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K. SCHIPPER: Hi, I’m K. Schipper with the latest from Radio Stone Update.

When Coverings opens its 2021 tradeshow this summer, it will have a new partner. The National Wood Flooring Association – the NWFA – will operate concurrently July 7-9 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. The show, the 2021 Wood Flooring Expo, will be held in the south hall of the convention center, while Coverings will occupy the north hall. Registered attendees for either event will have access to both show floors.

Both organizations had planned to hold their annual events in April this year, with the NWFA originally scheduled for Baltimore. The shows rescheduled for later in the year because of ongoing concerns about COVID-19. The NWFA’s event history stretches back more than three decades. However, its last in-person show was held in Fort Worth, Texas in May 2019. The annual event draws more than 3,000 attendees, with contractors and distributors making up more than half of that number. Its 2020 show, scheduled for last May in Milwaukee, was cancelled.

Coverings also scratched its 2020 expo, which was on the calendar for last April in New Orleans, which banned large public events, also because of the pandemic. Jennifer Hoff, the president of Taffy Event Strategies which manages the Coverings show, says co-locating with NWFA’s Expo reaffirms Coverings’ commitment to provide a safe, in-person event. NWFA president Michael Martin, believes the combined show will bring additional value to attendees of both shows. Martin says, “Combining the education and show floor for real wood, with the education and show floor for natural tile and stone provides our members with opportunities to see more product in one place.”

Chesterfield, Mo.-based National Wood Flooring Association is a not-for-profit trade organization with more than 3,2,00 member companies world-wide.

The 21st China Xiamen International Stone Fair announces that it’s rethinking its presentation and offering new perspectives when the doors open May 18-21. In its latest iteration, Xiamen Stone Fair is planned with eight exhibition areas: Domestic Stone, Machinery and Tools, International, Artificial Stone, Outdoor, Design and Education, Media and the Xiamen Bath & Kitchen Fair.

Nine halls at the Xiamen Convention Center will display numerous natural stone and stone products from China, while four halls will contain machinery and tools where smart manufacturing will be highlighted. The International Area will host national delegations and overseas exhibiting companies. A new feature is a design and education area in Hall A1 for the Stone Infinite Product Design Show and Xiamen Habitat Design & Life Festival.

In the past ten years, Xiamen Stone Fair cooperated with global architects and designers to brand a series of featured events including Global Master Architects Forum, Stone Infinite Product Design Show and other educational sessions. Organizers plan to make more effort to integrate global resources and strengthen the links between design and stone.

In addition to the onsite event, the digital platform Cloud Xiamen Stone Fair introduces new marketing modes including video marking, live streaming, online matchmaking and more. Pre-registration for Xiamen Stone Fair 2021 is now open. Go to www.stonefair.org.cn

EMERSON SCHWARTZKOPF: This is Emerson Schwartzkopf. Hard surface imports in the United States went from bleak to boom in 2020, but the second-half surge wasn’t enough to top 2019. The total customs value of hard-surface imports in 2020 came to $3.91 billion, down 3.8% from the previous year. Considering that some sectors showed year-to-year totals down by nearly 20% after the first half of 2020, though, that 3.8% full-year decline is pretty respectable.

Most of the major sectors last year came within a few percentage points of drawing even with 2019, with marble’s nearly $484 million missing the mark by only 1.6%. Granite continued its annual decline, with its almost $744 million down 8.3% from the previous year.

One category managed to show a gain in 2020, albeit a wee one, as quartz surfaces advanced one-half of one percent to $1.177 billion. And that’s close to 20% better than in 2017, the last pre-tariff, pre-pandemic year.

You’ll find all the numbers in the latest edition of Hard-Surface Report, which will be in your email inbox next Monday morning. And, we’ll have a summary of hard surfaces’s 2020 in the next edition of Stone Update Magazine, slated for release in late March.

K. SCHIPPER: If you’re puzzled, or even exasperated by fabricating porcelain, Park Industries® and MS International® are teaming up to offer webinars focusing on best practices for fabricating porcelain. The webinars are scheduled for March 17 and 18 at 5 p.m. in the Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific time zones. The focus is strictly on how to cut porcelain and will address topics including prepping your table, handling porcelain material, programing your machine, optimizing for blade cutting and optimizing for waterjet cutting.

Those signing up for the webinars will gain access to exclusive videos and written guides to help them navigate the process and help clients get the most for their money with this durable and popular product. To register, go to https://www.parkindustries.com/event/how-to-fabricate-porcelain/

In news briefs from around the industry…

iQ Power Tools announces the promotion of Paul Guth, recently the company’s president, as chief executive officer, and Jim Mackall, formerly iQ’s vice president of sales, to the role of president. Guth, a third-generation mason by trade, has been with the company for 17 years, starting as vice president of product development before moving to the president’s position two years ago. Since 2018, Mackall has been responsible for new business development and the existing markets for the manufacturer of premium power tools with integrated dust collection technology.

The National Tile Contractors Association – the NTCA – recently named Martin Brookes as its 2020 Tile Person of the Year, as well as the organization’s president for 2021 and 2022. Brookes was honored for his 10 years of behind-the-scenes work for NTCA, as well as his commitment to continued service with the organization. A native of the United Kingdom, Brookes moved to San Francisco in 1994 where he started work for a masonry company and became a principal at Heritage Marble and Tile in 1996.

The Natural Stone Institute announces the recipients of the 2020 Natural Stone Scholarship and Women in Stone Empowerment Scholarship. Jim Buth, production manager for Lakeside Surfaces in Muskegon, Mich., is the recipient of this year’s Natural Stone Scholarship, while Nicole Renko, estimator for Colorado Custom Stone in Denver, is recognized with the Women in Stone Empowerment Scholarship. Both are designed to encourage recipients to gain valuable knowledge in the industry.

Creative Edge, a Weaton company, reports that it has acquired the Chicago-area company Custom Flooring Insets. Fairfield, Iowa-based Creative Edge specializes in custom stone, tile and terrazzo surfaces for public spaces and luxury homes while CFI’s work is best known for its flooring designs for athletic facilities, although it also creates custom flooring in stone, tile and carpet. The expanded company will be marketed under the Creative Edge brand.

Remember, you’ll also find the latest in industry news in our online Newsletter, Slab and Sheet. And the January/February issue of Stone Update Magazine is now available at www.magazine.stonemag.com. For the notes on this episode, see our webpage for links to everything in this broadcast.

I’m K. Schipper for Radio Stone Update and we’ll see you here again soon.