StoneDimensions

Each month, the MIA profiles an employee from one of our member companies. This month, we welcome Evan Kruger of SolidTops in Easton, MD to the Cutting Edge profile page.

Q: What is your role at SolidTops?

A: President and CEO

Q: How long have you been with SolidTops?

A: Since writing the name SolidTops on a napkin 16 years ago.

Q: Have you always had the same position or have you held different roles at SolidTops?

A: Originally, SolidTops was a one man shop. At that point, I held all the roles!

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This year is flying by and we have now moved in to the second quarter of the year. Recently I attended the Coverings trade show in Orlando. I am happy to report that the general feeling among exhibitors and attendees that I spoke with was cautious optimism. This optimism also was seen in the MIA booth; we had high traffic and the addition of new members continues at a higher rate than the previous year.

The trade show floor appeared to have a higher level of exhibitors than in the past few years.

As a part of the education program at Coverings, my son, Jeremy, and I, participated in a forum centered on running a business with multiple generations. Also included on the panel was another father and son business team, Nick and Nicolas Powers from Metro Stone Works.

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The Marble Institute of America (MIA) announced the winners of the 2011 Pinnacle Awards competition during its annual Awards Luncheon, held during StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2012. This year, the MIA presented the 4th annual Grande Pinnacle Award, sponsored by Marmomacc. The Pinnacle Awards recognize excellence in commercial, residential, sustainability and restoration of natural stone projects worldwide. Projects selected as winners must demonstrate exceptional beauty, creativity, ingenuity, and craftsmanship.

The 2011 Grande Pinnacle Award winner is:

Britishstoneworks of Lakewood, OH for their amazing restoration of the Spirit of the Ocean Fountain in Santa Barbara, CA, which sits outside the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, a National Historic Landmark. The original Spirit of the Ocean Fountain, first created in 1927, decayed and fell apart over decades, due to natural deterioration and human neglect. In order to recreate the sculpture to its original condition, five blocks of Santa Barbara Sandstone were cut from boulders in a nearby location. The stone was crained onto the lawn of the courthouse, and a 40 x 40 foot carving studio was set up, opening the project to public viewing for the project’s seven month duration. This encouraged and inspired questions and comments from the public. The artisans from Britishstoneworks, MIA member Hunt Studios, and other project team members used old photos and a Styrofoam replica of the original fountain for guidance. Using chisels with tips custom shaped to match the original chisels used, the artists’ goal was to get as close to the original fountain as possible, without losing a single detail. To say they accomplished their goal would be an understatement. Their dedication to the craft and professionalism in replicating the original sculpture allowed Britishstonworks to be rewarded with the greatest honor in the natural stone industry. Congratulations!

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Unexpected events, which impact the operations of a business, can happen at any time. In these trying economic times where cash reserves and margins are tighter than ever, one unexpected financial event can result in a small business shutting its doors. As a business owner, it is imperative that you take steps to minimize the impact that these unexpected events will have on the long-term viability of your operations. You cannot eliminate the risks associated with these events completely; however, you can minimize the impact that these events can have by having proper business insurance in place. It is recommended that all businesses review their business insurance (at least on an annual basis) to ensure that the coverage in place continues to be adequate to protect the business and its on-going operations. Often times, businesses grow quickly or develop new product or service lines, and if the insurance needs of the business are not periodically updated to keep up with these changes, the results can be devastating.

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If, in your wildest dreams, you were hoping for a rapid recovery in the housing market, forget it. A group of economists at a recent webinar on housing and the economy sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders say it’s not going to happen that way.

Instead, the experts say, that the recovery in the most downtrodden sector of the economy will be uneven and will move slowly and gradually upward in 2012.

David Crowe, chief economist for NAHB, said that while the latest monthly data have shown signs of a slight softening, this is more reflective of typical month-to-month volatility in the numbers and the unusual seasonal factors than they are an indication of any significant downward trend in the broader housing market.

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Q: I’m looking at a spec that references ASTM C482, Test Method for Ceramic Tile Shear, although in this case it’s being used for stone, not ceramic. Why do they test it in shear? Wouldn’t we be more worried about tension? The tiles aren’t going to slide off the floor, are they?

A: ASTM C482, Standard Test Method for Bond Strength of Ceramic Tile to Portland Cement Paste, is specified frequently for applications that are not ceramic tile. Perhaps the primary reason for this is the fact that it is really the only published shear bond test that currently exists for tile applications. The test is actually somewhat limited, in that it is only a laboratory test, and can be performed only on specimens specifically prepared for the laboratory.

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Marble Institute of America, the authoritative source for natural stone standards and education, and studiomarmo, the renowned Italian expert on natural stone graphic and web design, have announced the much anticipated release of iStone, a natural stone swatch application for the iPad that is available in the Apple App Store.

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The first-ever How to Succeed in a Family Business session was facilitated by MIA past president Scott Lardner (Rocky Mountain Stone) at Coverings 2012. The panel discussion included Mike and Jeremy Twiss (Columbia Stone) and Nick and Nicholas Powers (Metro Stone Works). A dynamic Q&A session with the audience occurred and all in attendance seemed extremely engaged. The panel continued to  field questions long after the session had ended (see picture). With over 75 people in attendance, we look forward to a second session in 2013.