SpecBlazer January 2005

CONESTOGATILE Announces Operational Change to Improve Service

In order to streamline our operations and meet future challenges of the rapidly growing ceramic tile industry, CONESTOGATILE has leased significant warehouse space in Hanover, Pennsylvania to serve as our Central Distribution Center. This move to a "Hub & Spoke" logistics system will reduce certain inefficiencies resulting from our inventory transfer system. We have been very busy moving the majority or our inventory into this new state-of-the-art facility. All service centers in Harrisburg PA, Baltimore MD, Dulles VA and Charlottesville VA, will be coordinating their delivery schedules by utilizing this more efficient method of just-in-time shipments from one central location.

During November and December, we move over 2,000 pallets of material along with a large amount of warehouse racking. Our employees orchestrated this huge task in an extremely efficient manner; however, change always introduces a few bumps in the road. Our initial planning included a transition period where everyone had to acclimate to new systems and responsibilities.

At this time, we are fine-tuning many of the details of our new procedures, establishing the system to check all orders thoroughly and are very excited about the development of the Central Distribution Center. it is quite a sight seeing 400-foot aisles of stocked ceramic tile throughout the main 100,000 square foot warehouse. We have converted our order-pulling process to an assembly line method with various checkpoints along the way.

As far as the system for pickup orders at the service centers, many of our customers are beginning to appreciate the ability to get in and out of our warehouse quickly. Most of the pickup orders are being assembled in Hanover and shipped to the service center complete. Actual time spent picking up an order has been reduced significantly. The ultimate goal is to provide our customers with the most efficient warehousing distribution services available in the ceramic tile industry.

We are extremely excited about this venture and are looking forward to enhancing our relationship with our current business partners.

2005 Lunchbox Seminar Program

We are currently developing our new seminar program to be offered to architects and designers for 2005. The program will be centered on how the design intent of construction projects gets compromised. Specifically, we'll be discussing how your ceramic tile installations get valued engineered due to faulty or insufficient specifications. We'll be giving recommendations on how to avoid this from happening and how to make sure your projects are installed according to specs and drawings.

Please register early by contacting your CONESTOGATILE Architectural Sales Representative or by calling 1-800-422-6860, ext.4213, and asking for Howard L. Pryor, CCS, CTC.

Happy New Year from Central Virginia
CONESTOGATILE has always offered outstanding AIA seminars. This year we will also be offering showroom tours. What a great opportunity to see cutting-edge products all showcased in a state-of-the-art facility. Browse our 4,000 square foot designer showroom, showcasing traditional, contemporary, sleek vignettes. See how product lines can be incorporated together and how any budget	can be achieved. Lunch and transportation will be provided. Representing CONESTOGATILE in Central Virginia, Millie Whatley, our Architectural Representative, realizes that she cannot show you every product line CONESTOGATILE carries. Her hopes are that by visiting the showroom you will walk away with many design and product	viewings that will benefit you in your daily selections. We would like to thank Moseley Architects, Gwathmey Design Group and Pye Interiors for their participation and positive input to this program. These firms took great ideas, literature and digital pictures away with them. Contact Millie Whatley at 1-800-422-6860, ext.4502, to schedule your next design adventure.

Schluter Ditra Mat

"QuartzStone" Chosen
for Restoration
of Social Security Administration Headquarters

When it came to choosing a hard surface stone for the ongoing restoration of the Social Security Building in Baltimore, Maryland, Burt Hill Kosar & Rittelmann Associates specified a hard surface, man-engineered stone manufactures by QUARTZITEC, INC. QuartzStone 12" x 12" tiles in three colors available from a spectrum of 45 standard colors were selected for most of the 90,000 square foot U.S. Federal Government project. Several additional custom colors were developed to complete the accent tiles needed for the final color palette for this very large project. Two of three standard finishes (polished, semi-polished, textured) were available that met ADA compliance for slip and fall, an issue very important to their client. A wide array of trims and accent tiles that include base, stair tread, borders, strips, and inserts are also available. QuartzStone engineers have created stone tile that looks similar to Italian terrazzo tiles. There are two sizes (12" x 12" x 3/8" and 16" x 16" x 3/8") available that can be installed easily in a thin bed (thinset) or thick bed (mud set) application. with a cost for this product 20% less than natural stone and installation labor costs 35% less than pour-in-place terrazzo flooring, it was easy to see why QuartzStone tiles were the perfect choice. Burt Hill Kosar & Rittelmann Associates had a client whose need for an upscale look for natural stone and carefree maintenance was mandatory. QuartzStone provides extremely high durability by virtue of its quartz composition. Regardless of the finish that is selected, QuartzStone is more resistant to abrasion than ceramic, natural marble or natural granite and will maintain its finish longer while requiring far less maintenance.

Please contact Ernie Heimpel, Manager of Architectural Services, at 1-800-422-6860, ext.4403, or check out this product provided by CONESTOGATILE by going to our website at www.conestogatile.com. Please email ernieheimpel@cctd.com for samples and information related to QuartzStone Quality Quartz Tile Surfaces.

SCHLUTER SYSTEMS continues to demonstrate its leadership in tile and stone installation technology with respect to uncoupling systems. To this end, SCHLUTER SYSTEMS has improved the characteristics of Ditra. When first introduced, Ditra was a 3/16" thick mat with troughs running in one direction. While the troughs were essential to the performance of Ditra, they occasionally impeded the layout process when the installers would strike the their lines parallel to the troughs. Not only did the redesign from a parallel trough to a grid-type pattern enhance the performance to the Ditra, it eliminated the layout problem. Another change was thickness. By reducing this from 3/16" to 1/8", Ditra provides an even lower profile for clearance than when first introduced. In renovation projects, this can be critical.

Along with these advancements, Ditra continues to provide superior performance as an isolation and waterproof membrane. Its ability to allow vapor transmission, waterproofing and deflection control all at the same time makes Ditra the leader in use over post-tensioned, pre-stressed and lightweight concrete structures.

The recent dramatic growth in heated floors has added a new dimension to the demands for movement protection under tile and stone floors. Ditra has demonstrated its ability to provide that protection. SCHLUTER SYSTEMS backs all performance claims with a warranty when used in conformance with their installation instructions.

To learn more about how and why this product performs as it does, contact your CONESTOGATILE Architectural Representative today.