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ICYMI: Beneath The Surface Webinar Series Covers Vertical Cladding Using Solid Surface

ISFA and Corian Design presented part three in the webinar series Beneath the Surface this week. This webinar includes a demonstration of vertical cladding. Fabrication Specialist Jeffrey Hutchins covers appropriate safety PPE, material handling and preparation, fabrication, installation and seaming in what was similar to a shower surround. Attendees saw the process step by step and asked questions in the Q&A.

“Corian makes a great surfacing material for various applications, dry and wet,” he explained. “Quarter-inch material is typically used, but in durable spaces with heavy traffic like hospitals may need half-inch material.”

Jeffrey covered best practices for measuring the space, including LiDAR, a sensor that measures points in a 3D space. You can use that data to create the CAD drawings. When you have that, you can fabricate the materials off-site and install them on-site, which Jeffrey recommends because it saves a lot of time. 

The presentation references Corian’s technical documents, which are available on the company’s website. To view the recordings of the three-part series, head over to the webinar library.

WATCH THE RECORDINGS

Join ISFA in Charlotte for a Fabricator-Focused Event

Hey, ISFA Members! Good news: ISFA Roundtables are back and better than ever! Now dubbed FABRICATOR FORUMS, these two-day regional events are designed to create educational and networking opportunities for members to find the information and resources they need to overcome business challenges and build meaningful relationships.

Join us April 10-11 in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the first Fabricator Forum of 2024! Topics include silica safety, fabrication techniques and tooling for porcelain and other sintered materials, using artificial intelligence to tap into growth opportunities, employee engagement and company culture, and other business best practices. 

Sponsored by Cosentino, the Charlotte Fabricator Forum also includes two fabricator shop tours, including The Art of Stone, for a mock OSHA inspection designed to identify common oversights and maintain compliance, and Harkey Tile & Stone, a family-owned company serving the area for more than 80 years.

ISFA Fabricator Forums are open to all fabricators. Registration includes all programming and meals listed on the agenda. Space is limited, so those interested in attending are encouraged to reserve their spot as soon as possible.

SEE THE FULL AGENDA & REGISTER

ISFA Goes To Washington (State) To Provide Solid Surface Fabrication Training

February 8, 2024—ISFA Solid Surface Fabrication Trainer Aaron Davis was on location in Issaquah, Washington, this week. Aaron trained a facilities maintenance crew responsible for maintaining 51 libraries across King County Washington.

“The training was really good. We enjoyed the instructor,” said Howard Summers, facilities maintenance supervisor for the King County Library System. “Aaron did a great job, and he was very thorough. It was a very well-rounded training for those with no experience and those with previous experience.”

240206 ISFA SS Training King County Library 2

The King County Library system is a publicly funded entity, and the facilities maintenance crew that attended this solid surface fabrication training is responsible for servicing and maintaining the countertops and sinks in all the public and staff areas. They’re also considering replacing existing laminate countertops in the libraries’ computer labs with solid surface.

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California's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board Votes To Adopt Additional Silica Safety Requirements

An Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) was unanimously approved by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards board on Thursday, December 14. The standard will go into effect on December 29 pending a final review by state officials. 

The new ETS requires that all fabrication of artificial materials containing more than .1% silica or natural stone materials containing more than 10% crystalline silica by weight be done using wet cutting methods. In addition, fabricators will be required to full-face respirators.

LEARN MORE

The vote comes on the heels of an engineered stone ban in Australia. Authorities there unanimously agreed to impose a national ban on the material beginning July 1, 2024. The motion is in reaction to a surge of silicosis cases among workers, especially fabricators of countertops and similar applications.

READ MORE ABOUT THE BAN IN AUSTRALIA

Technistone, A Subsidiary of Wilsonart, Vows To Stop Doing Business with Noncompliant Fabricators

According to KBB Review, Czech-based quartz manufacturer Technistone will stop supplying materials to fabricators who dry cut slabs, in the wake of ongoing controversy about the safety of engineered stone. The company, a subsidiary of Wilsonart, said that its new policy reaffirms its commitment to the safety of its workers and the wider industry as a whole.

Despite countries such as Australia banning the product outright, companies and organizations still stress that the material is safe and responsible to use so long as safety protocols are observed.

Following the Australian government’s decision, Caesarstone released a business update stating, “the products are safe to fabricate under safe working practices.”

Technistone has said that going forward, it will not supply its materials to those who don’t cut engineered stone slabs using wet cutting techniques. It added that this decision is in line with its commitment to safety standards within the industry. 


ISFA Fabricator Profile:
Tower Industries

Founded by father-and-son team Bob and Todd Werstler in 1995, Tower Industries is known nationally as a manufacturer of solid surface shower and restroom products.

Located in Massillon, Ohio, about an hour south of Cleveland, the company expanded to include a stone fabrication division, Tower Countertops — now one of Ohio’s leading custom surface fabrication and installation providers. As a family-owned and operated company, the Tower team takes pride in delivering premium surfaces built from quality materials supported by reliable customer service.

Tower Industries Meridian Panel CastingHumble Beginnings
Todd looks back at how it all started. His father, Bob, got his start in the plumbing trade, eventually owning a plumbing business and then a hardware store. Later in his career, he worked as a sales representative for a cultured marble company. Meanwhile, Todd went off to college to pursue a degree in business. It was then he discovered a passion for economics. After college, Todd worked for a transportation company, where he gained valuable cross-functional experience and a prowess for management. But the entrepreneurial spirit was alive and well in the Werstlers.

“I wanted to work for myself,” said Todd. “I wanted to create something unique — find a niche in the marketplace.” With a deep understanding of cast polymer products, Bob’s idea was to delve into solid surface. “In the ’90s, solid surface was seeing extraordinary growth in popularity,” Todd recalled. “So we huddled together and carved out an opportunity.”

READ THE FULL PROFILE

The New Issue of Countertops & Architectural Surfaces Inspires Fabricators to Embrace Change, a Catalyst for Innovation

Over the years, the countertop has gone through a remarkable evolution, transcending beyond its utilitarian roots to become a centerpiece of expression in homes and public spaces. Gone are the days when countertops were mere functional surfaces; today, they serve as focal points that seamlessly blend style with substance. Change not as a threat but as a powerful force propelling us toward new horizons.

Countertops & Architectural Surfaces Magazine Q1 2024 Cover

In this issue of Countertops & Architectural Surfaces, we cover:

  • A Fabricator’s Guide for Annual Planning, including a month-to-month tool that forecasts your sales and helps you think through what staff changes you need to make as your sales change.
  • Safety First: Growing concerns about respirable crystalline silica dust in fabrication shops spur additional regulations. Learn what you can do to put safety first in your shop.
  • Stone Fabrication in the Age of the Great Retirement: Baby Boomers are calling it a career in record numbers. Over the next decade, there will be some 3.4 million open positions in manufacturing and fabrication but only 1.3 million workers to fill those spots. Learn what you can do to help offset ongoing labor shortages.
  • The Integration of smart features, like embedded wireless charging stations and touch-sensitive faucets, transform countertops into interactive hubs within the modern home.
  • Thirteen material manufacturers creating impressive designsincluding quartz, sintered stone and porcelain, offering durability, versatility and a spectrum of design possibilities.
  • ISFA Fabricator Profile: Tower Industries, a manufacturer and fabricator in Ohio that embraced solid surface in the 90s and continues to find terrific success with the material today.  

Because, in fact, the only constant is change, and when you apply a forward-thinking mindset, it’s an opportunity for growth.

READ THE MAGAZINE