A Unified Voice for Our Trade, Thank You!

To our industry,

I want to take a moment to recognize something important that just happened and why it matters to every worker in every countertop and surface manufacturing business in this country. On Tuesday, leaders from across our industry showed up at the U.S. International Trade Commission remedy hearing in Washington DC as non-party witnesses. They didn’t come representing one product or one agenda. They showed up on behalf of the trade of fabrication and the business of countertop and surface manufacturing.

That matters. Together, these industry leaders asked the Commission for one simple but critical thing: When you make a recommendation to the President, consider the impact on the businesses that actually fabricate, cut, finish, and install these products.

Why This Hearing Was Different

You’ve been hearing a lot about tariffs lately. Tariffs are typically aimed at specific countries tied to unfair trade practices; they’re essentially a tax on imports. A safeguard is different. A safeguard is a temporary action under federal law that can apply to imports from multiple countries, not just one. It can include tariffs, quotas, or both, and it’s triggered when rising imports are found to seriously harm a domestic industry. The intent matters here. Safeguards aren’t meant to punish, they’re meant to create breathing room. The goal is to give the industry time to adjust, stabilize, and recover. Bottom line: a tariff is a tax. A safeguard is a short-term tool to help an industry get back on its feet.

But here’s the issue we brought forward: The “industry” being discussed does not stop at slab manufacturing. It includes the thousands of small and mid-sized businesses across the country that turn those materials into finished products for homes and projects. If a safeguard is applied without recognizing the full supply chain, it doesn’t just protect, it can disrupt, restrict access, and increase costs in ways that directly impact your shops, your employees, and your customers.On behalf of the trade, it was made clear:

• Any remedy must consider the full countertop and surface manufacturing community
• Actions taken should not unintentionally limit access to materials needed to meet demand
• And if safeguards are implemented, there must be investment back into our side of the industry
• We specifically called for consideration of support that helps our businesses:
• Invest in workforce development and training
• Strengthen shop-level safety and operations
• Build long-term sustainability and compliance

If this is about stabilizing an industry, then it has to include the businesses doing the work every day. This was a defining moment for our industry. This was bigger than a hearing.

This was a moment where our industry showed up unified. Different companies. Different regions. Different perspectives. One message.

This is exactly what we’ve been working toward at International Surface Fabricators Association:

Bringing the industry together to drive real, meaningful change. Not divided by product. Not divided by business model. But aligned around the future of the trade.

To those who stepped up, traveled, and spoke, thank you. To those that supported either side of this, thank you, your efforts matter too. You represented this industry with clarity, professionalism, and purpose.

Participating Companies & Representatives:

American Countertop Manufacturing Council, Representative Austin Maxwell from Maxwell Counters

Stone Fabricators Alliance, Executive Director, Tim Zeng from Zeng Countertops and Surfaces

The Artisan Group, Representative Bill Millar from Stonecrafters New Jersey

The Countertop Factory Companies, Geoffrey Gran

McDermott Top Shop, Travis McDermott

GMD Surfaces, Omar Chahin

FloForm Countertops, Ted Sherritt

California Surfaces, Peter Dominguez  

Your voice made a difference. And it set the tone for what this industry can be when we stand together. We will continue to keep you updated as the Commission moves toward its recommendation to the President. This work is far from over but we are moving forward, together.

Be Seen. Be Heard. Be Part of the Trade.

Best,

Laurie Weber
CEO