Masonry Magazine December 2007 Page. 22
NATURAL STONE COUNCIL
In the long term, the NSC is putting together a plan and the necessary means to implement an industry-wide check-off program similar to those operated by the milk (Got milk?) and beef (It's what's for dinner) industries. In order to expand the natural stone industry's position in the marketplace and generate significant, reliable and sustainable funding, the industry needs to agree to tax itself, as the dairy and beef (and many other) industries are doing. Preliminary NSC estimates are that this self-taxation will cost about one-half cent per dollar of value of all imported stone as well as domestically produced and processed natural stone about 50 cents for every $100 dollars. This ongoing and stable revenue will enable the natural stone industry to grow stronger and larger through research and self-promotion. No one else is going to do it for us. If we want to be a major player, we need to step up, work together, and look out for our own best interests.
WIIFM?
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD of this acronym before. It usually stands for "What's In It For Me?" In this case, I propose it means, "What's In It for Masons?" It's pretty simple: The more successful the NSC is in raising awareness and, consequently, consumption of Genuine Stone, the more business the masonry industry will enjoy as a result.
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Masonry
December 2007 www.masoncontractors.org
ASK AN EXPERT
MARTY POPE
VP OF SALES AND MARKETING,
KETTLE VALLEY STONE
Question:
Why does natural stone have such a lasting appeal?
Answer:
Natural stone has been formed over millions of years. The color is forms naturally throughout, with no dyes. If anything, the color is enhanced further with the passage of time.
The positives of natural stone are many. If the rock is chipped, it is natural, not concrete, on the inside. Natural stone has been through millions of freeze-thaw cycles before it has been harvested for natural thin veneer. Natural thin veneer also is available as a veneer or full-size bed depth of three to five inches. Natural stone is not a repetitive pattern; no two jobs will look the same. Houses can be side-by-side, but there will be no discernable shape or color pattern. Each job becomes a work of art, based on the mason. One of the most understated benefits of using the natural stone is the ability to use it as a veneer on the house, as landscape crush for the gardens, and as boulders for features or retaining walls.
Question:
What's the future of thin stone veneer?
Answer:
Natural stone has always been desired for all types of building markets. In the past, the making, shipping, structural support and installation of natural stone have made it cost prohibitive outside the immediate area. Working with thin veneer, some of the cost of shipping, (as we ship more square feet for the same tonnage), installation (less time consuming and easier to work with than full bed depth), and the cost of the structural support are eliminated, making it available to more than just a local market. We currently ship coast-to-coast and have been involved with projects in Squaw Valley, Calif.; Tamarack, Idaho; and Mount Tremblant, Quebec. As the market matures and becomes more knowledgeable, a positive future for natural thin veneer exists. Informed architects always seem to like using natural products both for the aesthetics and the positive environmental impact. It fits all projects from an accent to a main feature, because a natural color always looks best with natural products.
Marty Pope can be reached at 250-491-0405 or marty@kettlevalleystone.com.
Certainly, masonry will benefit from requests for Genuine Stone as well as being able to participate in green building by using stone.
We are looking for partners to join us on this journey. We already know that when masons and natural stone come together, homes, castles, buildings and walls that stand the test of time are created. Let's build for our collective future. You bring the mortar; we'll bring the Genuine Stone.
Mark Fernandes is chairman of the Natural Stone Council (NSC). He can be reached at mfernandes@luckstone.com. For more information on the NSC, visit www.GenuineStone.org, or contact Duke Pointer, executive director, at dukepointer@aol.com or 603-465-2616.
The Voice of the Masonry Industry