The Publisher’s Pen
Back in April I asked for feedback on the idea of not exhibiting at trade shows. I received a call from Peter de Kok, the founder of GranQuartz and a very attentive reader of the Slippery Rock Gazette. Peter told me that he thought I might not have considered the entire issue, which was a very nice way of telling me that I had no idea what I was talking about. The upshot is his letter, which is printed on this issue's Letters to Slippery Rock page.
I love getting calls and emails telling me where I am off target, as that is what helps me improve. I am still not sure if the 2017 StonExpo will be our last or not. Every time I am sure that we should not go, we see a new product that almost begs to be demonstrated at the show.
Recently I saw one such product. I don’t know if we will be the ones to bring it to market or not, but if we are, it will be the centerpiece of our booth. And it is a safety product.
One of the things that Peter and I do agree on is that the MIA has been doing a very good job and is worthy of the support of everyone connected to the stone industry. Although constrained by money and less- than-full participation by the members of the stone industry, the MIA has accomplished many remarkable things. Very soon they will release the first phase of MIA + BSI online university. The first offering includes free safety courses. The course administration role is very well thought out and would prove very useful if a shop ever had to prove its commitment to safety training. And, it is FREE!
I had a preview of the project last week and was very impressed. Once you see it, you can easily imagine where this could go. It really is a matter of membership and funding. So, if you are an MIA+BSI member, plan on enrolling your crew as soon as it is released. If you are not yet a member, now is the time. Call the MIA+BSI at 440-250-9222 and tell them you want to join, and they will take it from there.
If you have thoughts or concerns, please address them to publisher@slipperyrockgazette.net.
– Rich Hassert