Whats hot in Solid Surface?

1. Innovation in Design Contest Winners Announced
CREA Diffusion Takes Top Prize
Page 26
IN T ER N AT I O N AL S UR FAC E FABRI C AT O RS ASSO CI AT I O N
www.ISFAnow.org
VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 3 • 2011 • SINGLE ISSUE $14.95
Top Solid Surface Trends Page 18
JCW Profile: 40 Years
and Still Making Dust Page 22
Sales: Get Better or Go Broke Page 32
Drop Prices At Your Own Risk Page 34
Brooklyn Museum Gets Solid Surface Art Page 36

2. Magazine Credits
Letters To The Editor ISFA Directors
Countertops & Architectural Surfaces welcomes Letters to the Editor. If you Mike Nolan, Director
have questions about the magazine, or would like to make a comment, or Martin Funck, Director
voice an opinion about the magazine, ISFA, or the industry in general, please Jon Blasius, Director
feel free to write to us. Christina Humiston, Director
Michael Bustin, Director
Please send letters to editor@isfanow.org or to Letters, ISFA, 165 N 1330 W Mark Anderson, Associate Member Rep.
Unit A3, Orem, UT 84057 or fax to (801) 341-7361 attention: Editor. Include Michael Astill, Associate Member Rep.
a telephone number and address (preferable email address). Letters may be
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cannot respond to all letters. Send queries about Countertops & Architectural Russ Lee, Executive Director
Surfaces to editor@isfanow.org or mail to ISFA, 165 N 1330 W Unit A3, Kevin Cole, Communications Director
Orem, UT 84057 or fax to (801) 341-7361 attention: Editor. Jeff Pease, Creative Director
Sandy Milroy, Membership & Event Director
Contacting ISFA Andrew Bowman, Development Director
Phone: (801) 341-7360 Meg Pettingill, Administrative Assistant
Toll Free: (877) 464-7732
Fax: (801) 341-7361 Cover Photo:
editor@isfanow.org The winners of the Innovations in Design Competition were announced, and
www.isfanow.org this Art Gallery project fabricated CREA Diffusion, in France, took the top
prize. Read the full story on Page 26.
About This Magazine
Countertops & Architectural Surfaces is published quarterly by the
International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA), with a fifth “Buyers
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Photography:
Photos in this publication may not depict proper safety procedures for creative
purposes. ISFA and Countertops & Architectural Surfaces support the use of
proper safety procedures in all cases and urge readers to take steps to
institute such procedures. Photography Provided By: Jon Olson, Sterling
Surfaces, Hans Stålhandske, James Thompson, LG Hausys, Keith Sirchio,
Situ Studio, Rosskopf & Partner, CREA Diffusion, Gene McDonald, Refresh
Interiors, PlayGo, JCW, Quality Residential Construction,
Tuan Nguyen, American Radon Solutions Inc., Interfab Ltd. and Interline
Creative Group.
Magazine Credits
Publisher & Editor Kevin Cole
Creative Director Jeff Pease
Contributing Editor Russ Lee
ISFA Officers Of The Board
Russ Berry, President
Mike Langenderfer, Vice President
Joe Hoffman, Secretary
Dave Paxton, Treasurer
Hunter Adams, Immediate Past President
Russ Lee, Executive Director
International Surface Fabricators Association • Vol. 4, Issue 3, 2011 • 3

3. Shop Management Matters By Jon Olson
Top Solid Surface Trends for 2011 and Beyond
Quality Certification Program for low-emitting
products, making them a perfect choice when
thinking about clean air and safe environments.
Using green surfaces has been very important
for many years when it comes to commercial
projects. Now, with the huge upsurge of this trend
in the residential market, being informed about
these surfaces is more important than ever.
Custom Sinks
This year we have seen an increased interest in
custom solid surface sinks. From my experience,
there are several reasons for this:
• Designers are beginning to see how ther-
moforming can be incorporated into their
designs. Free flowing slopes add another
design option not always available with sink
manufacturers (see Figure 2).
Figure 1 – Many of the trends we are seeing use some form of thermoforming, such as this tabletop
(and the apple sitting on it).
T
hese really are exciting times to be have previously seen go elsewhere. Likewise,
working in the solid surface industry. they may also be able to suggest additional fea-
Interest is increasing in exploring the tures (with additional revenues) in projects that
full design capabilities of solid surface. are already coming through the door.
While the recent addition of many new colors
has made kitchen countertops more popular with Green Surfaces
homeowners again, we are seeing so much more “Green” is everywhere. We see it in the news, Figure 2 – Free flowing slopes and unique shapes in
on the television and at just about every retail custom sinks add another design option not always
going on with the material. From musical instru- available with large sink manufacturers.
ments to trash cans, from lampshades to creative outlet there is. It doesn’t really matter if you
inlays, solid surface can do it all. So let’s dig right believe all of the hype surrounding it or not. More • Hospitals use solid surface quite frequently
in and see what’s trending for 2011-2012. eco-friendly products are being specified and because it offers outstanding infection
purchased every year. According to the National control. They also want solid surface sinks.
3-D Thermoforming Association of Home Builders (NAHB), in 2009 Research has shown that if the drain is
Thermoforming, which is the heating and shaping the market for green building was $7.4 billion. offset from the faucet, less bacteria grows.
of solid surface to take on multiple dimensions, In 2010 that number grew to $38 billion, and Currently, most solid surface sinks only
has been around for many years. However, it continues to grow. What other area is growing at come with a center drain, so to accom-
recently has seen a surge of interest from all as- 500 percent per year? You should make sure you modate the demand fabricators are making
pects of the design world. Designers have found are in the position to take advantage of it. their own sinks with the drain offset.
solid surface is more than just a flat countertop • Solid Surface manufacturers generally only
surface. Many of the trends we are seeing use All the major sheet manufacturers have respond- make solid color bowls. Consumers and
some form of thermoforming (see Figure 1). Go ed to the green movement, including Avonite, designers want sinks that match the color
to any solid surface sheet manufacturer’s web- Corian, Formica, LG Hausys and Wilsonart, of their countertop whether it’s a lavatory or
site and you’ll see outstanding examples of 3-D just to name a few. Most of their green surfaces kitchen bowl.
thermoforming. By adding more dimensions to rely heavily on pre-consumer recycled acrylic
the product, more applications become possible. content, with the amount of recycled material OEM
And those fabricators that take advantage of this ranging from 5 to 91 percent. Also, many of these As an OEM product, we’ve seen solid surface
ability can get additional business that they may surfaces have met the Greenguard Indoor Air used in the marine, aircraft, RV, ambulance and
18 • Vol. 4, Issue 3, 2011 • International Surface Fabricators Association

4. NEW !
other industries. As the world begins to see the even being able to tell a repair was made)
possibilities with solid surface, other OEM lines is something very interesting to those who
are beginning to be developed. Many of these want to supply well built furniture with low
are being driven from the industrial designers of maintenance. Because of these qualities
the world. The idea is to make something that schools, hospitals, food service companies
was once unsightly more appealing. and a variety of other corporations are look-
There are numerous examples. One designer ing for ways to use solid surface furniture.
created a product with a solid surface shell called 16 gauge “EOS”
the playGo (www.playgo.us), which is a small These are just a few of today’s trends. As you 31 1/4” x 18 5/8” x 9” depth
98
box that contains USB ports to connect audio can see the possibilities are limited only by one’s
equipment (see Figure 3). The company touts its
use of solid surface saying it “allows us to create
imagination. What will we see in the near future?
Maybe we will see more solid surface used as
$
a unique industrial design that can’t be duplicated the outside cladding of buildings (check out
with cheap plastic.” last year’s Q2 issue of this magazine to see an
Also, it has begun to be used in the jewelry amazing exterior cladding project done by CREA In response to many requests for an
industry. Designers such as the folks from Black Diffusion). How about kitchen countertops com- Equal Bowl that is different than the
Badger (www.blackbadger.se) and JenMDESIGN plete with LED message boards inserted inside
traditional 50/50, at a great price.
16 gauge “ZEPHYR”
and routed fixtures that let you dock your Ipod?
Or maybe tops with recycling bins fitted seam-
lessly into the surface. Solid surface is about the 31 1/2” x 21 3/8” x 9” depth
98
Figure 3 – OEM applications are growing with solid only material that lets you do these things in a
surface, such as this playGo USB hub for audio
connections.
cost-effective way.
$
(www.jennifermerchantdesign.com) can’t resist One thing is certain as we move forward: Solid
working with solid surface to make all types of surface’s outstanding design capabilities will
jewelry and taking advantage of the working continue to provide inspiration for designers and A different look at the increasingly
characteristics of this versatile material (see Fig- architects for a very long time to come. If you can popular large Single Bowl design sink.
ure 4). Other designers are using solid surface leverage these possibilities, or find new ones, “NEW PRODUCT LINE”
FUTURA
in ways you might not think of. To get an idea of you are on the right track for more business to
how industrial designers think and what products come your way. I N T E R N AT I O N A L S U R FAC E FA B R I C AT O R S A S S O C I AT I O N
they’re producing you can visit a website at www.
core77.com that highlights design ideas. About the Author: 10” Deep 16 Gauge
Jon Olson is production and operations manager for
Sterling Surfaces in Sterling, Mass. A solid surface
Highest Quality
Furniture fabricator since 1982, he has gained experience in all Your Choice!
$
119
Another area of growing interest for solid surface phases of fabrication while helping Sterling to grow from
is furniture. There are a few reasons why, I be- 10 to 50 employees and become one of the world lead-
ers in the industry. He can be reached at
Circle Reader Service #04 on the Reader Service Page or go to www.isfanow.org/info
lieve, we are seeing an increase there: jon@sterlingsurfaces.com.
• Unique colors, such as bright oranges and
light greens, make for eye catching pieces
of furniture (see Figure 5). The color palette
for solid surface is amazing, and several
PORCELAIN
199
manufacturers offer custom color matching
capabilities, further broadening the pos- $
sibilities.
• Translucent qualities of several lines of
Compare
solid surface are also making a mark. The Figure 4 – Jewelry, such as these rings produced by Black
Badger, an industrial design company in Sweden, are utiliz-
new lines of translucent colors can be used ing the versatile properties of solid surface.
others
for dramatic effects when back lit. One
at triple this price!
stunning application of this is the use of FARMHOUSE APRON
lampshades. I’ve also seen dining tables 30” x 20” x 8 1/4” depth
fabricated using translucent colors made to
be highlighted from above.
• The outstanding qualities of solid surface
are appealing to furniture designers as well. Austin: 866.243.6267
The nonporous surface makes it easy to Atlanta: 866.645.2007
maintain and doesn’t promote the growth www.chemcore.com
of germs. Also, the ability to be repaired “Your Wholesale
more easily than wood furniture (without
Figure 5 – Bright colors, along with durability and
Sink Source”
easy reparability, make solid surface a great option
International Surface Fabricators Association • Vol. 4, Issue 3, 2011 • 19
for furniture.
Circle Reader Service # 08 on the Reader Service Page or go to www.isfanow.org/info