Cultivating Success through the Forecasting of Kitchen & Bath Trends

We have all heard the success stories of entrepreneurs who have built successful businesses based on their ability to predict what customers will want in the future before the competition catches on to it. We recently ran a Fabricator Profile on DeSavino& Sons, which was built not only the founder's hard work but on his and his sons' ability to predict the rise of solid surface in the 1980s and the popularity of natural stone in the early 2000s.
  
We all know that investment firms often rely on individuals with a keen understanding of financial markets and a knack for predicting how stocks, indices and securities will move, but this extends to all other businesses as well, including countertop fabrication. There are plenty of resources put out by industry experts and researchers that can assist you in making industry predictions. 
Three resources about trends that affect countertop fabricators immediately come to mind. The first of these is the annual Industry Outlook conducted by ISFA and published in the most recent issue of Countertops & Architectural Surfaces magazine. The 2014 Outlook examines the general economy as well as a variety of specific industries related to the countertop market and predicts a pretty solid year. It also predicts continued growth in the natural stone, quartz surfacing, cast polymer and exotic materials sectors through 2017. 

Two other resources recently became available at the start of the 2014 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) hosted by the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). Both of these articles were developed after the NKBA analyzed the data from its Design Trends Survey.   The first of these focuses on kitchen trends from a design standpoint. Based on findings from the survey, NKBA predicts that the prevalent kitchen design in the U.S. is shifting towards the contemporary style, but it is not quite there yet. The contemporary style is forecast to be the fastest-growing design style in 2014. Consumers are looking for modern amenities, such as mobile docking stations that could be incorporated into countertops. In addition, glass seems to be growing in popularity for more than simply backsplashes. Other countertop materials that are expected to sell well in 2014 are engineered stone and recycled materials.  

The second resource from NKBA is a press release concerning bathroom trends. According to this, the contemporary style has already taken over the bathroom segment. Consumers are now looking for spa bathrooms and bathrooms that resemble something like Zen retreats with beige or bone color schemes. In addition, quartz vanity tops are highly in demand.  

While these resources can be invaluable in planning your business for the future, one important resource is available to all fabricators and installers that should never go unused: your own customers. Don't be afraid to ask your customers a few simple questions to determine what they are looking for and what they are expecting to need in the near future. In addition, you should be keeping data on all of your current sales so that you can determine the trends in your specific region and for your specific customers. This may lead to making a change in how you operate and what products you offer that could prevent your potential customers from going with your competitors. 

If you have any other ideas on how to accurately predict trends in the countertop industry, we would like to hear from you. Drop us a line at info@countertopresource.com to let us know what is working for you and your business.

Deadline for Submitting Comments to OSHA on Silica Regulation Proposals Moved to April 1

If you are working with granite (or other natural stones) or quartz surfacing (or other engineered stones), you've probably heard about the proposed changes OSHA has put forth regarding silica. Basically, for the countertop industry, they want to halve the amount of silica exposure permissible. The countertop industry already has one of the lowest permissible levels, while other industries have regulations that allow more than double the amount of exposure. So, some businesses and organizations are up in arms over the changes.

While the proposed changes will level the playing field, putting all companies in all industries at the same permitted exposure level, it is hard to say exactly how much it will cost. And, there are a bunch of regulations that go along with it for testing, and education and regular medical examinations, etc. that will further increase the price.

Here is a link to some great information about the OSHA silica proposal. I would urge you to get informed.

Of course, some will say a safe fabricator is a happy one and silicosis is a horrible affliction, and that's okay too. But time to weigh in with an opinion is running out. The debate on the proposal opens on March 18 with the deadline extended to April 1, 2014, and you can find more info at http://www.regulations.gov. Also, post-debate comments may be made up to 45 days after the deadline, so there is plenty of opportunity to get your voice heard on the matter.

Quartz Surfacing Providers - A List of Quartz Surfacing Products and Companies

With more and more companies getting involved in the manufacture and exclusive distribution of quartz surfacing and engineered stone products, it is starting to become difficult to remember what quartz surfacing company makes or supplies what quartz surfacing product. Silestone, Caesarstone, Radianz, Zodiaq, Viatera, Vicostone, and the list goes on and on...

Just like we did a couple of months ago with our list of solid surface companies, we have compiled a list of companies that are manufacturing or exclusively supplying quartz surfacing products.

Our list of quartz surfacing/engineered stone companies shows the name of the manufacturer/supplier and the name of the quartz/engineered stone product they supply!

While the list is certainly not exhaustive (there are tons of foreign companies that are beginning to make and sell quartz slab goods), these are definitely the more common or creative companies and their brand of quartz surfacing.

And the list is growing all the time. If you notice one we missed, drop us a line and let us know. We hope we will have the most complete and up-to-date list when all is said and done...

Countertop Trivets, Trivets, Trivets!

If you've been in the countertop industry for any amount of time, I'm sure you've heard (or witnessed) plenty of horror stories about people mistreating their countertops. No countertop material is indestructible.

No Countertop Material Is Indistructible (just wanted to make sure you read that.) And if your customers don't understand that, then you are not setting the proper expectations.

I've heard stories about numerous ways countertops have been damaged: people walking or climbing on them, hammer "accidents," cuts, scratches, chips, burns, stains, and in one case a guy dropped a bowling ball on his countertop to show his friends and neighbors just how durable his countertop was (it turned out it wasn't that durable).

Other than cuts and scratches, typically in laminate, solid surface, wood or metal countertops (please use cutting boards!), burns or scorches are one of the most common ways people damage their kitchen work surfaces. Why can't people just use trivets?

Trivets, trivets, trivets!

Laminate and solid surface are particularly susceptible to burns/scorches, and the resin binder in quartz surfacing/engineered stone will also not withstand too high of a temperature. Even natural stone could be damaged by too much heat exposure.

Of course, granite can withstand a lot of heat, but that does not mean that a very hot pan cannot damage a granite countertop. Granite does not expand and contract very easily, so when a very hot pan is placed on a granite surface, there is a small chance it will crack due to "shock." Also, some coatings or sealers used on granite countertops are susceptible to heat damage. It is simply not worth the risk when you can just use a simple trivet, even if the risk is minimal.

And today, trivets come in all shapes and sizes to fit any decor. In my own home, the fabricator who put in my countertops was kind enough to give me a trivet made from the sink cut-out in my top, so it matches my countertop perfectly!

But, for those wanting something more, check out this trivet pinterest board that shows a variety of options and styles available today - plenty to choose from.

All in all, a countertop is a large investment and something a customer should be able to live with for many years. Make sure you inform your customers how to avoid damaging their countertops. They will be happier and you will get less phone calls from irate homeowners who thought their new tops were beyond damage (and now, perhaps, beyond repair).

Countertop Businesses and Fabricators in Alaska

Alaska: The 49th state with its capital in Juneau, was first discovered by outsiders in 1741 and first settled by Russian whalers and fur traders on Kodiak Island in 1784. Of course, prior to that, it was home to Aleut, Eskimo and Indian groups. In 1867, Alaska was purchased by the United States from Russia for $7,200,000 (about 2 cents per acre) but did not officially become as state until Jan. 3, 1959. It is the largest U.S. state (more than twice the size of Texas), roughly 1/3 of the state lies in the Arctic Circle, it has the lowest population density in the nation and about 25 percent of the oil produced in the United States is from Alaska. While it only contains a little over 731,000 people (New York City has more than 11 times that population), Alaskans still need countertops, and there are plenty of places to supply them. You can find a list of countertop businesses in Alaska here!

There are still some inconsistencies to the list, but we are working to correct them and I just couldn't wait to share it.

This is a sneak peek at our second installment of our efforts to compile the most complete list of countertop fabricators in the United States from A to Z. Alabama countertop fabricators was the first, and we will be working on Arizona next and hope to give you a look at that list as soon as its available. And you will find it here first.

In coming weeks (and likely months), we will be compiling lists for all 50 states, and once we get them done, we will seek input from the industry to make sure everything is in order before we release the information to the public.

We think this is going to be very popular with the countertop community and very useful for those seeking new countertops.

Let us know what you think!

Solid Surface Manufacturers - A List of Solid Surface Products and Companies

So have you ever had a hard time remembering what solid surface company makes or supplies which solid surface brand or material? Maybe you are mixing up your Corians, Starons and your HI-MACS with your Avonites, Hanexes and your Livingstones...

With more and more manufacturers offering solid surface and trying to get into the North American market, it becomes more and more difficult to keep track of them all. Just how many companies are there selling solid surface sheets now-a-days?

Well, you don't have to worry about it any more. Here is a great list of solid surface companies, showing the name of the manufacturer/supplier and the name of the solid surface product they supply!

While the list is certainly not exhaustive (there are probably several hundred companies in China along that make and sell solid surface sheet goods), these are definitely the more common or creative companies and their brand of solid surface.

And the list is growing all the time. If you notice one we missed, drop us a line and let us know. We hope we will have the most complete and up-to-date list when all is said and done...

Deadline for Submitting your Silica Comments to OSHA Approaches

If you are working with granite (or other natural stones) or quartz surfacing (or other engineered stones), you've probably heard about the proposed changes OSHA has put forth regarding silica. Basically, for the countertop industry, they want to halve the amount of silica exposure permissible. The countertop industry already has one of the lowest permissible levels, while other industries have regulations that allow more than double the amount of exposure. So, some businesses and organizations are up in arms over the changes.

While the proposed changes will level the playing field, putting all companies in all industries at the same permitted exposure level, it is hard to say exactly how much it will cost. And, there are a bunch of regulations that go along with it for testing, and education and regular medical examinations, etc. that will further increase the price.

Here is a link to some great information about the OSHA silica proposal. I would urge you to get informed.

Of course, some will say a safe fabricator is a happy one and silicosis is a horrible affliction, and that's okay too. But time to weigh in with an opinion is running out. The deadline to submit written comments on the proposal is Jan. 27, 2014, and you can do so at http://www.regulations.gov.