ISFA Offers New Fabricator Meets in 2024

INGOMAR, Pa. – The International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA) is revamping its regional events – formerly known as Industry Roundtables – with two-day regional events this year.

The first ISFA Fabricator Forum will be held April 10-11 in Charlotte, N.C., and will include expert-ed presentations, peer discussions and facility tours.

Topics to be covered include silica safety, fabrication techniques and tooling for porcelain and other sintered materials, as well as using artificial intelligence to tap into growth opportunities, employee engagement and other business best practices.

Sponsored by Cosentino, the Charlotte Fabricator Forum kicks off at the company’s showroom. Attendees will tour the facility, designed to support, promote, and educate trade professionals by combining exhibition areas, workspaces and classrooms for continuing education.

The first day’s presentations will be:

Silica Safety: Know Your OSHA Rights by Joe Sine, a partner at the Cohen Seglias law firm. He will offer an overview of the industry’s most-significant occupational hazard, and will cover the latest OSHA regulations that safeguard workers’ health so that attendees understand the dangers of respirable crystalline silica, the mandates that might mitigate exposure, and what must be done to be compliant and protect businesses from liability.

Tooling Best Practices for Porcelain and Dekton presented by BBI Industries CEO Rick Stimac and Vice President of Sales and Marketing Jeff Dykstra. The two will cover which blades, adhesives and other tools are ideal for fabricating these kinds of materials and present tips and tricks to improve production processes.

• Taking Your Business from the Stone Age to the Information Age: How to Leverage Artificial Intelligence with Tom Saddoris of Grand Onyx. Saddoris will cover innovative strategies that harness the power of cutting-edge technology, including the implementation of chatbots, recommendation engines and personalized marketing to create customer experiences and drive sales. Real-world case studies will showcase how AI can automate routine tasks, optimize processes and minimize costs..

• Empowering Your People to Become Problem Solvers with Eric Tryon, who will focus on fostering sustainability in a business by empowering and motivating employees to become engaged leaders who further the organization’s success. With more than three decades as an entrepreneur and business owner, Tryon is a mentor and consultant.

The second day’s activities will take place at two fabrication shops. The first stop will be at The Art of Stone, where a mock OSHA inspection will take place, designed to identify common oversights, and maintain compliance. The second tour will take place at Harkey Tile & Stone, a family-owned company serving the area for more than 80 years.

ISFA Executive Director Marissa Bankert says the new programs are based on feedback from members and the organization’s board of directors.