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Innovative Stone Brings a Laser Focus to Commercial Markets
The company announces a global growth strategy for its commercial segment and prepares to exit the local Long Island "Residential Homeowner Direct" fabrication sector
In 2011, Innovative Global Brands (IGB), d/b/a Innovative Stone, made a strategic decision to expand its global commercial surfaces business. As a result of these efforts, the Company has experienced significant and sustained demand in its global commercial surfaces business. It expects continued growth in 2012.
In connection with Innovative's continuing growth strategy for its commercial surfaces division, the Company is actively seeking now to hire highly qualified commercial account managers, project managers and global sourcing managers. These new hires will join existing members of Innovative Stone's Commercial Division pursuing a geographically limitless market while offering clients differentiated services by market segment. The Company's Commercial Division offers worldwide commercial clients a wide array of surfacing products and a unique full-service, global team approach to sourcing, fabrication and installation. The Company's Commercial Division is an international force in the industry with its sales, inspection, and distribution office in Xiamen, China and its rapidly growing distribution center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
As part of its decision to focus on its commercial surfaces business, Innovative Stone made the further strategic decision to cease providing services for the Residential Homeowner Direct (RHD) sector in Long Island, NY. The Company will maintain its core fabrication team that will continue to service large-scale commercial projects. "The only customers who will be affected, in any way" says Tracy Streckenbach, the Company's President and COO, "are the residential homeowners on Long Island who will need to choose an alternative provider for small-scale kitchen remodelling projects." The Company's compliment of services for its core commercial market remain unchanged, including global material sourcing and custom fabrication and installation services for market segments including: Retail, Hospitality, Corporate, and Multi-Unit Residential properties.
The decision to cease RHD operations comes as a result of continued sluggish demand in the residential housing market and increased price pressure from its primary RHD customer. To support members of its fabrication staff that served the RHD market, whose positions will be eliminated in this transition, Innovative Stone is offering a host of out-placement services including weekly resume writing and interview skills classes, and identifying and sharing job postings that could be of interest to current employees affected by the planned layoffs. Selected employees formerly working in the RHD Division have been offered positions on the growing Commercial Team.
"What makes Innovative Stone unique in the market is our absolute commitment to proactive and intelligent customer service. Our clients expect us to be an extension of their team, they trust us to provide insights that support long-term construction surfacing decisions." says Streckenbach. She further clarifies the importance of the company's brand promise. "Our reputation is built on our ability to proactively support our clients' construction efforts as they respond to growth opportunities around the world. There was a time when, in addition to our core business, we could profitably support a local RHD market which allowed Long Island residents to benefit from our larger fabrication activities. Downward pricing pressures and continued commoditization within the residential homeowner direct segment have become so severe that agreeing to meet newly required pricing demands would have required a shift in the quality of service we provide." Streckenbach goes on to say, "Simply put, we aren't willing to compromise on the level of quality and competency our team delivers in the global marketplace."
To understand more about the company's new "focus" strategy, read the recently published article, Leadership Techniques that Flourish in a Constrained Growth Economy.
Innovative Stone specializes in custom material sourcing and project management for large-scale projects around the globe. A worldwide partner to Retail and Hospitality brands, architects, general contractors, and designers, Innovative Stone is one of the few companies to provide start-to-finish global services, from sourcing and fabrication to delivery, installation, and logistics management. The company serves commercial clients across all industries including: retail, hospitality, government/infrastructure, and corporate. Recent projects of note include: 51 East – Lagoona Mall – Qatar; Gap Flagships – Shanghai and Beijing, China and Ginza, Japan; MTA Fulton Street Transit Station, NYC; and The Mall of America, Minneapolis, MN.
Innovative Global Brands, LLC and Innovative Stone world headquarters are located in Hauppauge, NY. Innovative Stone, China is located in Xiamen, Fujian Province, China.
Press inquiries: please contact Sarah Hebert at sarah.hebert@innovativestone.com.
To learn more about the IGB and Innovative Stone, visit the company website at www.innovativestone.com.