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TRANSCRIPT
00:22
Hi, I’m K. Schipper with the latest in hard surfaces industry news from Radio Stone Update.
00:32
Industry members found plenty of excitement in Las Vegas the last week of February. The latest edition of the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show – KBIS – set another record by bringing in more than 43,000 attendees.
The co-location of KBIS and the National Association of Home Builders International Builders’ Show – or IBS – drew more than 124,000 people to the Las Vegas Convention Center.
KBIS is the biggest kitchen and bath trade show in North America and featured close to 700 exhibitors in a half-million square feet of exhibit space. Of those, more than 150 were first-time exhibitors. Almost 270 international vendors displayed their wares as part of the show.
Officials involved with the show were pleased with the results, as were exhibitors. Brian Pagel, executive vice president of Emerald Exhibitions, the show’s producer, says he always leaves KBIS inspired and having discovered something new.
Bill Darcy, global president and CEO of the National Kitchen and Bath Association – which owns KBIS – says he believes the show is evidence the industry is thriving. And Tyler Thompson, director of brand marketing for exhibitor Caesarstone, calls the audience amazing and said that company couldn’t be happier.
KBIS – again co-located with the IBS – will hold its 2026 show Feb. 17-19 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. For more information, go to www.NKBA.org.
03:22
One of the highlights of this year’s KBIS show was presented by “It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone” with an innovative project that combined design, technology and environmental responsibility.
Highlighting the booth was a countertop made of quartzite, but not just any quartzite. The countertop featured natural leftovers from the cutting of stone blocks that would normally be discarded.
Instead, the material was incorporated into the curved section of the countertop, preserving its original shapes and characteristics. To enhance its rustic appearance and the unique veins of the quartzite, the pieces underwent a sandblasting process to give the design more personality.
The project was truly a special one that incorporated more than 204 hours of CNC work dedicated to producing the curved pieces. An additional 90 hours were required to process and finish the pieces.
The design of this year’s booth was handled by a renowned Uruguayan design firm, La Agencia, with a focus on Brazil’s unparalleled geodiversity. Extracted in the state of Para, Brazil, the Vitoria Regia quartzite stands out for its striking veins and shades that range from light to deep green.
Fabio Cruz, vice president of Centrorochas, says, “The countertop went beyond just being a design piece. It represented the Brazilian natural stone industry’s commitment to sustainable beauty, technological innovation and the appreciation of raw materials.”
“It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone,” developed by the Brazilian Natural Stone Association (Centrorochas) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrazil), is designed to connect Brazilian natural stones with leading designers and architects in the North American market.
05:14
Park Industries® and Cosentino® announce a new regional event series for fabricators. Designed to bring fabricators together for learning, networking and collaboration, these events will give participants exclusive access to both sides of the fabrication process – materials and machinery.
Attendees will be able to engage with fellow fabricators, industry professionals and vendors in a collaborative environment while touring fabrication shops to see best practices in action.
Additionally, Park Industries machine experts and Cosentino product specialists will share valuable insights on technology, materials and industry trends, while panel discussions will provide key insights from industry leaders.
Hosted at Cosentino Centers, each event will provide direct exposure to one of the industry’s leading material suppliers, letting attendees experience firsthand how material selection, availability and distribution efficiencies impact their fabrication processes.
“These events reflect our commitment to advancing education and supporting the industry as a whole,” says Emily Awaijane, senior field marketing strategist at Park.
Offered at no cost, events are scheduled for:
*March 27 in Dallas
*April 29 in Orlando, Fla.
*June 18 in Salt Lake City
*Aug. 13 in Toronto, and
*Sept. 11 in Seattle.
For registration information, go to www.parkindustries.com/event/cosentino-event/
06:52
The Flooring Sustainability summit will return for its second year on July 16 and 17 in Washington.
This year’s event will be held at the Mayflower Hotel and bring together policymakers, advocacy groups, standards organizations, manufacturers, distributors, construction professionals, architects, designers and procurement officers to discuss sustainability issues.
Bill Griese, summit chairman of the Tile Council of North America – TCNA – and deputy executive director, says the sustainability landscape of 2025 presents new challenges and opportunities, which are expected to evolve in the coming years.
“This summit has become the premier gathering for industry leadership in flooring and sustainability,” Griese says.
Hosting the summit are a variety of associations from the full spectrum of the flooring industry including TCNA and the Natural Stone Institute. To register or for more information, go to www.flooringsummit.com
07:57
As always, the Natural Stone Institute utilized StonExpo in Las Vegas to present its annual honors, and the winner of the 2024 Grande Pinnacle Award was hardly your average run-of-the-mill stone project.
Taking the top honor were Lorton Stone LLC of Springfield, Va., and Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates of Northbrook, Ill., for their work on the Washington National Cathedral South Transept.
The project was long in the making. A rare 2011 earthquake struck the Washington area and caused significant damage to the cathedral. Since then, repair crews have been working their way around the building in phases to replace damaged stone, shore up wobbly pinnacles, and reinforce the cathedral to protect against future damage.
The award-winning portion of the project, which was completed in summer 2023, involved a portion of the work to rebuild a massive pinnacle about 20 stories off the ground. Although it did not collapse, it was so dangerously close to falling that crews had to dismantle all 93 pieces of stone and lower them to the ground.
Dismantling was further complicated by the fact that some stones were held in place by the weight of the piece above and nylon strapping. And the pinnacles are supported by a row of columns around a hollow center, so crews had to create an entirely new system of stainless-steel support rods to accommodate the design.
Along with the rebuild, stone repairs included Dutchman, 100% repoint of stone joints, pinning, crack repairs, grout injections and patching. The stone utilized on the project was Indiana limestone supplied by Polycor through its Indiana Limestone Company.
All the Pinnacle Award projects will be featured in the next edition of Stone Update Magazine, which will be available late this month.
09:50
Top stone projects weren’t the only things recognized at this year’s StoneExpo, either. Scott Lardner of Albuquerque, N.M., was recognized with the 2024 Migliore Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Lardner’s father began Rocky Mountain Stone in 1963 as a supplier of building and landscaping stone. In 1985 the company began quarrying travertine in that state, later expanding into sandstone, flagstone and limestone.
Scott Lardner became president of Rocky Mountain Stone in 1990 and continues in that role as well as being a member of several local, state and regional organizations. He served on the board of directors of what was then the Marble Institute of America from 2002-2006, serving as president in 2005.
His most pivotal contribution during his leadership tenure was the conception, development and implementation of the Accreditation Program, recognizing companies involved in the industry that have met the highest standards in fabrication and installation. More recently, he agreed to serve as a resource to the Spanish translation of the Silica and Slab Safety training certificate.
Nominations for the 2025 Migliore Award for Lifetime Achievement are being accepted until May 20.
11:13
And Evan Cohen of Quality Marble and Granite was honored with the 2024 David Fell Spirit of Service Award. The award is presented in memory of David Fell, late president of BG Hoadley Quarries and a firm supporter of the Gary Sinise Foundation RISE program. The award is given to an NSI member who is involved with that program, as well as demonstrating the qualities of leadership within their organization.
The RISE program has been a major driver for Cohen both personally and professionally. His company has contributed natural stone to several home projects and his employees often ask when the next home project will occur. The entire team ensures that each veteran’s stone selection experience is memorable and meaningful.
Cohen has also advocated for the program, attended home dedications with his wife and children, and helped expand the program support and made it a priority for the NSI while serving on its RISE committee.
Nominations for the 2025 David Fell Spirit of Service Award are also being accepted at www.natralstoneinstitute.org/RISE
12:25
Finally, The International Surface Event – the parent organization behind StonExpo – is seeking submissions for presenters at the 2026 conference, which will be held Jan. 27-29, 2026, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
TISE is seeking proposals for presenters in four broad areas. They include:
Conference Program – 45-minute sessions covering broad topics such as the industry landscape, marketing, business and retail strategies, product and design trends and more;
TISE Live Theatre — 20–30-minute technical sessions providing in-depth knowledge within the flooring, stone and tile segments;
TISE Demo Stage – 20-30-minute demonstrations focusing on hands-on techniques, technical skills, new technologies and how-to guides, and;
New Format Ideas – presentation concepts outside the above categories.
The speaker program is an opportunity to be featured as a thought leader at the largest floor covering, stone and tile industry event of the year. Proposals are due by May 16 at www.theintlsurfaceevent.com
13:40
For a transcript of this podcast, go to www.radiostoneupdate.com. I’m K. Schipper for Radio Stone Update and we’ll see you here again soon.
