Cosentino Opens Washington-area Center
STERLING, Va. — The eighth Cosentino Center in North America held its grand opening here on May 17.
More than 320 building and design industry leaders and top Cosentino executives attended the reception for the facility to service the Washington area. Designed by Isabel Martinez-Cosentino, the center aims to enhance both the trade and consumer experience and continue Cosentino’s mission to expand its presence in the U.S. market during the next year.
Click photo to enlargeThe program included remarks from Eduardo Cosentino, CEO of Cosentino North America, and Otis Mehlberg, general manager for center. A flamenco performance entertained attendees, while others participated in an interactive game, where they visited five stops throughout the facility to learn about Cosentino’s vast product offerings and earn a prize.
The Washington Cosentino Center, located only a few miles north of Dulles International Airport, includes 25,000 ft² of warehouse and distribution space, and a 5,000 ft² state-of-the-art showroom.
“The Washington center is a fantastic addition to our nationwide group of showrooms,” said Lorenzo Marquez, Cosentino vice preseident of marketing. “As a company we felt it was critical to have a foundation in the Washington, D.C. area – easily accessible to the nation’s capital. We’re confident our showroom experience, design innovation and demonstrations will certainly add to the resources for local architects, designers and consumers in this market.”
The Cosentino Center is designed to support, promote, and educate trade professionals by integrating distribution facilities, exhibition areas, and workspaces for designers to bring clients, classrooms for continuing education and fully functioning kitchens and event space for demonstrations. 
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The centers create an interactive environment for architects, designers, distributors and fabricators to view the latest products and design trends, attend educational workshops, hear from visiting expert speakers and receive training on new product innovations and installation techniques.
To meet increasing demand for its products, Cosentino opened its first Center in Anaheim, Calif., in 2010 and quickly followed with showrooms in Phoenix, San Francisco, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Orlando, San Diego and Charlotte. Eight more centers are planned for a 2012 opening, including Cincinnati, San Francisco, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Denver, Portland, Ore., and Austin, Texas.
“As Cosentino’s presence continues to grow in North America, it’s imperative to provide the resources and support that architects and designers need to grow their businesses and be successful,” Marquez said. “That goal is the guiding vision behind the Cosentino Center concept.”
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