StoneDimensions

When the MIA board of directors asked me to step into the organization's executive vice president/CEO role, I immediately thought of one word - relevance. It is my hope that the word "relevance" is synonymous with the MIA. Being relevant to you - the member - is the most important thing that we do. When you read president Jonathan Zanger's article you will find a number of initiatives being undertaken in 2013 - all intended to bring valuable resources and services to you - thus fulfilling our organization’s mission and remaining an important (and relevant) partner for you.

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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the preliminary Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety violations for fiscal year 2012 (October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012):

1. Fall protection, construction (1926.501)
2. Hazard communication standard, general industry (1910.1200)
3. Scaffolding, general requirements, construction (1926.451
4. Respiratory protection, general industry (1910.134)
5. Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), general industry (1910.147)
6. Powered industrial trucks, general industry (1910.178)
7. Ladders, construction (1926.1053)
8. Electrical, wiring methods, components and equipment, general industry (1910.305)
9. Machines, general requirements, general industry (1910.212)
10. Electrical systems design, general requirements, general industry (1910.303)

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Originally published on: www.stone-ideas.com

World-wide demand for stone is on the rise. There is a strong concentration on a small number countries that produce stone, and big stone companies in the Euro-Financial-Crisis-Zone have mastered the difficulties by increasing exports. Those are the core statements in the current Statistical Yearbook, XXIII Report Marble and Stones in the World published in Italian and English by Aldus Publishers, Carrara.

Some 1.265 billion square meters of natural stone were used for construction in 2011. The meters square value is based on stone slabs 2 cm in width. That represents an increase of over 3.9% in comparison to the previous year. In relation, the 2001 demand was 709.5 million meters squared.

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There is an old saying: “You can’t take it with you.” It probably would be better stated as: “You shouldn’t try to take it with you, or the U.S. Government will take its fair share.” Even though we are into the new year, it is important to keep in mind some of the basic gifting laws and regulations which may allow you to take advantage of some tax free mechanisms to allow you to transfer wealth, over a period of time, with minimal tax consequences.

Q: WHAT IS THE ANNUAL GIFT TAX EXCLUSION?

A: Each individual tax payer can gift up to $13,000 per recipient tax free. This is known as the annual gift tax exclusion. Spouses can make unlimited gifts to each other.

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The number of American housing markets considered “improved” has topped the 200 mark, with 44 states boasting better housing business.

That’s the word from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/First American Improving Market Index (IMI).

Improving markets jumped 76 in December to 201, while the number of states represented on the list by at least one metro city increased from 38 to 44. The index identifies metropolitan areas that have shown improvement in housing permits, employment and housing prices for at least six consecutive months. The IMI said that a total of 84 new markets were added to the list and eight were dropped for the month.

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Q: We’ve been asked to rout out the bottoms of a granite overhang at an outdoor kitchen and epoxy in a 3” x 3/8” strip of steel to reinforce the stone. We’re nervous about routing out so much of the stone in that we think it could make it more fragile – has this been done before?

A: A variety of embedded reinforcement measures have been attempted in natural stone, some of which have been successful and others which haven’t. The particular description that you provide makes me share in your concern. First, it is unlikely that the 3” x 3/8” deep flat stock will actually prevent fracture of the stone. It may prevent a catastrophe, in that it would keep the overhanging stone portion from falling to the ground if it did fracture. But it wouldn’t be rigid enough to make a sufficient support contribution prior to fracture of the stone. My second concern, similar to yours, is that routing out a large, rectangular cross-section of the stone does compromise the strength. In a brittle material, any abrupt geometrical discontinuity creates what is called a “stress riser”.

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I would like to begin my first column as MIA President with a tip of the hat to my predecessors and mentors. They have all given generously of their time and talents during the years that I have served on the Board. Mike Twiss did a fantastic job this last year in leading the board to name a new Executive Vice President. He has built on the successes of G.K. Naquin, Brett Rugo, Guido Gliori and Jim Hogan, to name a few.

As we begin a new year, things in the building industry finally seem to be looking up. We can all hope that this stubborn, vicious recession is on its last legs. Those that have survived the past four years are stronger for it. Those that have prospered are fortunate. Yet, as we know too well, many in our industry were unable to weather the storm.

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Each month, the MIA profiles an employee from one of our member companies. This month, we welcome Kostas Kioleidis from K & K Marble Importers in Bethpage, NY.
to the Cutting Edge profile page.

Q: Kostas, could you tell us a little bit about your company?

A: Michelangelo was born from an idea and a belief: "There must be a better way to run our business."
Michelangelo is the creation of Nicola Maganuco, former CEO of Stone Capital, a stone yard in Long Island NY, and I. Michelangelo was developed to simplify and expedite our work-flow; to boost our productivity; to help our clients more effectively, engage them in the design process; to close more deals faster; to improve communication channels within our teams and to track every aspect of our business from anywhere, anytime.

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Now that the election is over, and President Obama has secured another 4-year term in the White House, private businesses can focus on the very real possibility that the Affordable Care Act (in some form) will be implemented in 2014. Of utmost importance to most businesses are the “shared responsibility” portions of the Act otherwise known as the penalty provisions. All businesses should analyze the Act and the penalty provisions and determine how it could impact them in 2014.

Q: DO THE PENALTY PROVISIONS OF THE ACT APPLY TO ALL BUSINESSES?

A: No – the penalty provisions of the Act only apply to those businesses which have (on average) at least 50 full-time equivalent employees on business days during the prior calendar year. In other words, to determine whether your business will have to worry about the penalty provisions of the Act in 2014, you will look at the average full-time equivalents which you have during 2013.

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The housing market’s fragile recovery should continue into 2013 and beyond if the economy doesn’t fall off the fiscal cliff and there are not further limitations on the availability of mortgage credit.

That was the consensus of economists attending a major conference of realtors. One especially positive outlook was presented by Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, who said that the market really turned around in 2012.

“Existing home sales, new home sales and housing starts are all recording notable gains this year in contrast with suppressed activity in the previous four years. All major home price measures are showing sustained increases,” Yun said. The economist said he saw no threatening signs for inflation in the coming year, but projects it to be in the range of four to six percent by 2015.

“The huge federal budget deficit is likely to push up borrowing costs and raise inflation by well above two percent,” he said. Of particular interest to the stone industry, Yun said new home sales in 2012 are expected to increase to 368,000 this year from a record low of 301,000 in 2011, and grow strongly to 575,000 in 2013. He predicted that housing starts are forecast to grow to 776,000 in 2012, up from 612,000 in 2011, and reach 1.13 million next year. Yun also said existing home sales will climb 8.7 percent in 2013 to 5.05 million units.

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