The Good, The Bad And The Solid Washington DC

If you take a snapshot of the major events of any year, there are always going to be triumphs and tribulations, and the year 1967 is no different.

If you think back to the year, or in my case, because I wasn't born until five years later, if you do some research on it, you find that a lot of significant things happened in the United States and around the world: The Vietnam War was still in full swing and protests were becoming more and more common; the first ever Superbowl took place; three U.S. astronauts were killed when Apollo I burst into flames on the launch pad; the album Are You Experienced was released by Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles released Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band; Sesame Street first aired on television, but the big shows of the year were The Flying Nun, Ironside and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour; Earth Day was celebrated for the first time; race riots broke out in many large cities in the United States, including the infamous 12th Street Riots in Detroit; Thurgood Marshall was confirmed and sworn in as the first African American Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court; Dr. Christian Barnard performed the first successful heart transplant — the recipient survived 18 days before succumbing to pneumonia; the first microwave oven hit the consumer market; the first issue of Rolling Stone magazine hit the stands; and In the Heat of the Night won Best Picture.

As you can see from this quick roundup there were a lot of highs and lows that year. However, one thing missing from this list that has played a significant role in the lives of many people in this industry was that solid surface, Corian, was invented by Dr. Don Slocum of DuPont.

Yes, it was 40 years ago that solid surface came into being. While it certainly doesn't compare to the effects that came about from the escalating Vietnam War or the first African American Supreme Court Justice being sworn in, if you are reading this magazine, chances are it has impacted your life immensely. If it weren't for this event, this magazine wouldn't even exist, as is the case with many of the countertop fabrication companies out there today.

Since its creation, solid surface has grown as a product category to capture more than 62 million sq. ft. of countertop space in residential kitchens and baths, roughly 12.5 percent of the total, and is second only to laminate in square footage in U.S. homes — a major accomplishment in such a relatively short time span. And a lot of its success had to do with you — the fabricator. So put on your party hats, give yourselves a pat on the back and pass out the cake and ice cream in celebration of the milestone.

In honor of solid surface's 40th year as a premium surfacing material, we have started a brand-new department that debuts in this issue and will be running in every issue from here on out that focuses exclusively on matters related to solid surface. This new section, "Solid Surface Matters," is kicked off by a recap of the history of solid surface written by longtime solid surface advocate, Joanna Duggan (see Page 26).

While many of you are handling quartz surfacing, granite and, perhaps, even laminate or tile, solid surface is tied to the history of this magazine and will always have a home in here now and in the future.

In this new section, we plan to bring you information from some of the best known sources, as well as some newer names, in the solid surface segment of the industry. These articles will range from tips and techniques to troubleshooting advice, warranty issues and the everyday obstacles that are common to solid surface fabricators. I hope you find it useful and I, for one, am looking forward to another 40 years of solid surface.

As always, I look forward to your feedback.

Sincerely,