Common Sense says a new countertop company with three employees and a single installation vehicle will have different needs than a well-established operation with dozens of workers and tens of millions of dollars in sales. Common Sense also indicates that a business course tailored specifically to each company based on its size and experience will be far more useful and effective than a generic one-size-fits-all program.

Common Sense has prevailed.  

On February 21-23, 2008 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Surface Fabrication & Design Expo will roll out a new and comprehensive education program that is broken down into tracks according to the development stage of a fabrication business, with seminars directed specifically at issues they currently face.

“The tracks are divided into three major groups, which we call Start-Up, Developing and Seasoned,” explains Pati Beaulieu, show director for the Expo. “Whether you have been in the industry for several decades or are relatively new to countertop fabrication, there is a business program tailored to meet your needs.”

Start-Up is defined as a fabricator new to the business, with one to five employees, revenues up to $1 million and low automation. Developing covers fabricators who have been in business a number of years, have five to 15 employees, revenues up to $5 million and have begun to automate the operation. Seasoned fabricators have several years of experience, 15+ employees, revenues in excess of $5 million and are highly automated. 

“This is the kind of education our industry needs,” says Todd Werstler of Tower Industries in Massillon, OH. “As an experienced and high volume fabricator, I don’t need to sit in another class that covers the basics of how to write a business plan. But the prospect of discussing management metrics with other business owners who are facing similar challenges in running a multi-divisional company is very exciting.”

While a small company owner or manager might find a discussion on how to set up accounting systems, manage cash flow and raise capital critical to its current situation, a mid-size owner is probably more concerned about managing growth, capitalizing on core competencies and reinvesting strategies. The seasoned fabricator, on the other hand, wants to know what other CEOs are doing to better direct key department managers, and how to anticipate future trends in the marketplace.

To further enhance the educational experience, show organizers have invited college professors to teach the business courses. Industry-specific conferences and hands-on clinics will be conducted by industry leaders. By attending two classes per day over the course of the three-day show, attendees will qualify for a certificate of completion in their chosen field of study. The final session in each track will feature a real-life case study followed up with group discussion and question and answer.

“Our instructors have been carefully chosen for their subject knowledge, experience and presentation skills,” says Beaulieu. “Full outlines of each class, as well as related resource information will be provided in a handy binder to facilitate note-taking and to use for future reference.”

Beaulieu stresses that, while the course materials provide a solid business foundation and are designed to be put into practice immediately, fabricators will probably want to seek more in-depth training from other accredited sources, such as industry trade associations.

If a less structured program is desired, attendees also have the option to pick and choose courses from any of the business tracks or attend classes listed in the General Interest section, which covers topics ranging from the latest design trends for countertops to understanding the Green Movement and how it affects our industry. Hands-on clinics on the show floor address issues like seam polishing, stain removal or templating techniques. 

Something For Everyone
Although this year’s conference program puts a lot of emphasis on providing solid training for business owners in their odyssey from good to great, there is also an abundance of offerings for shop employees, installers, sales people and front office personnel.

“We hear of shop owners using the Expo as a way to reward employee performance and boost morale,” says Beaulieu. ”It makes a lot of sense. Bring your people out for weekend in exciting Las Vegas, expose them to the latest trends and products in the trade show and give them a year’s worth of training in three days, including hands-on clinics. It makes sense financially and it really gets people excited to be part of such a dynamic industry.”

To help facilitate a shop owner bringing key employees to the Expo, show officials have created a discount program for multiple registrations. Visit the Expo website at www.sfdexpo.com, or call 800.827.8009 to take advantage of this offer.

There is even a special four-hour bonus class offered that teaches all the essentials of using AutoCAD in the workplace. “Obviously, a person won’t leave the class a whiz in AutoCAD, which could take months of practice to achieve,” explains Tom Harms of FabChoice, who will be hosting the AutoCAD sessions. “But students will learn enough to draw, dimension and manipulate a kitchen countertop in the four-hour period.”

Attendance at the AutoCAD class, which will be presented twice during the show, is limited, so interested parties are encouraged to register early. 

Other industry professionals, such as kitchen and bath designers, architects, woodworkers, etc., will find plenty to capture their imaginations at the Expo this year as well. That might include improving product knowledge of the four most popular decorative surfacing options in the market today, or a glimpse at the two dozen or so new surfacing innovations that are gaining momentum with consumers.

Did someone mention the Green Movement and LEEDS? What a few years ago may have been mistaken as an invasion from Mars is now a hot topic everywhere, and industry professionals are sure to be affected by its rapidly expanding groundswell. Two conference sessions presented by renowned Green architect, Eric Corey Freed, will provide a soup-to-nuts overview of what the movement really means and why it is so important to get on the wagon now before you get yourself run over.

A Well-Rounded Experience
With so much going on with the educational conferences this year one might wonder if there will be time left over to visit the show floor or to network with other fabricators. This, too, has been addressed in the overall schedule.

“The conferences run from 8:30 am to 12 noon on Friday and Saturday, which leaves the entire afternoon both days to visit exhibits,” Beaulieu elaborates. “Thursday’s sessions convene in the afternoon following ISSFA’s activities and continue until 5 pm. Festivities begin on Thursday evening with a Welcome Reception and Friday evening is left free for other activities. The clinics are held on the trade show floor and are repeated, which makes it convenient to schedule in a session that addresses a topic you might be interested in.”

But, let’s face it. There are more interesting classes offered than is physically possible to attend. For that, just as in your business, you may have to call on people within your organization to help share the load.

What a great problem to have.

For more information about times, registration or exhibits, visit the Surface Fabrication & Design Expo website at www.sfdexpo.com, or call 800.827.8009.

Education Tracks

Start-Up
•    Program Overview
•    Elective: Choose a Seminar From General Interest
•    Business 101: Business Plans, Accounting, Raising Capital
•    Business 102: Employees, Benefits, OSHA/EPA
•    Sales & Marketing 101: Define Your Market, Branding, Advertising
•    Case Study and Q&A

Developing
•    Program Overview
•    Elective: Choose a Seminar From General Interest
•    Sales & Marketing in a Competitive World
•    Tweak Your Organizational Structure for Maximum Growth and Profit
•    Managing Growth Without Busting the Bank or Driving Yourself Nuts
•    Case Study and Q&A

Seasoned
•    Program Overview
•    Elective: Choose a Seminar From General Interest
•    Creating a Road Map to the Future
•    Beyond Sales & Marketing
•    Metrics: Management by the Numbers
•    Trends/Economic Indicators and Q&A

General Interest
•    Choosing the Right Tools & Equipment, Shop Layout
•    Quartz Surfacing
•    Understanding Manufacturing & Production
•    The Technology-Driven Workplace
•    Working With Resin-Impregnated Granite
•    Solid Surface on the Cutting Edge
•    What is Green and Why Should I Care?
•    Minimum Standards for a Green-Compliant Shop
•    What Consumers Want –The Four Most Popular Surfaces
•    Are Prefabricated Granite Slabs For You?
•    Emerging Products – Surfacing Options That Are Gaining Momentum
•    Decorative Surfacing By Design
•    Selling to Baby Boomers
•    Designing Kitchens That Multi-Task

Special Bonus Class
•    Understanding and Working with AutoCAD (4-hour class, limited registration)

Clinics (Held on Show Floor During Exhibit Hours)
•    Advanced Quartz Fabrication
•    Hit the Showers
•    Installation Day
•    The Perfect Template
•    Removing Stains in Granite and Quartz
•    Seam Polishing 
•    Create an Architect’s Presentation That Clicks
•    Avoiding Common Fabrication Mistakes With Granite
•    Generate Extra Revenue With Upgrades

(Conference schedule subject to change)