When guys are either getting into this industry or looking for more ways for their businesses to increase its revenue, I like to bring up the question of "What's the 'Next' Countertop Product Going to Be?" And would you be up for looking at adding to what you already offer your customers.

Being that I have been in the industry for 32 years, I have had the opportunity to be able to watch the trends and cyclic demands on products for use on countertops. Being that this is just from my own perspective, I remember when Ceramic Tile was "it" back in the 50s and 60s along with this new product called "Formica."

Then in the 1980s, Dupont came out with this new solid surface product called "Corian." People just had to have it. There were only a few color choices other than white, eggshell or snow, but people made a mad dash in the 80s to get Corian in their kitchens.

Along came the 1990s and all of a sudden, there was granite! The color choices seemed to explode in the mid 90s when Resining became refined and made it possible for stone species that, up until then, could not be processed effectively to be shipped world wide with a higher degree of quality.

Enter the 21st century and Engineered Stone became the "new" darling of the kitchen industry. I can still remember being at StonExpo 1999 in Atlanta with my son, Mark, and telling him as the Silestone folks were setting their tiles loose on top of a carpeted show floor, that in three days, those tiles would be chunks. Man, was I wrong! After three days of heavy show floor traffic, not one of the 1/2 or 5/8 thick tile had sustained any visible wear or breakage. I was pretty impressed!

Now, here we are sitting in the middle of 2010 in an economy that is "supposed to be" rebounding out of a recession (that's what the talking heads in Washington DC and our esteemed President is telling us). Regardless of where the economy (in reality) is right now, it will improve, and hopefully, soon.

Once the economy revives, what will you do with the opportunities that present themselves? When more people start replacing their current countertops with something new, what will that product be? Are you prepared to offer new products that up until now you have not offered or even worked with?

Based again, on my own observations, I would say that the same old "look" of polished granite will still be popular, as well as many other products that have arrived on the scene in the last 25 years, but there will also be a segment of our market that will always demand new stuff.

Look at the last five years: in 2005, the "Venezian" look of brushed/antiqued/leathered granite became the rage. Why? Because it was new and fresh, and it was something that folks had not seen before, but they liked what they saw. It was different, and people like "different" from time to time.

The next big products that I think will be in demand from guys that do countertops, will be any kind of "green" product that does not cost two arms and one leg, concrete countertops, and stainless steel.

Here's why I am saying that these three products will be in demand when the economy roars back to life:

1. "Green" products are being mandated by local municipalities as time goes by. Having learned some valuable lessons from the generation that endured the Great Depression (both my mom and dad were born prior to it, and both lived through it), I used to hear the stories about how tough times were at the supper table, each week. Our present generation is re-learning many of the things that got people through the leaner times, and recycling factors into this in a big way. Remember though, that the "green" industry is still in its infancy, so prices will come down for "green" countertops as the technology advances. The obvious "key" to expanding the market share of "green" countertops will be durability and style, along with cost.

2. Concrete countertops will be in a much higher demand due to the lower infrastructural costs of actually producing concrete countertops in a shop environment. Along with the technological advances that have been made in making concrete countertops more durable and stain resistant, there are new colors and textures that can be performed to customer's specifications. I was able to see some outstanding examples of artistry and craftsmanship at the Concrete Décor show that was recently held in Phoenix, Arizona. The AZ School of Rock will be hosting upcoming classes presented by the Concrete Countertop Institute at our Phoenix location.

3. Stainless steel (in my opinion) will be another product that becomes more popular in the future than it already is, especially for residential use. Look at the statistics on appliances that are purchased for use in residential applications: What's the most popular color of stove fridges and dishwashers? Certainly not "Avocado," "Harvest Gold," or "Golden Brown" (the three big colors of the 70s). It's been stainless steel. The natural route of progression (again, in my own opinion) will be to provide stainless countertops where other products would be considered as well, such as granite, engineered stone, "green" tops, solid surface, concrete, laminate and anything else that a person would use on their kitchen countertops. In my humble opinion, the guy that is either getting into the countertop industry or the guy that is already functioning as a countertop contractor-regardless of the discipline-who is prepared to provide new looks and new products to consumers, will be the guy that "catches the wave," so to speak. He will be the guy that benefits from offering more products as consumer tastes change.

I just pray that "Avocado," "Harvest Gold," or "Golden Brown" won't be coming back into style anytime soon.

Best Regards & Happy Fabricating! "Education on Location" at Fabrication Shops around the world is a service that is provided by AZ School of Rock.

For more information, contact Kevin M. Padden at www.azschoolofrock.com , by phone at 480-309-9422 or you can send me an e-mail at info@azschoolofrock.com

I predict that concrete countertops will be in a much higher demand due to the lower infrastructural costs of producing concrete countertops in a shop environment. Along with the technological advances that have been made in making concrete countertops more durable and stain resistant, a wide range of new colors, textures and treatments can be customized to your customer's specifications.

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