MIA Accredits First Canadian Company

CLEVELAND –  FLOFORM Countertops of Winnipeg is the first Canadian company to earn the Accredited Natural Stone Fabricator designation of the Marble Institute of America.

MIA Accreditation for natural stone fabricators and commercial contractors recognizes those companies that meet high standards for business activities, product knowledge, fabrication and installation.

“The Accreditation Commission made the decision to open the program to Canadian companies 2 years ago and we are very pleased to announce our first fully accredited company in Canada,” said Gary Distelhorst, executive vice president of the Marble Institute of America. “This is a milestone event for both our association and the industry as a whole.”

“Our great employees strive every day to be the best in the industry with respect to customer service, product offering, safety, innovation, and this process is a strong indication that their hard work and dedication has not gone unnoticed,” said Ted Sherritt, FLOFORM president and CEO. “We are also very proud to have completed this process as it is one of the cornerstones of being a member of the Artisan Group.”  

The route to becoming accredited consists of three equally-weighted phases. Phase one requires the completion of a lengthy application which ensures that the company is in compliance with the ten standards of accreditation as laid out by the MIA Accreditation Task Force.

The second phase consists of a two hundred question examination, testing the applicant’s knowledge and use of materials, installation, fabrication, restoration, care and maintenance, administration, legal/contracts, jobsite and shop safety. The final phase is a comprehensive site visit, which includes a review of the facility, documents, and one or more installation inspections.

“The MIA accreditation process is a way that we have voluntarily allowed ourselves to be regulated and give ourselves credibility,” said John Eustace, the qualifying agent for FLOFORM. “Of course, being the first Canadian company gives us a ‘one up’ on all our competitors.”

“Since launching the Accreditation Program in 2007, we have accredited over 50 companies in the stone industry and over 100 are currently going through the process of becoming accredited,” Distelhorst added. “We congratulate FloForm on this achievement.”

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