Coverings has revealed their lineup of extensive informative sessions for their 2021 conference.
Coverings, the largest international tile and stone exhibition and conference in North America, will be holding their 2021 conference on July 7 – 9 in Orlando, Fla. The event features exciting exhibits from all realms of the tile and stone industry world, as well as informative sessions, some of which will include Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
Three tracks of information sessions will be offered: Installation & Fabrication, Workforce & Profits, and Materials & Trends. All of the sessions are geared towards educating individuals in the industry on skills they can use to excel in the tile, stone and design market.
Installation & Fabrication sessions will educate attendees on the best practices and techniques in installation and fabrication.
Select sessions include: “Tile Talks with National Tile Contractors Association (NCTA),” an open forum with NCTA technical trainers, with focus on issues common to Florida and the Southeast; “State of the Stone Industry,” a discussions session which will allow attendees to learn from industry leaders and peers on the current state of the natural stone industry; “Trials and Tribulations of Tile Installation: A North American Perspective,” which will cover the challenge tile trade professionals experience in the United States and Canada; and “Fabricator Forum Breakout Session,” an interactive session for fabricators with breakout discussion groups on technical, business, administration, and marketing related topics.
Bart Bettiga, executive director of the NCTA, spoke about the relevance of these sessions.
“No matter your role in the tile and stone industry, whether it be contractor, installer, fabricator, remodeler, or beyond, there is a great deal of information to gain by attending the Installation & Fabrication sessions at Coverings 2021.”
Another track of information sessions, Workforce & Profile, will focus on helping attendees discover new and successful business practices.
Select sessions include: “Recognize the Problem-Identifying Sales & Marketing Misalignment,” which will focus on productive synergy between sales and marketing; “Managing a Family Business,” a discussion panel focusing on important issues regarding family businesses; “Hard Surface Industry Town Hall,” a session run by industry leaders who will review key topics for the growth of natural hard surface-related businesses; and “How to Increase Business Leads and Secure New Projects Through Material Bank,” a discussion with experts from Material Bank, a building material marketplace.
“The Workforce & Profits sessions offer real take-aways, practical labor solutions, and techniques for maximizing bottom-line profits,” said Rick Church, executive director of the Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA).
The third track, Materials & Trends, will focus on giving attendees the latest updates in tile and stone trends.
Select sessions include: “Global Tile Trends,” a highly-anticipated discussion with international tile experts, who will explore the latest trends in tile; “Designer Talk: Don’t Fake It When You Make It-Reasons to Choose Natural Products,” which will explore the use of natural products as building materials; “Environmental Responsibility, Human Wellness, Resilience-Hot Topics in Green Building and How the Tile Industry Fits,” a panel exploration of green building principles; and “Plastic Bead Materials (PBM)-Safety and Performance Issues with Note So Luxurious Vinyl Tile (LVT),” a session discussion with Eric Astrachan, executive director of the Tile Council of North America on the plastic flooring material LVT.
Alena Capra, certified Master Kitchen and Bath designer and Coverings spokesperson, feels these sessions are “can’t miss opportunities.”
“Coverings 2021 Materials & Trends sessions are designed to inspire, inform, and educate attendees in today’s fast-paced design industry and business climate,” said Capra.
The event will take place at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), sharing the convention floor for the first time with the National Wood Flooring Association’s 2021 Wood Flooring Expo.
Other events include a Coverings Lounge, which will feature tile project exhibitions from Luna Mosaic Arts and National Tile Contractors Association, as well as two exhibits from Society of American Mosaic Artists (SAMA) in the North Hall Lobby. The popular Demonstration Stage will return, allowing attendees to observe live demonstrations of modern tile techniques.
Last year’s Coverings exhibit was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Coverings’ website has information on the event’s health and safety plans for this years’ event.
House Tipster previously attended the event in 2019. Coverage of this year’s event is to be determined.
For more information, as well as access to registration, visit coverings.com.
