Infinity Shades of Gray There’S No Black & White in Color Trends Or
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VOLUME 10 / ISSUE 4 • QUARTER 4, 2017 • SINGLE ISSUE $14.95 INTERNATIONAL SURFACE FABRICATORS ASSOCIATION Sink Spotlight Page 21 The Power of Listening to Make Sales Page 26 Fabricator Profile: NSMotif Page 28 OSHA’s Focus on Safety in Hard Surface Fabrication Shops Page 32 Infinity Shades of Gray There’s no black & white in color trends or management variations Page 36 Circle RS#01 on the Reader Service Page or go to www.isfanow.org/info. ISFA Member since 2010 Circle RS#02 on the Reader Service Page or visit www.isfanow.org/info. CREDITS Letters to the Editor Photography Countertops & Architectural Surfaces welcomes Letters to the Editor. Photos in this publication may not depict proper safety procedures for If you have questions about the magazine, or would like to make a creative purposes. ISFA and Countertops & Architectural Surfaces comment, or voice an opinion about the magazine, ISFA, or the industry in supports the use of proper safety procedures in all cases and urge general, please feel free to write to us. readers to take steps to institute such procedures. Please send letters to [email protected] or to Letters, ISFA, PO Box Photography/graphics provided by: NSMotif, OSHA and Spectrum 627, Ingomar, PA 15127, attention: Editor. Include a telephone number Quartz/Hirsch Glass Co. and address (preferably an email address). Letters may be edited for clarity or space. Because of the high volume of mail we receive, we Magazine Credits cannot respond to all letters. Send queries about Countertops & Architectural Surfaces to [email protected] or mail to ISFA, PO Box Publisher & Editor: Kevin Cole 627, Ingomar, PA 15127, attention: Editor. Proofreader: Nancy Mueller-Truax Design: V2 Marketing Communications Contacting ISFA ISFA Officers of the Board Phone: (412) 487-3207 Ryan Miller, President [email protected] Adam Albee, Immediate Past President www.isfanow.org Kate Dillenburg, Vice President Mike Langenderfer, Treasurer About This Magazine Kelley Montana, Secretary Countertops & Architectural Surfaces (2372-983X) is published quarterly by the International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA), with a fifth ISFA Directors “Buyers Guide” issue publishing in September. Individual copies of Mike Woods, Director Countertops & Architectural Surfaces are available at the nonmember Augie Chavez, Director “newsstand” price of $14.95. Countertops & Architectural Surfaces is Amy Miller, Director also available by individual subscription at the following rates: ISFA Matt Kraft, Director nonmembers, one year (five issues) $30.00; ISFA members, one year John Hansen, Associate Member Representative free with every membership renewal. Jessica McNaughton, Associate Member Representative Special rates and charges apply for orders outside of the United States. Call for details. To subscribe, call (412) 487-3207. Printed in the United ISFA Staff States of America. Copyright © International Surface Fabricators Amy Miller, Executive Director Association 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be Kevin Cole, Communications Director and reprinted or otherwise reproduced without the publisher’s written Magazine/Website Publisher & Editor permission. Countertops & Architectural Surfaces and The International Carol Wilhite, Operations Manager Surface Fabricators Association assumes no responsibility for unsolicited Paul Wisnefski, Account Representative manuscripts or photographs. Chad Thomas, Account Representative Amy Kyriazis, Program Manager Materials will be returned only if accompanied by a stamped, self- Chris Pappenfort, Trainer addressed envelope. For change of address, please include old label with new information, including both old and new zip codes. Allow 3-6 weeks for address change to take effect. Periodicals postage rate is paid at the Cover Photo Ingomar, Pa., post office as well as others. Opinions expressed by writers This kitchen has more traditional decor, except a modern full waterfall in this magazine are not necessarily the opinions of Countertops & countertop made from Spectrum Quartz in the color of Poise Dark, Architectural Surfaces or the International Surface Fabricators which uses a proprietary manufacturing process to produce this Association, but rather those of the individual writers. “grayish” color. Gray is becoming more popular in the kitchen, and you can read more about it on Page 36. Postmaster: Send address change to Countertops & Architectural Surfaces magazine, PO Box 627, Ingomar, PA 15127. 4 • Vol. 10 / Issue 4 • International Surface Fabricators Association Circle RS#03 on the Reader Service Page or visit www.isfanow.org/info. CONTENTS Features 21 Sink Spotlight A look at the latest sink offerings 26 The Power of Listening to Make Sales Picking the cues out of conversations to help close the deal 28 Fabricator Profile: NSMotif How this company leverages learning and technology to improve its success 21 32 OSHA’s Focus on Safety in Hard Surface Fabrication Shops A look at the top 10 most frequent OSHA violations in 2017 36 Infinity Shades of Gray Gray’s role in color trends as well as management variations Departments 8 From the Editor 26 12 From the Executive Director 14 Calendar of Events 16 Education Connection 18 Industry News 39 ISFA Fabricator Directory 43 ISFA News 46 Product News 49 Reader Service Form 50 Classifieds/Ad Index 28 32 Check us out on social media for more regular information: 36 Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CASMagazine/. Follow us on Twitter as @ISFA. 6 • Vol. 10 / Issue 4 • International Surface Fabricators Association ADVERTORIAL Circle RS#04 on the Reader Service Page or visit www.isfanow.org/info. From the Editor From the desk of Kevin Cole, Editor & Publisher, and ISFA Communications Director Thanks for the Memories When I first got involved in the countertop Looking back, things have changed much application. At the same time the products have industry, it was as the editor of the bi-monthly in the years since being introduced into the all been refined. Laminate is now more resilient SolidSurface Magazine (SSM), which was world of countertops and premium surfacing. than ever and offers numerous options. Solid created by the same people that founded what A fascinating path has unfolded since I took surface is available in more colors and patterns was then known as the International Solid a countertop fabrication class, made my first than anyone could even think to name. There Surface Fabricators Association (ISSFA), Mike shop visit or attended my first trade show. are germ-killing surfaces. There are beautiful and Joanna Duggan. While Joanna remained When I began my career in the industry, solid exotic granites that are more durable because the publisher of the magazine and Mike still surface was on a major upswing and quartz of improved processing technology and the wrote a regular column, it had been purchased surfacing was beginning to really find its way advancements in sealers. Quartz surface went by a large magazine, trade show and website into the American market. Also, though, there from a “new” product to one of the fastest company. And to be honest, I didn’t have any was a sort of schism between fabricators growing product categories. idea about much when it came to countertops that worked with solid surface and those that However, when the housing market took a dive or solid surface. Little did I know that surfacing worked with stone. And while I certainly can’t in the latter half of the 2000s, our mettle as an would become one of the most central parts of take credit for the “two sides” coming together, industry was tested. I have to say that while my life and my career for most of my adult life. I like to think I may have helped to bridge the it was unpleasant for all, it showed us where The decision to take that job has affected me in divide in some small way. many profound and positive ways. our foundations needed fortified, toughened In my role as editor of SSM, it became us and also pulled us together. It was at that I’ve always hoped my work has a positive effect apparent that the lines between solid surface time I was recruited by ISSFA to help make on the industry in return, and was humbled fabricators and traditional stone fabricators the transition to ISFA, an association that to find out I was selected by the members of were starting to blur. Solid surface fabricators embraced all fabricators in an effort to improve were embracing quartz surfaces even though ISFA to be inducted into the ISFA Hall of Fame their businesses and the industry as a whole. at the ISFA Annual Meeting & Conference they had to tool up in a big way to be able to in November for my contributions. There is work with the product. It was just a short jump There’s no doubt I’ve seen the industry at some nothing like the feeling receiving such an honor from being able to fabricate quartz surfaces of its highest highs and lowest lows, but since as this. I can’t express my thanks enough for to being able to work with stone, as far as I first became a part of this diverse collective, your generosity, and am truly blessed to have equipment and processes go, and my peers I have developed as a writer and editor; my had the opportunity to work with so many great and I recognized the need to help educate knowledge of the surfacing trade has come a people over the years. Just to be nominated those wanting to work with this emerging long way; and more importantly, I have grown was humbling. I can say unequivocally the material. The more traditional stone fabricators as a person thanks to all of you. (don’t use friendships, lessons and personal growth that also were realizing how this gap-jumping ‘you all’ since that sounds so Southern) I am have been afforded me through my association product was affecting the market, and so the so grateful you offered me an opportunity to with the amazing people in this industry have move was made to broaden the publication better myself and to contribute to this dynamic, been their own reward.