MIA Introduces Benchmarking Survey Free to Fabricators

Contact:
Marble Institute of America
(440) 250-9222
networking@marble-institute.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(MIA0060)

Cleveland, OH, November 13, 2013 — The Marble Institute of America (MIA) has launched their free 2013 Fabricator Benchmarking Survey, the 5th such survey conducted by the MIA. The 2013 study will commence in early November and was made possible by a grant received from Cosentino USA and KOHLER CO.

Available to all fabricators in North America, this confidential survey will allow fabrication companies to compare their firm with firms of similar size and provide suggestions for improving the firm’s profitability. Additionally, the MIA will use the data derived from the survey to create a one-of-a-kind web portal that will ask fabricators for several pieces of information (location, sales info, etc.). The web portal will use that data to calculate numerous pieces of information that fabricators will find indispensable.

Mike Loflin, MIA Industry Research and Information Manager, said, “The survey questions are straightforward. They’re about daily operations that an owner will know without having to check with an accountant. For example, we want to know the average number of tops produced per week, the number of full time employees currently employed, the percent of business sold to new residential, remodel residential and commercial, and so on. The answers will be held in the strictest confidence.”

The free study is confidential (no individual company responses will be shared or sold) and MIA membership is not required. The survey will cover the fabrication segment of the stone industry including natural and engineered stone. Companies will be asked to answer several simple questions; in return, they will receive 30+ facts about their fabrication business and their competitors. The data provided will give them leverage when working with banks and creditors.

For additional information about the survey or the forthcoming web portal, contact the MIA at miainfo@marble-institute.com.

About the Marble Institute of America
Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, the Marble Institute of America (MIA) has served as the authoritative source of information on standards of natural stone workmanship and practice and the application of natural stone products for nearly 70 years. Membership in the association is worldwide and includes over 1,600 natural stone producers, exporters/importers, distributors/wholesalers, fabricators, finishers, installers, and industry suppliers committed to the highest standards of workmanship and ethics. More information can be found on the association’s website: www.marble-institute.com.

About the Cosentino Group
The Cosentino Group currently has 6 factories, 15 kitchen and bathroom surface production centers in the US, more than 70 distribution points or Centers worldwide, and a staff of over 2,200 spread across the globe (700 in the U.S.). From its headquarters in Almeria, Spain, the Group distributes its products and brands in more than 60 countries, and directly manages and controls its own facilities and infrastructures in 17 countries: the USA, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Norway, Italy and Portugal. Currently, almost 80 percent of its turnover comes from international markets. For more information, visit http://www.cosentino.com.

About KOHLER CO.
Founded in 1873 and headquartered in Kohler, Wisconsin, Kohler Co. is one of the oldest and largest privately held companies in the United States. KOHLER is a recognized global leader in kitchen and bath design, craftsmanship and technology, offering a diverse line-up of plumbing fixtures, faucets, cabinetry, and accessories. To learn more, visit KOHLER.com.

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