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Hi, I’m K. Schipper with the latest hard surfaces industry news from Radio Stone update.
0:34
In Australia, the New South Wales state government unveiled a new industry safety standard on silicosis, which went into effort last month. The standard comes in response to a near-epidemic level of the lung disease among fabricators of engineered stone.
The standard illustrates mitigation efforts for shops, and also details a chain of responsibility going from surface manufacturers to end-user customers. So far, the Code of Practice applies only in New South Wales, where the state has been a leader in acting on silicosis. Two years ago, the state adopted a more-stringent limit on crystalline silicate in workplace air.
Engineered stone fabricators have been found to be very vulnerable to silicosis. A government study confirmed a “substantial increase” from 2006 to 2019. Eleni Petinos, the state’s Minister for Fair Trading and for Small Business, says the code provides employers and workers with a clear understanding on how to safely cut, grind, polish and clean up when working with engineered stone products.
The guidance also includes illustrations on proper working conditions, as well as regular air and health monitoring for workers. The code of practice also expands the list of responsible people and businesses in managing silica dust.
The code says designers, manufacturers, importers and suppliers must ensure the engineered stone they specify and fabricate is without risks to the health and safety of those both in the workplace and its vicinity.
Inspectors for SafeWork Australia – that country’s equivalent of OSHA – recently completed more than 900 compliance visits to 250 NSW engineered stone businesses as part of a broader five-year program, and Petinos says she’s confident the industry is seeing improvements in compliance, which the new code will only support.
02:34
After two years of going dark thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show – KBIS – brightened Orlando in early February with what organizers believe is one of the largest shows, globally, to serve the industry in two years.
Thanks to its partnership with the International Builders Show – the IBS – what’s been billed as Design and Construction Week drew an estimated 70,000 attendees visiting some 1,200 exhibitors. Owned by the National Kitchen and Bath Association, KBIS 2022 featured 375 exhibitors, 85 of whom were first timers. Of KBIS attendees, 48 percent were brand new to the show.
The show is produced by Emerald Expositions, and Jason McGraw, group vice president and show director, says there’s no question the event surpassed expectations. The event also included more than 70 industry conference education sessions and 40-plus panels and awards presentations.
KBIS 2023 and Design and Construction Week is scheduled for Jan. 31-Feb. 2 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
5:06
Walker Zanger will dramatically increase production and employment during a two-phase expansion of its Ceramica Antique tile factory in central Mexico.
The investment – made with the support of parent company Mosaic Companies LLC – will increase production capacity by 77 percent and grow the labor force at the plant by 25 percent. A total of 32 new positions in production, quality control and logistics will be created.
The investment is set to happen between now and the end of next year. Along with increasing factory output, the expansion will reduce energy consumption and the carbon footprint of the factory in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
The factory has been part of the Walker Zanger group since 2008, and gained attention when the Mosaic Companies acquired the Walker Zanger brand early last year. The factory produces some of the brand’s most iconic lines, including Andalucia and 6th Avenue.
6:09
The Natural Stone Institute Awards Program – including the prestigious Pinnacles for natural-stone projects – is now accepting entries. This year’s deadline is May 20.
The institute is seeking nominees for the Pinnacle Awards, the annual Industry Recognition Awards and two scholarships. All are open to Natural Stone Institute members.
The Pinnacle Awards honor projects whose beauty, creativity, ingenuity and craftsmanship exemplify professional mastery in the use of natural stone for commercial and residential applications. For 2022, a new Kitchen and Bath category will join the existing lineup of Commercial Interior, Commercial Exterior, Renovation/Restoration, Residential Interior/Exterior (Single and Multi-Family), Architectural Carving/Lettering/Sculpture, and Public Landscapes/Parks/Memorials. A Grande Pinnacle Award, sponsored by Marmomac, will be presented to the best overall project.
The Industry Recognition Awards celebrate individuals in the stone industry for exemplary contributions to the industry and association over a period of time. Awards include the Migliore Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Women in Stone Pioneer Award and the Natural Stone Craftsman of the Year Award.
Two scholarships, the Natural Stone Scholarship and Women in Stone Empowerment Scholarship, provide hands-on educational opportunities for aspiring professionals looking to enhance their careers in the stone industry.
Pinnacle and individual award recipients will be celebrated at the annual Natural Stone Institute Awards Ceremony at TISE beginning next Jan. 31 in Las Vegas. For information, including nomination forms and submission requirements, go to www.naturalstoneinstitute.org/awards.
In other news around the industry….
8:13
Cambria has announced it will open four new sales and distribution centers in the U.S. by April of next year, bringing its total to 22. Three new facilities will be built in Georgia, Texas and Virginia, along with the renovation of a building in Massachusetts. The new facilities will provide Cambria’s business partners, trade professionals and consumers within a 150-mile radius immediate access to Cambria’s line of surfaces. Each will incorporate a state-of-the-art showroom open to the public.
The new facilities will be located in Houston, Duluth, Ga., and Manassas, Va., while the renovated facility is in Milford, Mass. The expansion comes at a time when Cambria is also adding an additional 50,000 ft2, to its slab manufacturing facility in Le Sueur, Minn.
And, the Natural Stone Institute and its members have once again provided natural stone and fabrication services for a home built by the Gary Sinise Foundation through its Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment – or R.I.S.E. – program. Institute members Triton Stone Group and Stone Interiors contributed to the special-needs-adapted residence for USAF Staff Sgt. Brian Schiefer in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.
9:06
The R.I.S.E. program builds 100 percent mortgage free, specially adapted smart homes for severely wounded veterans and first responders. Schiefer was leading a pre-deployment training exercise at Fort Irwin, Calif., when his vehicle slid and rolled over leaving him a paraplegic. Today, he sits on several medical research and technology panels to give a voice to people with similar spinal cord injuries while living his life to the fullest. Companies interested in getting involved with similar projects should email rise@naturalstoneinstitute.org.
Remember, the March/April issue of Stone Update Magazine is now available at www.magazine.stonemag.com. 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.
