Coverings, Orlando, Florida -- March, 2004

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Coverings is the world's largest tile and stone show.  This year it was held in Orlando's new convention center which is directly across the street (International Drive) from the original center. The tile and stone industries of many countries are represented, with Spain and Italy sending the largest number of representatives.  Quite simply, the show is huge.

I visited with some of the top people of several U.S. manufacturing companies.  I'm privileged to have had that opportunity.  It was also a good time for making new friends and renewing old acquaintances.  All in all, a very enjoyable trip.

I snapped a few pictures that I would like to share with you.  Due to my limited photographic prowess, some of the shots are better than others, and some of my efforts were not usable at all.  Here we go.  :)

For the past couple years I have been somewhat unofficially affiliated with Schluter Systems, a company that produces some of the finest tile related products in the world.  Schluter also subsidized the production costs of my new book, Tile Your World.  I had been joking that I could never find my in-box in the Schluter headquarters at Plattsburgh, New York, so the Schluter folks brought the box down to Florida with them.

Schluter Systems president Reinhard Plank presenting me my inbox.

Jim Carlin, tile contractor from Maine and yours truly. Jim and I settled a number of
issues that have perplexed the tile trade.  :-)

Laura Westra, Schluter rep for Florida.  The show was virtually
held in Laura's back yard.

Linda Fahey and Eric Rattan.  Linda is a mosaicist from Pacifica,
California.  Eric is a well-known tile setter, mosaic artist and lecturer.

My friend Andy Lundberg, products manager for Felker/Target
tile saws, took several of us to dinner.  Pictured are Andy and
Linda Fahey.

Robert Lancy of Schluter Systems

Sean the Greek. (Sean Gerolimatos)    Schluter Systems

At the Noble Company party.  Linda Fahey, David Taylor of Tile-Experts and
Michael McIntyre, tile manager of Buddy's Carpets in Ohio.

Linda, David and yours truly.  :)

David Taylor, Tile-Experts; Eric Edelmayer, Noble Company; and John Bridge, Tile Your World

Russell King, Schluter Systems

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