Most Read
Most E-mailed
Print Article
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
So how does one get involved in this type of work? As mentioned earlier it takes effort. First you need to find out where this target audience is. Most of the work mentioned in the article was designed by architects and industrial designers.
The best way to reach architects is to go to them directly. They seem to have very little free time so coming up with a brief presentation is a must. Highlight the strengths of the product. Comparing and bringing down other surfaces will not impress them. They just want the facts.
Consider making a brochure to bring with you. We use a photo-sharing site called FLICKR to host pictures of past jobs. You can also put your experimental work on the site, and if you let your more creative fabricators come up with some innovative ideas, this type of place would be a great way to share the ideas with potential customers. You can also have brochures made up using this site. It is an amazing tool, and I urge you to check it out.
Lastly, I can't think of a better way to show the solid surface world what you can do than to enter the design contest held each year at the Surface Fabrication Design Expo. This is a great way to get your staff thinking out of the box, and if they come up with something really interesting or unique, there is a stage available to showcase it. Information on the contest is available at www.surfacefabricationdesigncontest.com.
In this 21st century of new and exciting uses for solid surface, we need to be ready to try managing for innovative design.
About the author: Jon Olson is the production and operations manager for Sterling Surfaces in Sterling, Mass. He has been a solid surface fabricator since 1982 and can be reached at jon@sterlingsurfaces.com.
