Check out the latest issue of ISFA's Countertops & Architectural Surfaces magazine

Check out the Latest Countertops & Architectural Surfaces Buyers' Guide issue

TISE
Jan. 22-25
Las Vegas
Visit the ISFA Booth!

ISFA Solid Surface Fabrication Training
Feb. 5-7
San Antonio, Texas

ISFA Industry Roundtable Sponsored by Moraware and Neolith by Marva
Feb. 5-7
Raleigh, N.C.

KBIS &IBS
Feb. 19-21
Las Vegas, Nev.

ISFA
PO Box 627 Ingomar, PA 15127

Phone
(412) 487-3207

Email
info@isfanow.org

ISFA's primary purpose is to provide education and networking opportunities to the Surfacing industry. Our Industry Roundtable events are an excellent opportunity to take advantage of both benefits!  Join us in Raleigh, NC in February to receive education from industry professionals and engage in meaningful dialog with industry peers.  We'll also be touring the facilities of RockIn'teriors and Caragreen, a distributor of modern sustainable surfacing materials.  To learn more or to register CLICK HERE.

On  Nov. 20, the U.S. government announced another round of preliminary fees, these ones anti-dumping duties, to be placed on Chinese quartz imports. Dutiees weree set as follows (from lowest to highest): Suzhou Colorquartzstone New Matereial Co., Shanghai Meiyang Stone Co., and CQ International Ltd. will be set at 242.1 percent; Guangzhou Hercules Quartz Stone Co. will face 262.43 percent in fees; non-individually examined expereteers receiving separate rates will face 263.67 percent fees; and all others will face 314.10 percent fees. These fees may also be retroactive up to 90 days if they are "unliquidated." Final determination must be issueed by April 4. A Fact Sheet about the anti-dumping duties can be found here.
These are in addition to the preliminary countervailing duties set on Sept. 17 which will be 34.38 percent on most quartz products entering the United States from China and 178.45 percent on two particular companies – Fasa Industrial Corp. Ltd. and Foshan Hero Stone Co. Ltd. Final determination must be affirmed by January 19. A Fact Sheet about the countervailing duties can be found here.
Additionally, President Trump has placed tariffs on numerous Chinese goods as a separate action. These tariffs, which are compounded with the new Chinese quartz anti-dumping duties and the countervailing duties are also affecting some tile, stone and stoneworking equipment, in addition to quarz. The intial tariff was 10 percent. The tariff percentage is slated to rise to 25 percent on Jan. 1.
The anti-dumping and countervailing duty actions were taken in response to a petition filed by Cambria on April 18. A press release about the petition can be found here.
With the combination of all of these fees, Chinese Quartz imports will increase by 300 to more than 500 percent.
The U.S. International Trade Commission pegged Chinese quartz imports at more than 5.6 million sq. meters with a value of almost $460 million.

training. The ISFA Certified Professional Solid Surface Fabrication training program for our members is designed to meet the needs of your business. Basic fabrication instruction includes product orientation, safety, tooling, fabrication and installation. This training program is approved by all major solid surface manufacturers. CLICK HERE to learn more about or register for the event.

Each year at The ISFA Annual Conference, the association awards members, and in the case of the Hall of Fame Award, industry icons, who are outstanding in their field. Nominations were received from ISFA members and these same members then voted on who was most deserving of the awards this year. Five awards were presented:

• Fabricator of the Year is awarded to an individual of a fabricator member company that in the past year has best exemplified the ISFA ideals of quality, innovation, character and exemplary service to ISFA and/or the decorative surfacing industry, with overall excellence: Rockin'teriors
  
• Associate of the Year is given to an associate member company that in the past year has best exemplified the role of servicing the needs of fabricator member companies, and who has best supported ISFA in all activities: CountertopResource.com
  
• ISFA Innovator Award is for the member firm or individual who goes outside the box to create a product or system that enhances the life or elevates the role of the surface fabricator: CREA Diffusion
  
• ISFA Envision Award is given to the manufacturer member that excels in creating something imaginative and special for the surfacing industry: Park Industries
  
• ISFA Hall of Fame Award is given to the individual who has, in the course of his/her career, made significant contributions to the decorative surfacing industry, and has demonstrated leadership and commitment to the ideals of ISFA: Mike Duggan
  

For more information or a full copy of the press release announcing the winners CLICK HERE.

In case you missed these informative articles:

• ISFA Fabricator Profile: CREA DIFFUSION
• Synchronous Flow: Helping the countertop fabricator synchronize the business system

• Social Media: A Fabricator's Tool for Success

• Green That Comes Out in the Wash

Find many more useful articles in our Online Archive.

or dry on granite. Without the need for different pads for different materials and applications, the Hat-Trick™ system is made to reduce labor and inventory costs, and increase productivity without sacrificing quality. Interested fabricators can check these pads out using SALEM’s brand new online storefront at shop.salemdist.com/stone. The system provides the needeed tools with the wanted convenience. Fabricators can call SALEM Stone at (800) 234-1982 and mention this write-up to receive a FREE set of Hat-Trick™ polishing pads. Fore more information visit www.salemdist.com.

years of industry experience. Our newest product SPEEDlabel is a labeling program designed to work with a fabricator’s project management software. This program creates labels for each part and piece of a job to allow for better shop organization, easier loading process, and more thorough quality control. Our product SPEEDdraw is designed to expedite the process of turning digital measuring files into completed shop drawings and program ready files.