Recycling Effort Exceeds Expectations at SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2012

(Dallas, Texas) Being “green” is no longer a trend or fad – it’s a way of life. This was dramatically demonstrated last week at the recently completed SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas (S2).
For the first time, S² partnered with Mountain Re-Source Center and Tile Partners for Humanity on a recycling initiative focused on post-show product donations at the close of the three-day event, held January 24-26 in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. The outstanding results of this inaugural program speak for themselves and exceeded all expectations.

Mountain Re-Source Center solicited all S² exhibitors prior to and during the show. The participating exhibitors were very generous, offering approximately 200,000 square feet of material which filled three 50-foot semi-trailers to capacity. The total tonnage was about 120,000 pounds. The loads were delivered back to Gridley, California and Gassaway, West Virginia, to serve multiple families and community improvement efforts presently underway. Las Vegas Habitat for Humanity also partnered with one donor and collected a beautiful floor that will stay and benefit a local Las Vegas project.

S² exhibitors were thrilled to be part of such an important and impactful program. Both small and large companies actively participated with some of the major donations coming from …
• Beaulieu (9,000 square feet of carpet)
• Mannington Mills (9,000 square feet of flooring)
• Home Legend (5,400 square feet of flooring)
• Nature Flooring (3,500 square feet of flooring)
• Pergo (2,800 square feet of flooring)
• U.S. Floors (2,500 square feet of flooring)

Due to the extreme success, exhibitor participation and effective coordination by Mountain Re-Source Center on the SURFACES | StonExpo/ Marmomacc Americas show, there’s no question this initiative will become an annual event mainstay. Allyson Venugopal, Mountain Re-Source Center’s networking director, heard nothing but positive, encouraging remarks during the effort. “Among the many comments we heard, numerous companies admitted that this type of program is right in line with their business’ green policies. Knowing their products would bypass the landfill and instead benefit others clearly inspired a feeling of pride. The possibilities are limitless on how we can all work together to help communities and neighbors in need,” Venugopal shared, “and we are thankful to Hanley Wood Exhibitions, Freeman Companies and all of the S2 participating exhibitors for making this possible.”

Dana Teague, Group Director, Hanley Wood Exhibitions added, “Our shared S² accomplishment is only amplified by the thought that its success could result in even more community involvement and corporate participation outside of the show. About 75% of the exhibitors participating indicated they wanted to discuss future donations! We are grateful to have had this opportunity, to all our exhibitors, and to Mountain Re-Source Center and Tile Partners for Humanity for all their work, coordination and volunteers. We will most definitely plan for this initiative in 2013.”

Additionally, the Mandalay Bay was successful in recycling 80% of the remaining materials left in both the Bayside and Shorelines Exhibit Halls (including residual cardboard, aluminum, paper, plastics, pallets, etc.).

For more information regarding the Mountain Re-Source Center and Tile Partners for Humanity, visit their websites at www.mountainre-source.org and www.tpfh.com. All donations are tax deductible.
 
Save the Date
The momentum is already building for SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2013, scheduled for January 29-January 31 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada USA. For more information on SURFACES and StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas, visit us at www.Surfaces.com or www.StonExpo.com or follow us at @Surfaces_Show and @StonExpo.

About Sponsors and Endorsers
The official sponsor of SURFACES is the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA), the floor covering industry's largest advocacy organization representing floor covering retailers, contractors and allied service providers throughout North America. The WFCA is a recognized leader in marketing research, industry certification programs, and operates the premier consumer flooring web site, www.wfca.org, providing unbiased information about every type of floor covering and connecting customers to members’ retail stores. The WFCA also influences public policy affecting the floor covering industry and consumers. For more information about the WFCA, visit www.wfca-pro.org.

StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas’ Official Sponsors are the Marble Institute of America (MIA) and Natural Stone Council. The mission of the MIA is to promote the use of natural stone and be the world's most authoritative natural stone information resource. Membership in the association is worldwide and includes over 2,000 natural stone producers, exporters/importers, distributors/wholesalers, fabricators, finishers, installers, and industry suppliers—all committed to the highest standards of workmanship and ethics.
The Natural Stone Council, home of the Genuine Stone® brand, is the leader in the stone industry that represents the major associations who are committed to promotion and education of the industry and general public on the value and benefits of natural stone. Supporting member associations include: Allied Stone Industries, American Monument Association, Building Stone Institute, Canadian Stone Association, Elberton Granite Association, Marble Institute of America, National Building Granite Quarries Association, National Granite Manufacturers Association and Natural Stone Alliance.
StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas official endorsers are Marmomacc, Allied Stone Industries and The Concrete Countertop Institute.
About Veronafiere
Veronafiere (Verona Trade Fair Company) is Italy's most important direct organizer of trade shows and among the top organizers in Europe. Founded in 1898, Veronafiere now focuses on economic sectors of primary importance to the Italian economy, including stone (Marmomacc), construction (Samoter), and wine (Vinitaly).  Veronafiere conducts or hosts 37 trade shows a year in Verona and 11 abroad.  Annual turnover in 2007 was more than $110M.

Marmomacc is the global leader in natural and engineered stone materials and related technologies and design.  Samoter is one of Europe's major exhibitions of construction equipment and earth-moving machinery.  Vinitaly is the largest wine trade show in the world.  All three are owned and organized by Veronafiere.

About Hanley Wood
Hanley Wood is comprised of four platforms: Business Media, which publishes more than 30 magazines, featuring Builder, Remodeling and Architect magazine, along with related Web sites, e-newsletters, and conferences; Exhibitions, which produces marquee events such as World of Concrete, bringing residential and commercial construction professionals face-to-face with manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and service providers, and also manages events in other industries; Market Intelligence, which collects and aggregates proprietary data sets that capture hundreds of pieces of profile and material information about housing developments in more than 75 housing markets; and Marketing, which plans, creates, and executes strategic and integrated marketing solutions for its clients. Visit www.hanleywood.com.

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