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TRANSCRIPT
Hi, I’m K. Schipper with the latest in hard surfaces industry news from Radio Stone Update.
00:30
In California, the proposed legislation to significantly change the fabrication and handling of hard-surfaces materials is dead – at least for this year.
Luz Rivas, a Democrat assembly member from the San Fernando Valley and the bill’s sponsor, withdrew it from consideration the first week of July. Dubbed the “Silicosis Prevention Act,” it would have provided for licensing fabrication shops, controlling sales of slabs, silicosis-safety training, and the banning of dry cutting of manufactured stones.
The bill passed the lower house of the California legislature unanimously in May. However, on July 3, Rivas canceled a hearing on the bill by a state senate committee, effectively killing the legislation for the current session.
Although supported widely by groups as diverse as labor unions and stone-industry manufacturers, the measure ran up against state regulators who weren’t anxious to set up a method to enforce regulations from the Department of Industrial Relations.
In a statement after pulling the bill, Rivas said, “Following multiple efforts to work with our state regulators, it is clear that they are not receptive to creating a tracking system to identify licensed fabrication shops purchasing products from stone manufacturers and distributors that would protect these workers.”
Rivas pledged to personally work with federal, state and local officials to guarantee that any future permanent regulations are the toughest possible to protect the health and safety of workers. She noted that a study of silicosis cases in California showed 60 percent of them were in her district.
Both the State Building and Construction Trades Council and the Silica Safety Council expressed concern over the bill’s withdrawal. In a statement, the Silica Safety Council said, “There is simply too much at stake to not redouble these efforts in the coming months.”
02:29
Jose Martinez-Cosentino Justo a founding partner in the Cosentino Group, passed away in Madrid on July 13. He was 78 years old. Widely known as “Pepe,” he joined the family business, Marmoles Cosentino SA, which was founded by his brothers Francisco and Eduardo Martinez-Cosentino Justo in 1980.
Jose Cosentino held a degree in economics from the University of Barcelona. He served as treasurer of Cosentino Group for more than three decades and was a member of the company’s executive committee until 2020.
A statement from the Cosentino Group says, “Jose leaves behind an enormous legacy of entrepreneurship, boldness and wisdom, which contributed decisively to the growth of the company. But, above all, an indelible mark will be left behind by his immense generosity and kindness.”
He is survived by his wife, a son and three daughters.
04:39
The International Surface Fabricators Association – the ISFA – will hold two more of its Fabricator Forums in August and September. Previously known as Industry Roundtables, the forums are set for Aug. 14 in Houston, and Sept. 11-12 in St. Louis.
These are regional events designed to provide education and networking opportunities for people in the hard surface trades by providing information and resources they need to tackle business challenges while establishing valuable relationships.
The August session in Houston is sponsored by Cosentino and will be held at the company’s Cosentino Center. The day’s events will include technical and educational sessions, a facility tour and networking opportunities. Attendees will learn repair techniques for sintered materials and see vertical cladding demonstrations while learning about Cosentino’s Dekton® and Silestone® materials.
The September session in St. Louis is sponsored by BB Industries and Vicostone, and will include presentations on silica safety; staffing and employee management strategies; fleet management; marketing strategies; and, quartz cleaning and care techniques.
As part of the St. Louis event, attendees will visit Custom Marble in Millstadt, Ill. The tour will also include an OSHA presentation.
ISFA Fabricator Forums are open to all fabricators, including non-members. Space is limited, so those interested in attending are encouraged to go to www.ISFAnow.org/fabricator-forums for details and to register.
06:22
If you’re looking to travel a bit farther afield than the continental U.S., Park Industries® announces that for the first time ever it’s taking its Digital Stoneworking Expo™ — or DSE — to Hawaii. The daylong session will be held in Honolulu on Oct. 4.
While the location may be new, the manufacturer of stone CNC machinery will offer the same mix of education, machine demos and exclusive tours of local fabrication shops fabricators have come to expect from previous DSEs.
The featured fabricators will be Top Priority Inc., and Todd Branson Stoneworks. These two digital stone fabrication shops will give attendees the opportunity to see the JAVELIN™, SlabVision™ and other Park Industries equipment in action. In addition, there will be educational sessions with experienced fabricators, interactive workshops on mitering, the digital process and more, plus a roundtable Q&A.
There is no charge to attend the Digital Stoneworking Expo, but space is limited and expected to fill up quickly. For more information or to preregister, go to www.parkindustries.com/dse
07:38
Orange, Calif.-based MS International, Inc. – MSI — has again been recognized as one of the 60 best companies to sell for in 2024. The honor is given by Selling Power Magazine to top companies that lead the charge in true power selling.
Organizations selected for the award were chosen after an extensive review of data across four key areas, as well as a company overview. The areas are:
Compensation and benefits;
Hiring, sales training and sales enablement;
Commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion, and;
AI incorporation into improving sales processes.
Since MSI’s founding in 1975, the organization has grown to more than $2.5 billion in annual revenues, with more than 3,500 employees worldwide.
In response to receiving the honor, MSI Co-CEO Raj Shah, said, “This award is our testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire team, and we couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve accomplished together.”
MSI is a leading supplier of flooring, countertop, wall tile and hardscaping products in North America. The company maintains 50 showrooms and distribution centers across the U.S. and Canada while domestically sourcing Q™ Premium Natural Quartz in Latta, South Carolina, and Premium LVT in Cartersville, Georgia.
09:08
Iris Ceramica Group and Edison Next announce the production of the world’s first ceramic slab using a blend of green hydrogen and natural gas at a new plant in Castellarano, Italy. Green hydrogen is defined as being obtained by using renewable energy. The resulting slab is described as being in “four dimensions,” with the fourth dimension being sustainability.
Iris Ceramica Group is a leader in the production of high-end technical ceramic slabs for the design, furnishings and architectural market. Edison Next is a company in the Edison Group that supports customers along their decarbonization journey and ecological transition.
The production site is the H2 Factory, a plant completed last year that is equipped with the innovative technologies and infrastructure needed to use 100 percent green hydrogen. The factory will be powered by higher percentages of green hydrogen produced in a cutting-edge plant already designed and being implemented by Edison Next.
Federica Minozzi, CEO of Iris Ceramica Group, calls the announcement a major achievement that bears witness to her company’s commitment to decarbonizing the ceramics sector. She adds that the test phase will allow both companies to fine tune the production process before increasing the percentage of green hydrogen by up to 50 percent.
Several preparatory activities had to be completed in order to launch the first phase of the project, including the installation of the blending unit which mixes the natural gas with the green hydrogen. The H2 pilot production plant, which began testing in May, includes two temporary electrolyzers which can produce up to 20 cubic meters of green hydrogen per hour, powering the hydrogen-ready kiln with a blend of seven percent green hydrogen. That percentage will increase once the final plant is installed.
In the coming months Edison Next will start installing a plant capable of producing 132 tons of green hydrogen a year which will be used to power the kiln with a blend of methane and green hydrogen and replace about 500,000 cubic meters of natural gas and avoid about 900 tons of atmospheric CO2.
11:23
And Sika Corp. recently broke ground on a new state-of-the-art 250,000-square-foot mortar production plant expected to be in operation late next year.
Referred to as the Northeast Anchor site, the new plant is being built approximately 45 miles west of Atlantic City, N.J. It will produce a full range of mortars, including high-performance cementitious grouts, self-leveling mortars and mixes for shotcrete for both residential and commercial construction applications.
The new plant is expected to create 50 jobs and comes in response to increasing volume demand within the proximity of major strategic metropolitan markets. Sika also opened its newest fully automated warehouse in Marion, Ohio, in mid-July, with the 150,000 square-foot facility stocking finished goods.
Sika AG is a Baar, Switzerland-based specialty chemical company that produces systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing and protection in the building sector. Sika has subsidiaries in 103 countries, with 400 factories and 33,000 employees.
12:38
Remember, the July-August issue of Stone Update Magazine will be available online at the end of the month at www.stonemag.com. For a transcript of this broadcast, go to www.radiostoneupdate.com. For Radio Stone Update, I’m K. Schipper and we’ll see you here again soon.
