in Las Vegas, winning a Mini Cooper. CaesarStone’s Dina Bass Blum recently delivered the prize.
• Charleson Home Products (CHP) relocates its North America/South America headquarters to 2947 Whipple Road in Union City, Calif. The new phone number for the manufacturer/importer of high-quality undermount and flush-mount stainless steel sinks is 510-471-8338; the FAX is 510-471-8118.