According to the association, the Mineral Surfaces category includes sintered stone, ultra-compact and porcelain materials.
Ingomar, Pa. – June 15, 2023 – The International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA) has announced a Mineral Surfaces training event scheduled for September 13-14, 2023, in Massillon, Ohio. Hosted by Tower Industries and sponsored by Daltile, the course is designed to arm fabricators with the knowledge and skills they need to embrace these materials to meet growing customer demand. According to the Freedonia Group, porcelain is rapidly rising in status as consumers seek alternatives to quartz and granite. It is expected to be the fastest-growing countertop material in the United States through 2026.
The hands-on, two-day training will be held at Tower Countertops. It will provide attendees with the skills and knowledge in all facets of the fabrication process, including material handling and inspection, cutting techniques (feed rate, blade recommendations, tension release cuts), sink cutouts, miters, overhangs, seaming, polishing and finishing, installation, and chip and scratch repair techniques.
Raul Amat, the national manager of Panoramic Porcelain Surfaces for Daltile North America, will conduct the training. With over 20 years of experience in sales, training and development of large teams, Raul has helped several companies within the natural stone, countertop and flooring markets by leading their teams and expansion plans in the United States and Canada. Raul will be assisted by Rey Matos, the technical support and fabrication specialist for Daltile North America.
In addition, this training event includes a moderated Shop Safety Best Practices discussion with safety experts from Sheakley, a family-owned firm dedicated to practical and innovative risk management and safety solutions that can enhance business while helping to manage costs and maintain compliance.
Registration fees cover coursework, lunches and an evening excursion to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with dinner provided. The cost is $249 per person for ISFA members and $349 per person for nonmembers.
Participants who complete the Mineral Surfaces Training with a satisfactory result will receive a certificate recognizing that they are an ISFA Certified Professional. After the course is completed, students have exclusive access to the ISFA Member Exclusive Portal, where they can access:
- Fabrication training information and guidelines
- Technical resources
- Material specifications
- ISFA standards for solid surface and quartz materials
- All ISFA events, programming and member benefits
“Fabricators — specifically solid surface fabricators — founded our association to provide educational and growth opportunities for professionals within the decorative surfaces industry,” said Nancy Busch, executive director of ISFA. “Today, the association supports fabricators of all kinds of manufactured materials, including quartz, sintered stone, porcelain and more. ISFA is dedicated to delivering the tools and resources fabricators need to keep up with current trends and material innovations across the industry. In this challenging labor market, our training programs are a great way to train new hires, get familiarized with new materials, and gain valuable insights that lead to safe and successful operations.”
Aside from the Mineral Surfaces Training program, ISFA offers Solid Surface Fabrication Training events throughout the year. The next Solid Surface Training sessions are scheduled for August 8-9 in San Antonio, Texas, and October 24-25 in Chicago. In addition, ISFA offers a Solid Surface Training option that is conducted onsite at the registrant’s shop. This is ideal for fabrication shops, facility management and maintenance companies, and other technical trade businesses with several staff members who need training and would benefit from having it in their own space. Onsite training includes the same fabrication coursework as the regularly scheduled events. For more information about onsite training, contact [email protected]. For more information about the International Surface Fabricators Association and all its training programs, visit www.ISFAnow.org.
About IFSA
The International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA) is globally recognized as a premier trade organization serving the manufactured surface industry. ISFA exists to help fabricators and other industry professionals increase product quality, improve safety measures, encourage professionalism and elevate profitability by facilitating education, standards and camaraderie. ISFA values innovation, dependability, trust, honesty, ethics and serving others above all else. Learn more at www.ISFAnow.org.
