MAPEI Corp. provides one of many live product demonstration opportunities during Coverings.
With Coverings 2011 just weeks away, organizers of the show are preparing to receive thousands of attendees and more than 1,000 exhibitors in what is touted as “The Ultimate Tile + Stone Experience.” Now in its 20th year, Coverings will be held in Las Vegas’ Sand Expo and Convention Center, March 14-17, in 300,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space.
The four-day event features more than 70 free CEU-earning educational sessions tailored to the specific needs of architects/designers, distributors, retailers, installers, fabricators, and builders/remodelers.
In addition to the exhibits and educational sessions, attendees can once again look forward to:
Certified Tile Installer (CTI) program candidates work on the hands-on aspect of their certification testing.
• Coverings Spectrum Select: Featuring the newest products in the tile, stone and allied products segments.
• Live Installation Demonstrations: “How-to” classes offering an up-close look at how top contracting pros handle a variety of challenging tile installations. Sponsored by the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) and the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA).
• Green Programming: Sustainability-specific conference programs.
• Coverings Happy Hour: Afterhours networking event that takes place on the show floor.
• Bring Your Clients to Coverings: A program that encourages architects and designers to bring their clients to Coverings.
To meet the needs of the show’s attendees, Coverings’ organizers have ramped up the educational program by offering two featured sessions daily.
On the agenda for Monday, March 14, the Opening Keynote/Contractor and Installer featured session is The 2011 TCA Handbook, presented by the TCNA from 9 to 10 a.m. The 2011 TCA Handbook promises to be one of the most significant revisions in the handbook’s history, according to TCNA. In addition, a new supplement to the Handbook on natural stone tile installations will be unveiled. The afternoon session spotlights the A+D community with Lifestyle + Tile 2011 with Robin Avni, lifestyle topics, insights + trends, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
On Tuesday, Jonathan Trivers of Marketing Wit and Wisdom starts the day with his distributor and retailer featured session, I Can See Clearly Now, 8 to 9 a.m. Ali Azhar, Alive Design, and host of HGTV’s Design on a Dime, takes command of the A+D featured session with Understanding the Synergy between Designers and Contractors, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Stone fabricators and their use of the Internet will be the focus of Wednesday morning’s featured session. Led by Marty Gould of Focalize Now, attendees will learn about Internet Marketing Way Beyond Your Web Site, 8 to 9:30 a.m.
Also on Wednesday for the A+D community, Leatrice Eiseman, Eiseman and Associates, Inc. addresses “the road map to color for 2012” in her Color Directions: Twists, Turns and Trends presentation, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Installation and training on the nuances of ceramic tile also take center stage during Coverings with the two-day Certified Tile Installer (CTI) program from the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF). For more information, visit booth #1069.
Coverings is sponsored by ASCER (Ceramic Tile Manufacturers Association of Spain), CONFINDUSTRIA CERAMICA (The Italian Association of Ceramics), Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA), National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA), and Tile Council of North America (TCNA).
For more information about Coverings, visit www.coverings.com, or contact show management at (703) 683-8500. Also visit www.coveringsinsider.com, the show portal that offers continuously updated information on what to do and see at Coverings, along with show-specific breaking news, photos, events, happenings, daily educational schedules, products, and videos.
