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Erik The Pebble | Stone News

@erikthepebble

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Hey Stoners! 🪨
I'm your host Erik “The Pebble” Rapp
Stone industry news. Solid facts. A little humor.
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Private residential construction spending fell 5.5% in September. For countertop shops, that deserves attention. But the details matter: spending on new single-family construction was essentially flat, while new multifamily spending edged up 0.1%.

Residential spending also includes improvements to existing homes. The headline measures dollars spent across that broader category, so it cannot tell us how many countertop jobs were lost or how every local market is performing.

For fabricators, the useful next step is to look at your own pipeline: are fewer inquiries coming in, are quotes taking longer to close, or are accepted jobs being pushed back?

Tell us what you’re seeing in your market and which customers you serve. Share this with a shop owner who is trying to make sense of the numbers.

#ErikThePebble #StoneIndustry #StoneFabrication #ConstructionSpending #Countertops by @erikthepebble

Hey Stoners!

From silicosis liability and insurance questions to packed workshops and industry leadership, this briefing covers the conversations shaping the stone business.

We will take a closer look at the reported $67.7 million verdict involving Caesarstone and Primus Marble, including how the jury divided responsibility and why that allocation does not necessarily equal the final amount paid.

Also in this episode:
• MSI’s Q+ collection in our sponsor spotlight.
• The SFA’s Missouri workshop and its turnout of more than 230 attendees.
• The upcoming Poseidon Tampa Experience with the Latin American Fabricators Network.
• Newly elected NSI directors Ana Correia, Peter Dominguez and Alexander Zambrano.
• Stone Chatter’s planned Fabricator of the Year candidate interviews.
• The latest logged quartz quota status, California’s proposed silica restrictions, and upcoming insurance and earnings developments.

Plus, Did You Know? Olympic curling stones combine two granites from Ailsa Craig, each selected for a different job.

What is getting the most attention in your business right now: worker protection, insurance, material choices or improving operations? Tell us in the comments.

Stone industry news. Solid facts. A little by @erikthepebble

Diagnosed with silicosis at 35. A double-lung transplant at 37. Behind the $67.7 million verdict is countertop fabricator Dennys Rene Rivas Williams.

The jury assigned 69.1% of responsibility to Caesarstone entities and 30% to his employer, Primus Marble. The manufacturer received the largest share, but the shop still faced a substantial allocation.

There’s another point worth understanding: those percentages do not establish what insurance covers or what each party will ultimately pay. The verdict, coverage questions and final payment are separate pieces of the story.

If you own, manage or supply a fabrication shop, which conversation needs more attention in your business: worker protection, product documentation or insurance coverage? Tell us below, and share this with someone who needs to be part of that conversation.

#StoneIndustry #StoneFabrication #Countertops #Silicosis #WorkerSafety by @erikthepebble

Would you change your countertop choice before a proposed ban becomes law?

Hey Stoners!

The New York Times reports that IKEA’s U.S. stores and California Surfaces have moved toward alternatives to conventional quartz while California’s proposed restrictions are still being debated.

For fabricators, changing materials involves more than choosing a similar color. Performance, fabrication methods, independent composition data, availability, and the complete installed price all matter.

For homeowners and designers, the question becomes: what are you replacing quartz with and does that material fit your project?

These are reported business decisions, not proof that quartz has been banned or that every alternative performs the same way.

Would you explore another material now or wait for the final requirements?

Tell us why in the comments and send this to someone planning a kitchen renovation.

Follow @erikthepebble for stone industry news. Solid facts. A little humor.

#TheDailyPebble #QuartzCountertops #KitchenDesign #StoneIndustry #CountertopFabrication by @erikthepebble

IKEA is selling countertops made from at least 80% recycled glass. For fabricators, designers and suppliers, that puts another material into the kitchen conversation and brings new questions about composition, fabrication and performance.

There’s another detail worth watching: a stone-look finish tells you very little about what’s inside a slab. “Recycled,” “natural” and “low silica” describe different things. Product documentation matters, and switching materials still requires the right fabrication methods and worker protections.

If you fabricate, specify or sell countertops, are customers already asking for alternatives to conventional quartz? Tell us which materials you’re considering and what’s holding you back: price, performance, availability or customer acceptance.

#Countertops #StoneIndustry #StoneFabrication #KitchenDesign #EngineeredStone by @erikthepebble

Teaser of new episode on the way with 2 legends: Erik “La Piedra Johnson” Rapp from @stonemedianetwork and @stonechatter and Joe Demick @tmgspecialists @741tops by @erikthepebble

Who pays when a countertop worker gets sick and the insurance company disputes coverage?

Hey Stoners!
Silicosis lawsuits are raising two separate questions across the quartz industry: who bears responsibility, and whether insurance policies cover the claims.

Travelers, an Argo unit, and Liberty Mutual are involved in coverage disputes concerning companies in the stone supply chain. These cases turn on policy language, exclusions, and the circumstances of the underlying claims.

Being held responsible does not automatically mean an insurer will pay. And a coverage dispute involving one company does not determine what every fabrication shop’s policy covers.

For the industry, that makes understanding coverage part of understanding the business.

What concerns you most: worker safety, liability, or uncertainty about insurance coverage?

Leave your thoughts in the comments and share this with someone who works with stone.

Follow @erikthepebble for stone industry news. Solid facts. A little humor.

#TheDailyPebble #StoneIndustry #QuartzCountertops #CountertopFabrication #SilicaSafety by @erikthepebble

Two quartz verdicts. Two very different answers to who bears responsibility.

Hey Stoners!
Caesarstone disclosed a $67.3 million silicosis verdict in which the jury assigned the company 69.1% of the fault approximately $46.5 million if assessed without modification.

In a separate $33 million verdict, plaintiffs’ attorneys reported that 70% of the fault went to the employer and 11% to each of two Caesarstone entities.

Different cases. Different evidence. Neither result creates a universal formula for who pays.

In this episode of The Daily Pebble, we also break down California’s revised engineered stone proposal, material documentation requirements, quartz import costs, and the remodeling outlook.

What should homeowners ask about how their countertops are made?

Tell us in the comments and share this with someone who designs, sells, or fabricates stone.

Follow for stone industry news. Solid facts. A little humor.

News and commentary, not professional advice. Verdicts may be modified or appealed; total awards do not necessarily equal amounts ultimately payable. Proposed regulations are not adopted rules.

#TheDailyPebble #StoneIndustry #QuartzCountertops #CountertopFabrication #SilicaSafety by @erikthepebble

Stone chatter and Stone Media Network are excited to announce another rockstar joining our team! Jessica has a great love for this industry and will be an amazing addition to the team. Will miss Ed’s regular southern charm but he will still be involved. @edyoung257 @richkatzmann @mcnaughj @tsgalleria by @erikthepebble

Why rent a booth when you can build a community? 🤝📈

In this final clip from Season 4, Episode 3 of the Game of Stones Podcast, Joe Alva explains the strategy behind the highly successful “Poseidon Experience” events.

Instead of spending a massive $200,000 to $250,000 budget on a single, transactional trade show booth, Joe decided to take that money and reinvest it directly into his existing customers. By bringing fabricators and business owners together from all across the country to share their frustrations, compare notes, and listen to world-class guest speakers, Poseidon has created a true community.

Networking isn’t easy for every entrepreneur, but when you put the right people in a room together, everybody grows! Stop wasting marketing budget and start investing in experiences. 💯

🎙️ Watch the full Season 4 episode on YouTube! Link in bio

#businessstrategy #MarketingBudget #Networking #CommunityBuilding #Entrepreneurship by @erikthepebble

We are officially putting this out into the universe! 🌌🪨

In this hilarious clip from Season 4 of the Game of Stones Podcast, Joe Alva and Erik LaPietra Johnson talk about the power of manifestation in business and in life. Joe manifested the success of Poseidon Machinery, but Erik has a very specific goal in mind...

He needs to meet his namesake: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson! Since “LaPietra” translates to “The Stone/The Rock,” Erik claims he is the “less financially, Latino version” of the superstar. If anyone knows The Rock, tell him he is officially invited to the next Poseidon Experience event so they can get matching tattoos! 😂🖋️

🎙️ Watch the full Season 4 episode on YouTube! Link in bio

#TheRock #DwayneJohnson #Manifestation #GameOfStonesPodcast #StoneIndustry BusinessGoals Entrepreneurship JoeAlva ErikLaPietraJohnson Comedy by @erikthepebble