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TRANSCRIPT
K. SCHIPPER: Hi, I’m K. Schipper with the latest hard surfaces industry news from Radio Stone Update.
0:33
In news from Washington, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection – the CBP – will continue an investigation involving ten U.S. companies that possibly bypassed tariffs with Chinese-made quartz surfaces.
At the end of February, the CBP found what it called reasonable suspicion of evasion of the unfair-trade tariffs by declaring Chinese-made surfaces as being manufactured in Malaysia. The agency also alleges that two Malaysian companies misrepresented themselves as manufacturers of the surfaces that were made in China.
Along with its investigation, going forward the CBP may require a security bond or cash deposits on future Malaysian quartz shipments involving the U.S. companies. The agency left open the possibility of collecting tariffs of 300 percent to 525 percent on previous shipments.
The action came after U.S. quartz-surface manufacturer Cambia Company LLC first raised the issue against the U.S. importers back in July. The company can identify tariff violations and supply evidence to the CBP under the federal Enforcement and Product Act. Investigators hired by Cambria didn’t find evidence of factories for the companies supplying the quartz but did find indications that the products had been transshipped.
Through its own investigation, the CBP found that documents supplied by the ten U.S. importers were incomplete and vague on specific questions regarding the manufacturing location of the quartz surfaces in question. Based on its investigation, the CBP determined that, “there is reasonable suspicion that the importers entered covered merchandise into the United States through evasion, by means of transshipment through Malaysia or by not declaring the correct entry type.”
The CBP action is separate from an inquiry announced in early February by the U.S. Commerce Department concerning transshipping of Chinese quartz surfaces via Malaysia. In a related move concerning an earlier EAPA filing, CBP in late January found that online furniture retailer Simpli Home Ltd. didn’t report vanity sets from Vietnam included Chinese-made quartz-surface tops.
2:59
Cosentino Group’s sustainability production of Silestone® quartz surfaces got the thumbs up from a leading certification group. Norway-based DNV GL – Business Assurance issued a Verification Statement that warrants all the sustainability milestones linked to Cosentino’s patented HybriQ® technology, noting that it complies with the highest environmental standard. All Silestone surfaces are now produced using the HybriQ technology.
HybriQ produces surfaces using 99 percent reused water and 100 percent renewable electric energy while producing no particle emissions and zero water discharge. It also uses a new hybrid formulation of raw mineral materials and recycled materials that maintains a minimum of 20 percent recycled raw materials, reducing crystalline silica in Silestone by 50 percent to 90 percent, depending on the color.
DNV spent several months conducting interviews, document reviews including results of tests from accredited laboratories and on-site verifications of Cosentino production plants in Cantoria, Spain. The endorsement comes as the company recently completed the full conversion of all its Silestone factories to HybriQ technology.
5:35
Talking sustainability a little closer to home, the new version of the Natural Stone Sustainability Standard, otherwise known as ANSI/NSI 373 Sustainable Production of Natural Dimension Stone, is now available. The new version reflects the standard’s name change and makes the requirement for community approval of quarry reclamation plans optional.
Updates are required at least every five years for the standard to maintain relevance in an ever-changing sustainability market. Initially published in 2014 and updated in 2017 and 2019, the new version represents a commitment to staying up to date with the latest needs of design teams with green building goals.
All the updates are coordinated with NSF International, an independent global organization that facilitates the development of standards, and tests and certifies products for the food, water, health sciences and consumer goods markets.
NSF Environmental Products Business Lead Suzan Somo says, “As the building industry continues to value sustainable products and practices, this standard provides essential opportunities to quarry operators and stone fabricators to assess their internal practices, drive efficiencies and attain preferred status in their markets.”
Brittany Storm of MAPEI Corporation, the chair of the Natural Stone Sustainability Standard joint committee, calls the new standard more than just a way to comply with requirements, but rather a roadmap to greener processes and procedures. Companies ready to certify to the standard or wanting to know more may visit www.naturalstoneinstitute.org/sustainability.
07:25
MS International, Inc. – MSI – will open its newest showroom and distribution center in Raleigh, N.C., by the end of March. The new 70,000-square-foot facility will serve residential and commercial markets in North Carolina’s capital. The company opened its first North Carolina facility in Charlotte in 2014.
The showroom will feature products developed around lifestyles, trends, and budgets, complete with a state-of-the-art slab area featuring Q Premium Natural Quartz and Natural Stone, and Arterra Porcelain Pavers, among other products. The Orange, Calif.-based MSI, which was founded in 1975, is a leading supplier of flooring, countertops, wall tile and hardscaping products. It also maintains more than 35 showrooms and distribution centers across the U.S. and Canada.
8:20
The look of stone figures highly in several of the TOP 10 Tile Trends for Coverings 2022, as announced by Coverings before National Tile Day on Feb. 23. The tile trends were gathered and forecast by the three leading international tile association who sponsor Coverings – Ceramics of Italy/Confindustria Ceramica, Ceramic Tile Manufacturers Association of Spain, and the Tile Council of North America.
The trends also provide a sneak peek at the immersive tile displays that will be seen at Coverings 2022, which is scheduled for April 5-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The trends were released during an hour-long presentation as part of the recent Coverings Connected online session.
Leading the way is a Baroque Tile Trend, which encompasses dramatic marble looks with striking colors and heavy veining, along with luxurious tiles with gold detailing and reflective surfaces. In a similar vein the Bas Relief Tile Trend includes rounded edges that simulate ancient stone.
Two other stone-related trends are the Polarized Marble Tile Trend, which retains the organic variations of a veined stone with an overall aesthetic that is more-homogenic with a mix of texture, finish and effects; and the Warm Stones Trend, which features a general warming of the color palettes of the past few years, while increasing the stone looks.
For more information on Coverings 2022, or to register, go to www.coverings.com
In other news around the industry….
10: 01
Gail Conroy is the new vice president of marketing for the Americas for Caesarstone. She assumed her new job on Monday. Conroy comes to Caesarstone from LG, where she was a senior director of marketing for the company’s Home Appliances division.
Caesarstone executives praised Conroy for her knowledge of integrated marketing strategies and tactical execution of digital, social and brand evolution, which they believe will allow the Caesarstone team to continue to strengthen and build its marketing message.
10:35
Conroy isn’t the only person with a new position in the industry. The International Surface Fabricators Association – the ISFA – announces it has hired Stephanie Matsko-Ensel as its new member marketing manager. In her new position she will build marketing strategies to drive association and awareness engagement while developing a brand proposition for ISFA around association membership benefits.
Matsko-Ensel comes to the position from a position as director of member engagement and communications for an association serving realty professionals. Among her responsibilities with ISFA will be the development of targeted marketing campaigns. She’ll also create and execute digital marketing strategies. For more information on the ISFA, go to www.ISFAnow.org
11:31
And, for the second straight year Stone Panels International LLC is the CEU Educator of the Year for the Natural Stone Institute. The Marble Falls, Texas, producer of lightweight stone surfaces was recognized at TISE in Las Vegas in early February. During 2021, Stone Panels worked to educate 1,128 individuals, or more than twice the number it worked with in 2020. Most of the presentations were delivered online.
Valorie Ormand, Stone Panels marketing director, says CEUs are an excellent conduit for product introduction. Kayla Keenan, technical sales director for the Midwest Region for Stone Panels, was also recognized as one of the 2021 CEU Speakers of the Year. She presented 42 classes, educating 401 attendees.
Also honored as a CEU speaker was Leigh Ann McKinley, design and development lead for Temmer LLC in Atlanta. She presented 30 classes, reaching 190 individuals. The Natural Stone Institute CEU program currently has 463 certified speakers offering 410 classes. For more information, go to www.naturalstoneinstitute.org/CEU
Remember, the March/April issue of Stone Update Magazine will be available online later this month. Our online newsletter, Slab and Sheet, appears on alternate Wednesdays. For notes and a transcript of this podcast, go to www.radiostoneupdate.com.
For Radio Stone Update, I’m K. Schipper, and we’ll see you here again soon.
