While the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down the in-person stone industry fabrication events, the first virtual workshop was held – and more to follow – as an effort to continue to provide education to fabricators
Since March 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic has changed the way people are interacting and running their businesses worldwide. Everything from providing a safe work environment for employees to how to handle customer visits to industry education had to be reconsidered. This includes the Stone Industry Education series that Stone World annually teams up with the Natural Stone Institute to provide interactive learning events for fabricators across the U.S. The solution was to offer a two-day virtual workshop, which took place at the end of July.
The virtual event was sponsored by MSI, a leading importer and distributor of natural stones, countertops, landscaping tiles and porcelain in North America, and included participants from around the world, including Brazil, Nigeria, Turkey and Oman, as well as North America. Additionally, many industry-leading manufacturers were sponsors of the event. They included: Baca, BB Industries, Breton, CMS, Dry Treat, Flexijet North America, GranQuartz, Integra Adhesives, Intermac, Laser Products Industries, Park Industries, Poseidon and Water Treatment Solutions. Each session ran for an hour and a half, with an hour-long virtual trade show following on the first day.