The International Surface Event Opens Registration for June Las Vegas Event

LAS VEGAS, NV — Online registration is now open for The International Surface Event (TISE): SURFACES I StonExpo/Marmomac I TileExpo 2021, occurring at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV, June 16 to 18. TISE, an Informa Markets event, will be among the first large shows to return to Las Vegas, having received approval by the Department of Business and Industry to move forward with the event. Las Vegas and Informa Markets are partnering to bring meetings and conventions back to Las Vegas, signaling the start of a safe economic recovery for the many industries and communities their platforms serve, and MGM Resorts International/Mandalay Bay is playing a significant part in the industry’s return.

New inside TISE registration for 2021, the TISE exhibits pass offers complete access to the full education program occurring on the TISE Live Main Stage on the exhibit hall floor. Also available is the 2021 + 2022 Frequent Buyers Pass, which automatically registers attendees for both events and provides the benefit of additional event perks. Attendees may register worry-free online now.

Nevada’s new directive requires trade show venues to certify through the state’s Department of Business and Industry that they will follow their health and safety requirements and protocols, and adhere to the prevention principles that have remained consistent: maintain safe physical distancing, wear face coverings and practice good hygiene.

Informa Markets, organizer of TISE, creates platforms for a wide range of industries to connect, innovate and do business. As industries and economies like the surfacing community look for opportunities to recover in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, their platforms provide the ideal setting to rebuild communities and revive local economies. Foundational to Informa Markets’ return to the show floor is its commitment to safety.

“As we return to the in-person experiences our customers crave, safety and success have to be dual engines and core drivers, so that our communities can re-connect in meaningful and secure ways,” said Kevin Thornton, vice president, operations at Informa Markets. “We have a medically vetted and industry-wide set of health and safety measures known as the AllSecure Guidelines to guide us as we return those experiences to Las Vegas, ensuring the same rigorous approach to health and safety at all our events. Mandalay Bay is a cutting-edge facility that prioritize safe and successful experiences as passionately as we do. Through our collective efforts, live events will run safely, signaling a real economic restart for the many communities we serve, as well as the Las Vegas economy.”

Committed to creating a healthy and safer experience for guests and attendees, MGM Resorts developed the Convene with Confidence program built around its Seven-Point Safety Plan, outlining detailed protocols throughout every aspect of the convention and meeting process. Efforts range from smart planning of the event itself to contactless check-in and increased cleaning schedules of common areas, with special attention paid to high-contact areas such as doorknobs and food contact surfaces.

“Welcoming TISE back to Mandalay Bay is a significant milestone for our resort and for all of us as an industry, as we see larger shows begin to return to in-person programming,” said Ernest Stovall, vice president of sales for Mandalay Bay, “We are confident that with our health and safety protocols in place, attendees will have a positive and productive Las Vegas experience and still enjoy the energy and excitement of the city they’ve come to know and love.”

TISE will be the first major large-scale event to return to Mandalay Bay and among the first major events to trade in the U.S. post-pandemic. As they identify meaningful opportunities to connect and engage communities in 2021, Informa Markets is taking a customer-driven approach to its return to live events, in this case surveying past attendees to ensure the decision to hold TISE was the right one for the community. Of those who responded to the survey, which was managed by a third-party research firm, 89% were likely to attend in June and 98% viewed the decision as favorable to the industry, solidifying the decision to return to the live event this year.

Laticrete North America creates customer experience department

BETHANY, CT -- Laticrete, a leading manufacturer of globally proven construction solutions for the building industry, has created a Customer Experience department to reinforce and elevate its dedication to be the industry leader in customer-centricity. The new department, which unites the Technical Services, Customer Service, Quality Assurance and Laticrete University departments, will be led by Art Mintie, who has been promoted to vice president of Customer Experience.

“For more than 65 years, Laticrete has earned the enduring loyalty and trust of our many long-time customers through an unwavering dedication to serving them in ways that help their businesses before, during and after they’ve specified and installed our products and by treating them like members of our family,” said Mintie. “By pulling together all of the best parts of our customer service, technical services, quality assurance and Laticrete University training programs, we will be able to create a seamless, transparent customer journey that makes interacting with our company easy and positive.”

Art Mintie has been promoted to vice president of Customer Experience at Laticrete North America.

The Customer Experience department will integrate systems and structures from the company’s four customer-facing areas to streamline resource sharing and enhance communications between Laticrete and its customers.

“For example, aligning Laticrete University with the Customer Experience department enables us to broaden our training to include insightful tutorials, as well as deepen our understanding of our customers’ desires and expectations,” said Mintie. “Leveraging digital technology, while maintaining our intense focus on serving our customers in a unified approach across all of our service departments, will allow us to provide cutting-edge support demanded from an innovative modern manufacturing partner.”

“To better serve our customers, we are unifying all Laticrete North America customer-facing internal resources under one leader,” said Ed Metcalf, president and COO of Laticrete North America. “We are extremely fortunate to have Art Mintie, with his exemplary record of service to our industry, to step in as that leader.”

Mintie joined Laticrete in 1995 as a member of the Technical Services department. Over the past 26 years, he has moved up the ranks within the company’s Technical Services department, most recently serving as senior director.

ARLINGTON, VA – Coverings, the largest international tile and stone exhibition and conference in North America, recently announced programs that will take place during the tile and stone showcase – scheduled for July 7 to 9 at the North Hall of the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, FL.

Features returning to Coverings for 2021 include international pavilions, tile and stone exhibits from around the globe, live installation demonstrations, Coverings Installation and Design (CID) Awards, Rock Stars and complimentary educational opportunities.

Complimentary educational opportunities will include Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and feature sessions, demonstrations, roundtables, live interviews with industry thought-leaders and industry forums. Coverings’ top-rated education is geared to provide attendees with the knowledge, solutions and business-building resources required to excel in the tile and stone industry in 2021 and beyond. “We are mindfully and actively planning a full tile and stone onsite experience that will supply those who attend Coverings 2021 in-person with the products, knowledge and connections they need to advance their businesses and sales,” said Jennifer Hoff, president of Taffy Event Strategies, the event planning company for Coverings.

The always-popular Coverings 2021 Installation Demonstration Stage will return to offer attendees the opportunity to observe live interactive showcases of cutting-edge tile installation techniques. This experiential programming will engage attendees representing all professional trade segments and deliver a holistic view of the tile industry’s standards and best practices.

“We have received feedback from many of our members that they are extremely excited about attending Coverings 2021 in Orlando this year,” said Rick Church, executive director of the Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA). “They are looking forward to seeing the event’s incredible products, connecting with national and international suppliers and discovering ground-breaking trends, techniques and tips they can use to grow their businesses.”

New to Coverings 2021 are the Coverings Lounge, Society of American Mosaic Artists (SAMA) exhibits, co-location with the National Wood Flooring Association, and extended show hours.

Coverings will be pivoting to a time-optimized schedule for 2021. Longer daily hours of Coverings 2021 will provide show-goers the ability to maximize their experiences each day. The Coverings 2021 exhibit hall will be open Wednesday, July 7 and Thursday, July 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT. The show floor also will be open Friday, July 9 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Visitors from every facet of the tile and stone industry are expected to attend Coverings 2021, as evidenced by registration numbers trending similar to Coverings 2019.

Coverings’ organizers, the OCCC and the event’s vendor partners are fastidiously considering and planning health, cleaning and safety measures for Coverings 2021. A webpage on the Coverings website has been dedicated to address the health and safety of exhibitors and attendees, and the page will continue to be updated leading to the event.

For more information and to register for Coverings 2021 at no cost, visit coverings.com.