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TRANSCRIPT
00:00 Brought to You by TAB Quartz
00:19 Intro
00:30 New York on Silicosis Watch
01:26 A Word from TAB Quartz
02:35 CalOSHA Drafts Quartz Rules
05:30 Cambria Freezes Prices Until 2028
06:45 Brazil Goes to Washington (Again)
09:09 Registration Opens for tise 2027
11:05 ISFA Opens N. KC Office
12:04 Neolith Gets 5th EcoVadis Honor
13:30 Breaking: Kulik New CEO/President at BBI
14:34 Outro
15:03 Brought to You by TAB Quartz
00:19
Hi, I’m K. Schipper with the latest in hard surfaces industry news from Radio Stone Update.
00:30
When most people think of silicosis, they think of California, but New York officials are now on the case.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issues a health advisory on Sept. 3 to watch for patients with the lung disease, with an emphasis on those working with engineered stone. The city’s Chief Medical Officer, Toni Eyssallenne, said that at least seven suspected engineered-stone-related silicosis cases have been identified in the state of New York. That includes a recent death in the city.
The advisory asks medical staff in the city to consider silicosis when diagnosing people with an occupational history of construction, mining or blasting, especially if they work with engineered stone.
The advisory also sets clinical guidelines in diagnosing possible silicosis patients and to collect and document an occupational history. It also says that employees have equal rights regardless of immigration status.
02:35
Meanwhile, back in California, that state’s potential ban on working with crystalline-silica-based engineered stone moved closer to reality last week with proposed rules and a short countdown.
Under emergency standards proposed by Cal/OSHA on Sept. 16, working in material with more than 1% crystalline silica by weight would be prohibited 60 days after official adoption, with an exception for surfaces already in inventory.
The final rules would then be approved by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board. Cal/OSHA developed the proposed rules following a public work session on July 31.
The proposed standards would effectively stop the manufacture, fabrication and installation of most man-made surfaces, with quartz as the major component. Fired ceramic and porcelain tiles and slabs are exempt.
While fabrication work could continue by a business with materials contracted for or held in its possession before adoption of the rules, any work with those surfaces must be completed within 180 days after official adoption.
The rules also ban onsite fabrication and offer a narrow description of allowed installation cutting to “minor onsite adjustments to improve fit,” of previously fabricated pieces.
The new rules also tighten existing state standards on any fabrication before the final ban. That includes allowing fewer types of respirators and requiring the use of continuous water sources.
Employers would also be required to document that materials being fabricated contain less than 1% crystalline silica. Without that documentation, Cal/OSHA shall treat the material as artificial stone containing more than 1% crystalline silica by weight.
Public comments on the standards will be accepted through Sept. 30 at RS@dir.ca.gov. The draft regulations are available at https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/doshreg/silica-2026.
The International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA) has announced it will submit comments to offer an alternative shop-licensing program in California, rather than an outright ban.
ISFA CEO Laurie Weber said, “If California adopts something other than what we propose, we will help our members comply with it. What we will not do is stop asking for a process that gives this problem the seriousness it has earned.”
The proposed standards are the result of the board accepting a petition in May from the Western Occupational and Environmental Medical Association calling for the banning of fabrication and installation of surfaces containing more than 1% crystalline silica by weight.
No date has been set for final consideration of the standards by the board.
05:30
Cambria has announced a pricing guarantee for trade partners. The company has said there will be no price increases across its portfolio until at least 2028.
With the industry navigating unpredictable supply chains, rising material overhead and cost fluctuations, this announcement should provide some stability for builders, remodelers, interior designs and fabricators.
Cambria recognizes that volatile market pricing makes accurate project bidding, long-term budgeting, and client cost management challenging, it said in a press release announcing the guarantee.
The company cites its $240 million investments, including the expansion of its domestic manufacturing operating in Minnesota. That includes the installation of new processing technology at its slab manufacturing facility in Le Sueur, Minn., and the development of a quartz processing center in Randolph, Minn.
“By investing in our infrastructure and supply chain, we’ve created efficiencies that allow us to hold our pricing steady and pass those savings directly to our trade partners,” says Elizabeth Hurley, Cambria’s chief commercial officer.
06:45
While Brazil is maintaining several trade initiatives around the world to solidify its position as a major stone exporter, it continues to beef up its relationship with U.S. stone importers and the federal government.
A team from It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone, the export promotion program developed by the Brazilian Natural Stone Association (Centrorochas) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), was in Washington Sept. 15-17 to advance its presence in what remains its largest natural stone customer.
The Brazilian team met with representatives of U.S. government agencies, Congress, the business community and institutions involved in Brazil-U.S. relations, as well as the press.
The sessions had several goals, including establishing a continuous presence for the sector in the nation’s capital, fostering dialogue on the bilateral trade environment, the importance of Brazilian stone to this country’s supply chain, and issues that affect its competitiveness in the market.
“Brazil and the United States enjoy a relationship built over decades,” says Fabio Cruz , vice president of Centrorochas. “It connects companies and professionals from both countries. Our goal is to further strengthen these channels of dialogue and give the sector a voice in spaces where relevant decisions are debated.”
The United States remains the major destination for Brazilian natural stone. In 2025, this country imported $795 million, which accounts for 53.6% of the sector’s exports. In the first half of 2026, despite the tariff environment, the U.S. share remained at 51.2%, with $364.3 million in purchases.
However, starting in July, some Brazilian natural stone products faced an additional 25% tariff, and more recently a second measure imposed an additional 12.5% tariff on Brazilian products.
Centrorochas emphasizes that almost 99.9% of Brazilian stone exports to the U.S. consist of semi-finished products, mainly slabs, which must be manufactured, finished, distributed and installed by people in this country.
09:09
Registration is now open for the International Surface Event (TISE), which will be held Feb. 2-4, 2027, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Dana Hicks, group director for TISE, says the flooring, stone and tile sectors are all experiencing remarkable transformations fueled by technology and changing consumer expectations.
“Industry professionals are now serving buyers with different priorities and requirements, from global supply chain considerations and intelligent products to sustainability and versatile solutions,” Hicks says.
The redesigned exhibition layout features two specialized zones that streamline product discovery for attendees with SURFACES and STONE neighborhoods.
As always, the show’s immersive learning experiences seek to address real-world challenges, and will include such favorites as
*The Cage, presented by the Stone Fabricator’s Alliance;
*Stone Theatre, with content produced by the Natural Stone Institute and the Rockheads Group and sponsored by Stone World; and
*Best of TISE Awards, featuring groundbreaking products transforming the marketplace.
TISE also includes a four-day education program designed to address evolving industry demands through both show floor experience and classroom learning. Topics range from business optimization and advanced installation methods to effective marketing and technology adoption.
The Education + Pass offers complete access to all educational sessions and materials. The all new Connect + Pass offers five pre-scheduled meetings with exhibitors who are matched with attendees’ product interests and business needs in a comprehensive service. For more information, or to register, go to www.intlsurfaceevent.com.
11:05
The International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA) has a new address. The organization officially opened a new office at 1520 Clay St., Ste. B1, in North Kansas City, Mo., on Sept. 10.
There will be a grand opening reception on Wednesday, Sept. 30, starting at 6 p.m. as part of the ISFA + ACMC Regional Summit that will be held in Lenexa, Kan., the following day.
The regional summit will include industry discussion focused on issues shaping the future of countertop and surface fabrication, including silica exposure and compliance, national licensing efforts regulatory development and workforce readiness.
Among those presenting will be a representative of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). For more information on the regional summit, go to www.isfanow.org.
12:04
Almazora, Spain-based Neolith renewed its EcoVadis Gold Medal for the fifth consecutive year. The award reinforces the sintered stone manufacturer’s position among the top three percent of companies assessed by the platform.
EcoVadis is a platform that currently evaluates more than 175,000 companies across more than 180 countries and 230 industries. Its methodology evaluates companies in four key areas: environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.
The assessment highlights the continued strategy that incorporates environmental, social and ethical criteria, as well as supply chain management across the company’s different areas of activity.
In this year’s assessment Neolith achieved particularly strong improvements in the environmental category, supported by the process of several initiatives developed over recent years.
Those include the introduction of carbon footprint verification and the progressive implementation of measures designed to improve the energy efficiency of its manufacturing process. The company continues to make progress in sustainable procurement.
Walter Ceglia, CEO of Neolith, says, “This result reflects sustained efforts across different areas of the organization and encourages us to continue translating our commitments into tangible, measurable improvements.”
13:30
And, in late-breaking news, Anthony Kulik is the new President & Chief Executive Officer pf BB Industries LLC, succeeding Rick Stimac.
The board of directors of the Knoxville, Tennessee, based distributor of natural stone tools, adhesives, and stone supplies made the amercement on Monday.
Kulik joins BB Industries after a series of executive positions with companies involved with both industrial and consumer products. His background spans brand management, marketing, sales, and distribution, with tenures in sales leadership, general management, and executive presidency roles.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tony to the BB Industries family “, the Board of Directors said in a statement. “His deep expertise across sales, marketing, and operations, combined with his strategic vision, makes him the ideal leader to guide BBI into its next chapter of growth and innovation.“
Kulik will be connecting with customers and suppliers in the coming weeks.
14:34
Remember, our electronic newsletter, Slab & Sheet, is available on alternate Wednesdays at www.stoneupdate.com. 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.
