ASAA’s Immediate Goals

Over the last two years ASAA has sold more than 200 copies of its 388 page ‘Natural Stone Design Manual’, to specifiers and members of industry. ASAA pays a royalty on each sale to the Marble Institute of America (MIA), for permission to use and australianise some of its material. The board will open discussions with the MIA about development of an encrypted protocol that will allow visitors to order hard copies of the manual online, or purchase specific sections, for a lower fee. This process will also allow owners of hard copies to update relevant sections of their manual as updates are produced. This should provide a significant advance in regards to supplying appropriate information to potential users of stone.

Manual sales provide a useful revenue stream. Significantly, ASAA has not received a single negative comment about the presentation nor the content of the manual. In future, ASAA member David West will promote the manual by visiting leading architectural practices and making short presentations regarding the manual’s content.

ASAA has joined forces with the Australian Tile Council to develop a guide to choosing natural stone and ceramic tile products with suitable slip-resistance for use in residential environments. ASAA will also investigate the development of a number of added attractions to companies and individuals who are contemplating joining the association. A number of these will be designed to appeal to smaller companies, processors and stonemasons.

A number of options will be investigated including car hire and insurance packages. In addition the board will investigate the development of documents which will assist members in the day to day running of their businesses. These may include documents like sales contracts, estimate forms, and advice on OH&S.